Uganda SPCA: Animal Shelter Update

Animal-Kind International
6 hours ago
3 min read

Update 1

In our previous AKI Blog post about the Uganda SPCA's new animal shelter (June 18), we wrote, "We hope and think that we'll soon be able to re-start our move to the new USPCA shelter location. After a recent visit from the National Environmental Management Authority, we felt very positive and we anticipate hearing from them shortly."

And finally we have good news! NEMA agreed that our appeal had merit and after they visited the site, NEMA issued a certificate that allows the USPCA to continue to build at the new location. They concurred with us that the section where the shelter will be constructed is not wetland.

There's still much more to do before the transfer of infrastructure, equipment, supplies, and dogs and cats from the old to new site can be completed, but since receipt of the NEMA certificate, 19 more dogs have been moved to the new shelter and another 19 or so will be moved soon.

Pictures of moving day:

Two men loading dogs onto a truck on a sunny street in Kampala, Uganda. — Moving day for 19 lucky dogs

Man in blue uniform stands in a truck with a crated dog in Kampala, Uganda. — Loading up

People in blue uniforms and casual clothes handle dogs on leashes in a grassy area with a truck and buildings in the background in Kampala, Uganda. — They arrive

Person in blue feeds several dogs on a sunny concrete pad with green fields in the background in Uganda. — Adjusting to their new home

Coming up next:

The USPCA needs to get final approval from Kajjansi Town Council, the local municipal authority. This involves getting an updated set of building plans and holding an on-site meeting with officials. The updated plans will be ready shortly.
The USPCA needs to apply to the National Water & Sewerage Corporation for a connection.
And of course, we haven't forgotten the cats! The USPCA is designing a new cattery.
The USPCA is investigating whether to install a biodigester for disposal of fecal waste from the kennels, which would produce gas for use in the kitchen to cook dog and cat food, reducing the need for firewood.

Update 2

All kennels at the Uganda SPCA animal shelter will soon have their own dog house. You may have seen that we received an offer for a match of up to US$800 if we could raise another $800 to build 9 new dog houses and repair 2. We raised the match, the dog houses are being built, and some have already been delivered:

Two men in white shirts and jeans uncovering a large object that is on a flatbed truck with an apartment building in the background in Uganda. — The 1st of 9 new dog houses is delivered

Person in blue with multiple dogs in a fenced area at the Uganda animal shelter. — Exploring their new dog house

Seven puppies gathered inside a large, open, brown wooden box in a fenced outdoor area at the Uganda animal shelter. — Fun in the dog house

The dogs love these boxes. They play on them, jump on top of them to get better and different views of their surroundings, hide in them, and sleep in them. Most were in a similar condition to this one before we received these kind and generous donations:

Three dogs around a wooden shelter that is in disrepair with one dog on top and one inside and another nearby in Uganda at the animal shelter. — Their old houses were in such bad shape!

Update 3

One of the many things our Animal-Kind International supporters have recently funded is this community outreach event in Masaka:

Young child in an orange shirt holds a puppy with other dogs nearby on grass in Uganda. — Now he knows how to take good care of his little puppy

At the request of local officials, the USPCA put a team together and spent October 18 in a village in Masaka, where they vaccinated 56 dogs and cats. All of that village's animals (well, those who were old enough--the puppy above wasn't) are now protected against rabies!

Uganda SPCA Community Program collage with kids, dogs, volunteers, and tents. — Some of the people and pets who attended the USPCA's day in Masaka

Not only that: The USPCA team didn't only administer rabies vaccines, they also talked to community members about the importance of vaccination and how to provide for their pets, especially when they have so little. It takes an experienced and local group of people to really understand that although the people are so poor, they want to take good care of their cats and dogs. The USPCA team is the ideal group of people to provide this advice and to help them provide good care.

Update 4

We also continue to fund spay/neuter of rescued cats and dogs at the USPCA animal shelter. As of October, the volunteer vets can do surgical procedures under this nice bright light, funded by a generous donor:

Surgeon in green scrubs performs surgery under bright light with brown cabinets in the background at the Uganda animal shelter. — Now the vets have a much better view: spay surgery at the USPCA animal shelter

Update 5

And as always, AKI donors support cat and dog food for USPCA's shelter animals and USPCA staff salaries (our 2 top priorities), and as above, USPCA can use additional AKI funds for their other priority needs. And of course the top priority for all of us is to see Uganda SPCA shelter animals get wonderful homes:

Man and child smiling with a two cats against a blue wall at the Uganda animal shelter. The photo is double with one on the right and a slightly different view on the left. — Lucky kitties

Woman in a blue patterned dress pets a relaxed cat on a scratching post in a kennel at Uganda SPCA animal shelter. — They are made for each other!

Smiling person holds a gray and white cat in an outdoor pen with blue mesh at the Uganda animal shelter. — A good reason to smile