South Sudan SPCA's spay-neuter campaign - a milestone

It's hard to believe that we've been working for over 5 years to plan and hold the first large-scale spay/neuter campaign in South Sudan. So many things interfered, including Covid, insecurity and conflicts, and changes in government and government requirements. Along the way, volunteers joined and dropped out. Most importantly, in 2024, the local team members formed and registered the 1st local animal welfare non-profit, the South Sudan Society for the Protection & Care of Animals.

Typical scene in Juba, South Sudan

Having a registered and local NGO has made it much easier to request meetings with government officials, obtain official paperwork, and coordinate with other institutions as we move forward with the South Sudan SPCA spay/neuter campaign.

Three of us (Jane, Kathrin, and Karen) have been with the local team from the start and have continued supporting the South Sudan SPCA by providing technical and administrative assistance.

The original plan is still in place: Over a two-week period, we aim to sterilize about 500 dogs and cats; we will involve as many local South Sudanese volunteers as possible; and we will bring in Kenya SPCA staff to train locals so that the South Sudan SPCA can run future spay/neuter campaigns without outside assistance.

A kitty in Juba - life on the street is not easy

Although we had raised enough money 6 years ago, prices have of course increased. Therefore, we--Animal-Kind International-agreed to fund the full cost of Kenya SPCA participation. We believe that the support and knowledge of the three-member team from Kenya is key to making this campaign successful.

Therefore, we are funding airfare, accommodation, and other costs (e.g., visas, transport) that will allow the participation of key KSPCA staff:

Nicholas Mungiria, Animal Welfare Team Leader: He has worked for KSPCA in different capacities for 20 years. He started as an animal care giver, then a field officer, and now he is the team leader. He is passionate about bridging the relationship between communities and animal welfare. During the spay/neuter campaign, Nicholas will assist with humane handling, including training local volunteers.

George Guyo is the Nairobi Medical Unit Manager. He has worked for KSPCA for 3 years. George enjoys trying to solve problems that affect animals. He is curious and always looking for better ways to improve animal health and welfare. For the s/n campaign, George will be the vet assistant overseeing anesthesia, as well as being the floor manager, ensuring the smooth running of each day of the campaign.

Dr. James Nyariki is a vet who has worked for KSPCA for about 10 years. He is currently the medical director overseeing the medical units in all the KSPCA branches in Kenya. He has a wealth of experience in high volume spay/neuter. "Seeing animals healthy and living a stress free life is what drives me," he told us.

Now, we're only waiting for rabies vaccines to arrive in South Sudan. Once we know we can get enough vaccines in-country, we'll identify a definite date for the 1st large-scale spay/neuter campaign organized by the South Sudan SPCA! That will be a great date for South Sudan's dogs and cats, including these kitties, surviving as best they can on Juba's streets:

A tough survivor of Juba's streets

Always on guard

This little kitty hasn't yet discovered how difficult life on the street can be--and hopefully won't ever have to!