AKI’s Partnership with RURAL ANIMAL WELFARE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS IN NAMIBIA

Edith from Walvis Bay SPCA sent a message and pictures of their 2011 spay campaign. With help from AKI donors, during the 10 day campaign, Walvis Bay SPCA spayed 70 animals. Dr. Bernard Chiomwe, temporary vet from Windhoek SPCA did the surgeries. Sadly, the Windhoek SPCA's budget couldn't cover Bernard's salary, and they had to let him go. AKI continues to try to raise funds to cover rural spay/neuter campaigns in Namibia.

ABOUT AKI’s RURAL ANIMAL WELFARE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS IN NAMIBIA

Supporters of AKI have an amazing opportunity to help small, local animal welfare organizations in Namibia. Without the help of Erika von Gierszewski, we never would have found these organizations — and wouldn’t have been able to make the important connections that Erika already has, to ensure funds we raise go directly to helping the animals at these rural SPCAs.

Our support for these SPCAs is so crucial to their survival—in rural areas of Namibia, there are so few opportunities to raise money, there are so few potential donors. Yet these rural SPCAs are dealing with such difficult animal welfare issues.

Sometimes it seems overwhelming to the few volunteers—but with AKI support, both moral and financial, we hope they will be able to continue helping the animals. Erika oversees AKI donations to the rural SPCAs. She is our "eyes and ears" on the ground in Namibia. She alerts us about specific funding needs of these SPCAs, and tracks how they use AKI donations. She’s identified the following SPCAs in Namibia that desperately need funds and supplies.
Through Erika, we are helping the following SPCAs:

Otjiwarongo SPCA is about three hours north of Windhoek (see photo of shelter and staff to the right)
Rundu SPCA is close to the border with Angola
Luderitz SPCA is located in a small town in the south of Namibia on the coast
Walvis Bay SPCA is also located in the south, on the coast
Keetmanshoop SPCA is located in southern Namibia.
Tsumeb SPCA is in the north of Namibia, not far from Etosha National Park.

Erika tells AKI that all the rural SPCAs need food, bowls, leashes, collars, fuel for their personal vehicles that they use for SPCA business, and blankets (it gets cold in Namibia!). Some of them would like to upgrade their kennels—others just dream of building kennels.
AKI support has purchased medication, tick/flea control, food, blankets, bowls, and has covered vet costs for the six SPCAs.

Dr. Simone, Windhoek SPCA Vet sends her thanks to AKI donors:
Thanks a lot for the suture material and please pass my thanks on to AKI. Really highly appreciated. I don’t know what we would do without the “scraps” of the first world. With the expiry date they have they are as good as new or unexpired. Yes, please, I want more, and then we are soon the most sophisticated clinic in town.

FROM OUR RURAL ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATION PARTNERS

Keetmanshoop SPCA

We received this message as an introduction to the Keetmanshoop SPCA:
Madam re: SPCA KEETMANSHOOP
I am the Chairman of the SPCA Keetmanshoop which was eventually launched in May 2008. We were initially only eleven members but can happily report that our membership is increasing daily and that we presently have 30 members.
Our funds are at this stage generated solely by members’ subscription fees. We do not have our own premises yet but one of our members has stated her preparedness to erect three (3) kennels and a run for injured animals on her existing business premises.
Our needs at this stage will be:

a rudimentary first aid kit for animals;
dog pellets [dry dog food] and fodder for impounded animals (eg donkeys and horses that are impounded as a result of their owner’s abuse);
kennels and blankets;
any form of donation to erect kennels on land which we are presently negotiating to be donated/or be made available rent free to us by the Keetmanshoop Municipality.

If Mrs Menczer is able to assist in any way our organization will be extremely grateful.
Regards: CHAIRMAN: SPCA KEETMANSHOOP

Keetmanshoop SPCA recently (October 2010) had a dog walk fundraiser, and sent this message to AKI:
This is the first time that we did it, but the people (and the dogs) enjoyed it so much that we intend to do this walk twice a year. Some of the partakers were either adopted or brought from the S.P.C.A. View photo to the right. →→
Regards
Stoffel Smith

Erika sent this background on Keetmanshoop SPCA to AKI:
The Keetmanshoop SPCA cannot get their kennels built and off the ground properly as they have to get approval from the Local Authority, and they do not have that yet. So Keetmanshoop, picks up the stray dogs and sometimes keeps them at their committee members’ homes and also tries and find the owner of the dog. They distribute food in the townships and also look after the horses there.

Walvis Bay SPCA

Please [click here] to read the latest case that the Walvs Bay SPCA is confronting.

On 14 October 2010, we received this [excerpted] email message from the Walvis Bay SPCA: GOOD DAY ERIKA
WE HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY HERE IN WALVISBAY. I WANTED TO ANSWER YOU A LONG TIME AGO.FIRSTLY THANKS FOR THE LAST DONATION AND THE NS690 NOW, IT S LIKE MANNA FROM HEAVEN AND GREATLY APPRICIATED.
AT THE MOMENT I AM BUSY TRYING TO GET 300 PEOPLE TO DONATE NS50 00 ON A PERMANENT MONTHLY BASIS, WHICH WOULD COVER OUR NORMAL RUNNING COSTS WHICH IS WAGES,WATER AND LIGHTS,FOOD AND VET. I ACTUALLY ONLY HAVE 10 PEOPLE ON MY LIST (AND ALL ARE FAMILY OR FRIENDS)

OTHERWISE WE ARE STILL HANGING IN HERE, WE HAVE FROM ANIMAL CRUELTY, NECLECT. DOG FIGHTING (where we had to call the police in) AND WITCHDOCTORS USING DOGS FOR THEIR MEDICINE. FOR THE SAKE OF THE ANIMALS WE' LL JUST CARRY ON. WELL ALL IN A DAY' S WORK OF THE SPCA.
HAVE A WONDERFULL DAY AND ALL YOUR HELP IS APPRICIATED.
REGARDS EDITH

On 29 October 2010, we received this cry for help from Edith at the Walvis Bay SPCA:
PLEASE SEND TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
THANKS EDITH

SUSPECTED DOGFIGHTING
THIS IS NOT OVERSEAS THIS IS IN WALVIS BAY!!!!
PLEASE SUPPORT THE SPCA WALVIS BAY
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS DESPERATELY NEEDED!!!

HI ERIKA
WE ARE ONLY 3 PEOPLE WORKING HERE. THE GOOD NEWS IS AFTER WATCHING THESE PEOPLE SINCE JANUARY WE EVENTUALLY CAUGHT THEM. WE INVADED THEM ON TUESDAY AND YESTERDAY WITH A WHOLE ARMY OF POLICE. REMOVED THE THREE DOGS AND MADE A CASE. THE OWNER WANTED TO SEE HIS DOGS YESTERDAY AFTERNOON BUT WE REFUSED, WE EVEN HAD SECURITY IN FRONT OF SPCA LAST NIGHT. WE KNOW THEY PLANNED A FIGHT FOR THE WEEKEND AND HE WANTS HIS DOG OUT.
HAVE A NICE WEEKEND
EDITH

And on 16 November 2010, Erika sent us this update:
The story about the dog fighting in W/Bay was in all newspapers here in Namibia and the court case is now on. I don't know whether the guy will get punished, I just hope they don't give the dogs back to him. Mrs. Alchin said they will do everything in their power to make sure he does not get those dogs back. They are safe at the W/Bay SPCA for now. (View one of the pitbulls rescued in the upper right of this page.)

Luderitz SPCA

AKI was happy to get the following news, via Erika, from Monica of Luderitz SPCA:

Hi,
I am happy to inform you that the SPCA is In operation again. Our Town Council shaped up and is assisting us in every way they can. We decided to work very closely with our local Town Council to get the street dogs off the streets and into the shelter and keep it that way. It will be a very hard and difficult task and will be handled over a period of time. We first want to identify all the current problem locations at hand and then work out a plan of action. Any kind of donation is always welcome and very much appreciated.

AKI IS HAPPY TO HAVE LUDERITZ SPCA BACK IN OPERATION, AND INVOLVED IN A PARTNERSHIP THAT SOUNDS LIKE A WIN-WIN FOR ALL. WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEIR GOOD EFFORTS!

In the Spring 2010 AKI newsletter we reported on this news from Estelle, who was then on the Luderitz SPCA executive committee:

We've had very very bad news this morning - from Caltex. They have, for a couple of years already - been our yearly main sponsor but I have received a letter from their head office in Windhoek this morning stating that all donations have been frozen and that we will get absolutely nothing from them this year! It is going to make our (SPCA) life here in Luderitz much much more difficult than it already is! I feel like crying and very helpless but unfortunately that will not help our situation very much...Thanks very much for your regular mails - it seems like the only little bit of good news or goodwill being shown to us! Sorry, I'm very disappointed today, please excuse me. Regards, Estelle

Then in the fall of 2010, we learned the following from Monica, also on the Luderitz SPCA committee:
Hi Erika, The SPCA Luderitzbucht have been struggling for 14 ½ years to keep the SPCA up and running with no financial assistance from our local council. Our funds are dangerously running to a zero balance. All the committee members are volunteers and sadly there are only 4 of us left.

Beginning of last year we upgraded our kennels, fencing, clinic and build a 1 bedroom house (for the caretaker), which took a lot of our funds. We cannot generate an income, because the people just drop off (or throw them over the fence) unwanted dogs / puppies. It is difficult to get people to understand they must pay for our mixed breed dogs. All expenses come directly from the SPCA. Our monthly expenses +- N$ 7000.00

AKI supports only the rural SPCAs, and not the Windhoek SPCA, but we wish to acknowledge the great work the Windhoek SPCA does in caring for animals in Namibia’s largest city.

Namibia SPCA-Windhoek

The NSPCA-Windhoek is the largest of Namibia’s SPCAs. Since we are focusing on the more rural areas, we won’t be raising funds directly for them, but we are happy to be a conduit for anyone who wants to donate funds or supplies.
During the months I was in Namibia, I saw so many dogs and cats enter the shelter, many terrified, slinking down on their bellies at the touch of a hand. Within a couple weeks, I saw most of these dogs turn into happy, trusting, loving dogs. These transitions happened because of the wonderful staff and volunteers at the NSPCA-Windhoek.

At any time, the shelter has about 200 dogs and 100 cats in its care. Something that is so striking is the number of purebreds that enter the shelter. And like with mixed breeds, their owners just don’t want to have the responsibility of caring for them any longer. In the five months I volunteered at the shelter, I saw two Dalmatians, two Weimeraners, numerous dachshunds, poodles, maltese, Jack Russells, German shepherds, two border collies, an Aussie, a miniature collie, and many other wonderful pure and mixed breeds enter the shelter, most because they were no longer wanted by their families.

Thanks to the NSPCA-Windhoek, these dogs are well taken care of, and about 1/3 are placed in happy, loving homes. All of the dogs and cats at the shelter get the best of care while they live at the NSPCA-Windhoek.

Read here how the Windhoek SPCA responded to the Ramatex situation, where dogs and cats were abandoned in a factory in Windhoek that had shut down.