The previous AKI Blog post about our Partner Have a Heart and our AKI-HaH Emergency Fund described some of our emergency vet care cases in Namibia through April 2024. Here are some of the emergency vet care cases we've supported in Namibia since then.
If there was ever a dog close to death (as you can see from the picture below) and who cheated it, it's Cooper from Rehoboth. He had severe tick bite fever. Aanwo Vet Clinic agreed to see Cooper right away and the AKI-HaH Emergency Fund agreed to cover the cost (he was previously neutered by HaH, a requirement of the Emergency Fund).
When Cooper arrived at the clinic he wasn't even able to lift his head and we didn't think Cooper would survive. Dr Rakel treated Cooper and soon he was able to walk and eat on his own. He was sent back home and required to return for check ups. Soon Cooper was gaining weight, strength, and again, he felt good to be alive:
Arya had a loving home but her human dad died and the rest of the family wasn't interested in her and her brother. Because no one really cared, they didn't realize that Arya wasn't able to eat.
When her pain became too apparent to ignore, someone in the family contacted HaH volunteer Ronja and that's when Arya's luck changed. Ronja picked Arya and her brother up and they immediately went to the vet clinic.
Arya's mouth was extremely inflamed. Lots of tests, medication, a drip, and more medication finally helped Arya to begin feeling better. In the meantime, Ronja worked tirelessly and was able to find a home for Arya and her brother where they would be loved again.
Compared to other AKI-HaH Emergency Fund cases, Arya's vet care was quite expensive, at about US$230. But that amount took Arya from death's door back to 100% health. Her new owner is considered very low income and since Arya was previously spayed, her emergency care qualified for the AKI-HaH Emergency Fund.
This is Bob from Rehoboth (below). Poor Bob was bitten by something-probably an insect. Luckily, since Bob had previously been neutered by HaH, Bob's owner knew he could go to Aanwo Vet Clinic to get help for Bob. The AKI-HaH Emergency Fund paid for the vet care and by the next day, Bob was already feeling much better and allowed to go home.
Mercy was brought to Aanwo Vet Clinic in Rehoboth with an emergency - her tail needed to be amputated! Mercy's family said they didn't know what happened, but we know that Mercy needed help and the AKI-HaH Emergency Fund was there for little Mercy. She had to stay at the clinic overnight, but went home the next day with a shorter tail. Her spay surgery (of course, one of the requirements for using the AKI-HaH Emergency Fund) was scheduled for her next visit.
Ambassador is only 3 years old, but the few teeth he had left were all rotten. How painful this must have been for him!
Ambassador was born feral and lives at a fish factory, where his job is to keep the rodents away. Once he overcame his fear, Ambassador decided that he loves to get petted. And he entertains the workers during their breaks and cheers everyone up .
But since he doesn't have an official owner and he gets paid in fish for the work he does, the AKI-HaH Emergency Fund agreed to help. He had previously been neutered by HaH, so he qualified for the fund.
Ambassador had all his remaining teeth removed at Southern Cross Veterinary Practice. He needed a few recovery days before returning to his fish factory post, where he's still able to work, teeth or no teeth.
Have a Heart welcomed Wally to their family in 2022 when he was neutered. That means he was eligible for HaH's Lifetime Care Program (funded by AKI-boosters and parasite treatments for life), and if his family can't afford it and he needs it, access to the AKI-HaH Emergency Fund.
Recently Wally wasn't feeling very well and his responsible owners brought him to Aanwo Vet Clinic. After checking with us, Aanwo knew they could help Wally, who desperately needed care and right away.
Wally had a virus and needed to spend some days at the clinic. There was no way his family could have afforded this emergency vet care. But what was most important to all of us is that Wally went home fully recovered.
Beautiful Jacky from Rehoboth became a Have a Heart family member last year when he was neutered.
When Jacky's owner found him laying down, unable to get up even to go pee, he rushed Jacky to Aanwo Vet Clinic where Dr Rakel put him on a drip. After a few hours, Jacky felt much better. Given his quick and easy recovery, the assumption was that Jacky must have eaten something that made him feel very sick. Lucky for Jacky, that's all that was wrong with him and he was able to go straight home.
Liefie is Afrikaans and translated as a mix of Darling and Sweety and My Love.
Liefie wasn't feeling well and her owner was frantic. She contacted an HaH volunteer to see if she could get help for her beloved cat.
It turned out that Liefie's problem was a pretty simple fix. Liefie was constipated. After the treatment, some recovery and observation, Liefie was allowed to go back home.
Geesche (Have a Heart) wrote to us after Liefie went home: "Thank you so much AKI!!! I think many people underestimate how desperate caring owners become when their much loved pets get sick and they don't have the financial freedom to pay a medical bill. Vets want to help, but they also have to pay their bills, food, rent, water, electricity, and staff. The AKI Emergency Fund does not only help the sick or injured pet. The Emergency Fund also helps the very worried owner and the caring vet, who is now able to treat the animal. Because whatever the outcome is, it is so much better for your soul when one has the freedom to make the best decision for the animal!"
This is Smolie with Laurika, an owner who really fought for her cat. Smolie has been with Laurika since she was a small kitten and at the beginning of the year Smolie's brother sadly passed away. When Smolie started to develop cold-like symptoms and lost weight, Laurika was in a panic and she went on a mission to get help for Smolie.
Laurika loves her cat more than anything, and Smolie of course was spayed through HaH. That meant that at Farmhouse Vet Clinic in Windhoek, when Laurika asked for help, Dr Charnel was able to schedule Smolie in right away. A check-up, medication, and obsevation was all Smolie needed to feel better and be sent home.
It was almost a year since they saw her, when Sunet, the horse whose emergency care AKI funded after she was attacked by a dog (in September 2023), came to Aanwo Vet Clinic just to say hello.
Sunet had touched so many hearts, her injuries had been so severe, but this special girl was so calm and seemed to know that everyone was there to help her. (Photo below from her 2nd visit to the vet clinic in 2023).
The AKI-HaH Emergency Fund brings such joy to so many, avoids and reduces so much suffering, and at such low cost, it makes expert vet care accessible to all Namibians.
We gratefully acknowledge Dalio Philanthropies for their support.