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Writer's pictureAnimal-Kind International

Animal care and welfare in Zimbabwe at Twala Trust

Animal-Kind International supports Twala Trust's Doggy Tuesday by providing the funds to purchase food for ~600 dogs every week, who attend Doggy Tuesday with their human families. Beyond the funding for Doggy Tuesday (which is generously supported through AKI's Elaine Law Memorial Pet Food Fund), as an AKI Partner Organization, Twala Trust can use the additional funding we send for their priority animal care and welfare needs.


Animal Care and Welfare in Zimbabwe: The Waggley Tail Club


In particular, we love helping Twala Trust's Waggley Tail Club, a group of senior dogs, who get to live their retirement years at the Twala Trust sanctuary. Here are some of their stories.


Twala Trust's group of elderly dogs gathers around for their bedtime treats at the sanctuary in Zimbabwe.
Twala Trust volunteer, Amanda, hands out bedtime treats to the senior dogs of the Waggley Tail Club

Most Waggley Tail Club dogs have come to Twala Trust after spending their lives as guard dogs at family compounds and farms. Some have spent their Tuesdays at Twala Trust's Doggy Tuesday and are well-known to Twala's staff:

Twala Trust Zimbabwe staff members include a vet, vet nurse, and dog handler.
The Twala Trust staff includes dog handler Stewart, vet nurse Debra, and veterinarian Dr Hastings

Some Waggley Tail Club members come from situations like Ellie's, where they've been loved and so well cared for their entire lives, but their owner can no longer provide the best of care and they willingly give their dog up.


Ellie attended Doggy Tuesday every week for 10 years with her now elderly owner. Ellie is 13 now and has a liver problem.


Ellie's heartbroken owner asked Twala Trust to give her the care she needs at Twala through the Waggley Tail Club because he can no longer care for her at home. Everyone cried when they said goodbye.

Brown older dog at Twala Trust sanctuary in Zimbabwe.
Ellie has now joined the Waggley Tail Club

Twala Trust is hopeful that Ellie will rally enough to have a peaceful and well deserved retirement with the Waggley Tail Club. After 13 years of dedicated protection and companionship as part of a rural household, it's her turn to be cared for.


Mr and Mrs Zakeo of Chinyani Village adopted a new pup from Twala. They surrendered their elderly dog, a long-time Doggy Tuesday dog, who is now retired and a member of the Waggley Tail Club. An old rural dog gets a quiet life in retirement and a rescued pup gets a new home!


A man holding his new brown dog next to a woman and the dog handler from Twala Trust Zimbabwe.
Mr and Mrs Zakeo with Twala's dog handler, Ali, and the Zakeo's new pup

Bully, whose story was in our previous AKI Blog Post about Twala Trust, is now a permanent Waggley Tail Club member. He's always cheerful, always focused on the treats, loves everyone:

Black dog with wide open eyes and a big smile at Twala Trust sanctuary in Zimbabwe.
Bully is a Waggley Tail Club favorite!

Animal Care and Welfare in Zimbabwe: Doggy Tuesday


Doggy Tuesday is now using 8 bags of kibble [dry packaged food] most weeks--putting a strain on Animal-Kind International's and Twala Trust's resources. Plus the Twala Trust staff cooks a lot of the food and mixes that with the kibble.

A person in a blue uniform shovels meat from a bin to serve to dogs at Twala Trust in Zimbabwe.
Preparing 1000 liters of dog food for the Doggy Tuesday buffet

A pile of meat is ready for serving to the dogs at Twala Trust Zimbabwe.
Ready for the Doggy Tuesday buffet!

Watch this video to get a great idea of what Doggy Tuesday is like:


A new arrival at Doggy Tuesday, Brown enjoyed her first good meal. She's feeding puppies and is thin and anxious but she'll be sterilized as soon as the pups are weaned, and life will improve significantly for her.

Brown dog eating dry dog food on the ground at Twala Trust in Zimbabwe.
Brown is enjoying her first meal at Doggy Tuesday

This is the goal of Doggy Tuesday: healthy, happy, dogs who can remain at their homes for as long as possible, and are well-cared for by their owners. Blacky and Bruno epitomize this:

Two large dogs sitting on leashes looking at a person at Twala Trust in Zimbabwe.
Blacky and Bruno, so well cared for by owner Mai Chipo, are old timers at Doggy Tuesday

Danger is a Doggy Tuesday regular and a senior dog still living at home with his devoted owner!

White and tan terrier type dog in his senior years at Twala Trust sanctuary in Zimbabwe.
Danger, a favorite of everyone, and a long time Doggy Tuesday regular who is living into a healthy and happy old age with a devoted owner

Animal Care and Welfare in Zimbabwe: The Twala Trust "pop-up" library


It's not just the dogs who have fun at Doggy Tuesday. Twala Trust's pop-up library at Doggy Tuesday is where the kids gather to learn about animals and take part in fun activities--all involving dogs and cats (and they may not even realize that while they're having fun, they're learning!)

Young dog owners gather around a table at Twala Trust in Zimbabwe and draw pictures of animals.
Young dog owners at the Doggy Tuesday pop-up library, where they read, draw, and have other fun activities, all related to learing about animals


Kids gathered around a table while their dogs sleep nearby at Twala Trust in Zimbabwe.
The pop-up library at Doggy Tuesday, where the kids talk about why our dogs are our best friends while the dogs take a snooze

Little dog, Ravel, always helps out at the pop-up library:


 

At Doggy Tuesday, kids and dogs can particpate in several activities together, reinforcing the idea that dogs are our best friends, they are the perfect companion.


This is why we are honored to support Twala Trust's priority initiatives in animal care and welfare in Zimbabwe.

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