VN September 2020

Vetnuus | September 2020 16 Mandela Day outreach yields unexpected results By Toni Younghusband When EberVet CVC planned its fourth Mandela Day sterilisation outreach it hoped to sterilise 67 dogs and cats from impoverished Nomzamo/Lwandle township near Somerset West. Expectations were more than exceeded, and then some. “When number 67 came through the doors into our makeshift surgery, all the vets unanimously agreed: let’s get to 100,” recalls Dr Hilldidge Beer, CEO of the EberVet Petcare Group. Number 67, an ageing crossbreed dog called Lily, had had several litters and was on heat yet again. “We got to her just in time, and we knew that there were hundreds of others just like her out there, so we pushed up the target.” By the end of the 7-hour day the six veterinarians, working in shifts, had sterilised 102 dogs and cats. A further 100 were added to a list to be sterilised at EberVet Pet Clinic over the next few weeks. “This spay-day has had a massive impact on the community of Nomzamo/Lwandle; now that the people have seen what we do, we have so many more coming forward wanting us to sterilise their pets,” said animal welfare volunteer Samantha Mann of The Outreach Program. Nomzamo/Lwandle has more than 60 000 residents (census: 2011), the majority migrant workers from the Eastern Cape. Many of them worked as house cleaners, gardeners and waiters until Covid-19 struck and now thousands are unemployed. “Very few of these people have the funds to sterilise their pets or get veterinary help for their animals. What was done here today is of cardinal importance because, in addition to the sterilisation, it has shown the residents of Nomzamo that there are people who can help them with their animals,” said community leader George Bezuidenhout. Every pet sterilised was also dewormed and deflead thanks to Ascendis’ generous donation of Fiprotec and Triworm and sent home with a large bag of food from the hundreds of kilos donated by welfare supporters and EberVet Vetshops. Several dogs were also treated for severe mange. “We want to thank each and every vet and the animal welfare for the great service they offered here today. The community hugely appreciates it,” said Bezuidenhout. The six veterinarians – Drs Hilldidge Beer, Susan van Niekerk, Esmaré van der Walt, Ingrid de Wet and Carina di Sibio from EberVet, and Meet number 67! Lily is readied for anaesthetic by Janion Latier, an inspector with Greyton Animal Welfare