Needing home

Looking for a good loving home for cross Labrador/ridgeback black and tan dog, male 7 years old, all vaccines up to date  Owners moving to a flat. Excellent watch dog, has been loved and cared for since puppy. Call Gavyn 0772 227 427.

Dogs found

Found Dog: A very friendly female Boerboel cross found on Garth Rd in Borrowdale.  She is wearing a black webbed collar and is in great condition. She must belong to someone.  She is currently being cared for at Borrowdale Lane Vet. Please call 883099 or 0712 451 328.

 

Found Dogs; we have picked up 2 staffys at our farm in Ruwa and can't find out who they belong too.  One is a brindle and one is a fawn colour and looks quite old. I have dropped them at the Friends Foundation. 

Homes and fostering needed

Foster Moms Needed Again!! Friend Animal Foundation have just been handed 8 pups about 2 weeks old that need fostering.  All bottles and milk will be supplied.  Please call Mary-Lu on 0772 225 845 or the surgery on 339971/2 or 0772 342 241, avondalevets@yoafrica.com.  Thank you.

 

Loving home URGENTLY needed for 2 treasured dogs as owners are having to leave the country: Chocolate velvet ears and kissable brown nose - that's Cocoa - a female Weimaraner/cross short-haired pointer.  She is 2 years old and gorgeous. Handsome reddish tan, loveable, cute Fox - mixed breed male 1 1/2 years old.  They are good with children.  They must go together. We have loved having them and have spoilt them lots.  If you can look after them well, please call Ali and Steve on 0778 658 526 or 7.

Lost - large brown dog

From: Rosie Mitchell [mailto:rosie@wildimaginings.net]
Sent: 07 January 2015 13:11m
To: Rosie Mitchell
Subject: MISSING SINCE JAN 1 - OUR LARGE BROWN DOG LETO, FROM OUR HOME IN HAMPSHIRE RD, GREENDALE

 

Hi there, and a very happy new year!! 

 

Our New Year is not so happy, as our dog Leto whom we have had since a small puppy – nearly 9 years - has gone missing since 1 Jan - probably something to do with fireworks in the neighbourhood, or thunder, she hates loud bangs and we think may have jumped the wall into the neighbour’s then over their gate (which unlike ours, is easy to get over) or slipped out of the gate after a car.

 

I wondered whether you would consider sending this out to your friends and family.  I must say we are totally devastated.  As you probably know, I do all my running training with our dogs and am really feeling her absence very badly!  Sarah, and Charles who works for us, are equally beside themselves with worry. We are trying all sorts of strategies, of course - she is in fact micro-chipped, and we've advised ALL the vets, Friend Foundation, VAWZ, SPCA, are driving all over the suburbs by both day and night, and are spreading flyers and posters all over.  The flyer has been circulated round the Bambazonke and Zimtrader email lists twice so far and is on the Zim Pets Lost and Found Facebook page - as well as ours, obviously.

 

Many thanks, any and all help is much appreciated!

 

Rosie

 

 

 

 

Lost and found

Found Kitten: A tiny dark tortoiseshell kitten appeared in my garden yesterday - about 6 weeks old at a guess. She is very wild and frightened. Being so small I am

guessing she came from not far away - generally, the elbow 24-hour between Chatsworth and Pendennis, perhaps. I have kept her overnight and fed her, but will take her to the 24-hour vet today in case anyone has enquired for her.

 

Missing from Drew Road since 5th January- Lola a black and white spayed bitch.  Much loved, overweight family pet - 4 years old - black and white medium sized cross - she is very, very timid and gentle.  Please help - phone Sasha on 0773 599 525 if you have seen her anywhere!!!!!

Friend Foundation

The Friend Animal Foundation would like to thank everyone who has helped and supported us through 2014.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Firstly to Avondale Vet for looking after the health of all our animals even in hard times. Secondly for all the food and money that has been donated to feed the many animals in our care. Third for all the bedding, bowls, toys and other items that have been donated for our ‘shop’. To all the amazing people that have adopted our animals. Last but certainly not least to all the generous help with all our fundraising this year. We wish you and your furry family a happy festive season.

 

 

 

 

Bones

Our local residents at Friend Animal Foundation

People moved out their house and left bones there to fend for himself. He was brought to us skin and bones… hence his name bones. He is such a friendly lovely dog and has been with us for 8 years now. But no longer looks like

‘bones’, so we are thinking of changing his name to sausage!!! I think from

being starved he is now food obsessed (I can relate to that) and thinks each meal will be his last.

We have ‘Shy-Anne’, she was a car accident victim. We have Scarby (or snare dog) who had a terrible wound on her back from a snare, she even had 2 beautiful puppies with the snare on her.

 

 

 ‘jumper ’  who is sure to jump up on you, Ceaser who was living in the bush and kids used to throw stones at him. Phebe, Kylie, our old Besty who spends most of her days in the compound now but used to take up one of the office chairs. Our newest addition is a Jack Russel cross who has been named ‘Big Boy’

 

 

George Clooney

George is dark and handsome and is one of the                                                                        office cats.

He loves a bit of attention and is happy to sleep                                                                        on the desk while you are trying to work.

There are lots of other office cats, one of my                                                                             favorites is

Veronica or Ronnie as we call her. She was a                                                                             wild feral kitten who was nearly put to sleep because she                                                                        had cat flu

– Dr Felix from Avondale vet decided to give her a second chance and she has become the most loving and friend list of them all.

We also have Lady Gaga, a fluffy dark tortie, Moaning Murtle, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb, Seb ( who we found out was a girl), gentle Olive, Squeek, who scratches you when you stop tickling him, Bright Eyes a pretty black cat with half a tail, who we haven’t been able to tame yet.

 

 

Rotaruwa the horse

 

Our beautiful gentle Rota. As a yearling her friend was struck by lightning and died, so poor Rota got the after shock and has never been able to be ridden. She is a bit stiff in the legs and her head tilts to the side. She was used as a brood mare but now has retired at the foundation. She loves carrots and loads of attention. Is happy to be brushed and loved.

Chukka the brown sheep was hand reared as a lamb and is extremely

friendly. She came to us from a farmer who lost their farm.

Timmy the goat was also hand reared as his mum died and he is happy to be friendly if you have food to give him.

 

 

We have 4 very fat donkeys!!! They come up every morning to the office to see if there are any carrots .

And if this isn’t enough to make you come and visit we have 2 pigs who love a tickle but again are even happier if you have food to share with them.

Chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, guinea fowl, pigeons rabbits and guinea pigs too.

We even have 3 broiler chickens which came in a bag of dead chickens to feed the dogs. Of course they were rescued and are now living a lov

Animal suffering

Good day,

 

I would like to report animal suffering taking place at No. 13 Meadow Bank, Mt Pleasant. Their two dogs are tied up everyday all day and hardly ever free in the yard. The animals are visible from the road as you can see through the gate. Lately their new puppy is given to howling continuously. I believe it is due to the distress from lack of freedom.

 

Please help. This is truly distressing.

 

Kind regards

Tendai

New home Needed

New home Needed:  I have 2 young mixed breed dogs, sisters, spayed and up to date on injections, who need a new home, as I am having to downsize, and can no longer keep them. They are golden brown, lively, friendly and very affectionate. They are still learning good manners, but are easy to feed, and a pleasure to own. Please contact me on 04 744410, or 0774 436 205. They need to go together, as they play constantly, and are close in all they do.

From: Desi Hacker shacker@zol.co.zw

Good day to all the Harare SPCA supporters , sponsors and animal lovers in Zimbabwe.

 

I would like to begin by extending an enormous thank you to everyone that has contributed, in some way, to the welfare of the animals in our care. Individuals and  companies have donated time, funds, advice and donations in kind, that have enabled us to keep the Harare SPCA doors open to the public and their pets. There have been people that have given us encouragement and some that have expressed regret  for not being in a position to donate anything but they have sent us the kindest e mails and messages and their emotional support has been invaluable. There are days when there seems to be no light at the end of the darkest of tunnels. Desperation, anxiety and despondency have gripped the hearts of the management, staff and volunteers at the Harare SPCA. Tears have been shed  and the horror  we have witnessed in the way of cruelty and neglect,  go beyond our understanding. Well, as the saying goes, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. There is no  choice but to face the problems and to endeavour to make a difference.

 

2014 has been the busiest of years with an average of 1000 animals coming through the doors every month. The Harare SPCA has treated, vaccinated, euthanized, spayed, neutered and re-homed cats and dogs and a variety of other animals. Our mobile clinic has travelled to high density areas to reach those who cannot bring their animals to the surgery.

Yes, the  statistics are staggering and the work has been overwhelming but we have dragged our way to the end of this very difficult year and we have great plans for 2015.

 

The biggest hurdle we have had to face is finance. The operational costs of Harare Spca are approximately $40 000 per month which are partially subsidised through adoptions,, treatments and boarding. The Society continuously struggles under this huge financial burden, given the current economical environment our financial burden is increasing exponentially. Most of the individuals who bring their pets to us cannot afford the treatment and  therefore the SPCA has to absorb  most of the costs. 

 

Our main challenge is the welfare of the animals. This year has seen the highest number of animals surrendered by owners. Every day cats and dogs are handed over - no longer wanted, and the owners do not make a donation towards their  future upkeep or veterinary requirements. Basically they are dumped and left. The society never turns any animal away. We accept healthy as well as dying and seriously injured animals and ask no questions. We encourage owners not to abandon animals and we are inundated with requests to collect sick and aggressive dogs and endless litters of puppies and kittens. We also trap, sterilize and release feral cats on a daily basis. Feral dogs are becoming a common sight . The majority of the feral animals  we are able to catch are diseased, and carriers of  highly contagious canine and feline viruses . Rabies is not uncommon.

 

Another huge concern is the large number of missing dogs . We have been contacted by owners who know that their animals have been stolen. An anonymous caller recently witnessed one of her dogs being hauled over her garden wall. The popular breeds are disappearing on a daily basis and are being used for breeding, selling, guarding, and  fighting or bait for fighting in Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries. Some stolen dogs have been found for sale by vendors on street corners .  A few have been reunited with their owners but the majority are still unaccounted for. The best advice we can offer is to spay or neuter your pets and make it known to your staff that your cats/dogs will no longer be able to breed. Microchip your pets. This is the absolute proof of ownership you have for your pets. It also ensures quick identification of animals that are picked up and taken to vets and welfare organizations. Many lost and stray dogs and cats do resurface months after their disappearance and by then some owners have given up looking for them. Microchips are available at most vets and at the Harare SPCA. Please ensure that the microchip has been registered by your vet. Some vets may ask that you do this yourself. We have had animals come in to our kennels that are chipped but unregistered which is extremely frustrating and in the end we have had no choice but to re-home the animals.

 

Many domestic pets  escape from the safety of their homes because of their fear of thunder storms and  the constant use of fireworks in our neighbourhoods. Pets are found wandering on the streets and are fearful, confused and  disorientated. They do not always trust the people that try to catch them. They roam around aimlessly and often wander far from home. Some have been picked up and not handed over to the correct authorities, some are victims of hit and run accidents and others are stolen and sold or hidden and bred continuously. Kindly note that if you are able to pick up a stray, the correct procedure is  to drop the animal off at your nearest vet so it can be scanned, and checked over. Leave the animal with the vet or take it to the Harare SPCA.  PLEASE DO NOT KEEP THE PET AT YOUR RESIDENCE.   We have had incidents when people have found dogs and taken them home for safekeeping  but the dogs have escaped - into totally unfamiliar territory and are on the run again and have not yet been found. One dog escaped from a “safe place” and was hit and killed just outside the gate. Owners looking for their pets will contact welfare centres and vets. Report any lost or found animal to all welfare societies and vets and place adverts and photographs on the Harare SPCA Face Book  page and on the ”Zim Pets Lost and Found” page on Face Book.

 

Lastly, we would like to encourage all potential pet owners to opt to adopt from a shelter. Dogs vary from purebreds to delightful mongrels, from puppies to elderly dogs and from miniatures to giants. Cats come in all ages, colours and temperaments - all yearn for the comfort of a home.  They have experienced fear and loneliness. They  show their joy and excitement when they have visitors and I know that deep down they are always looking out for their owners. Their eyes speak volumes .They may be safe and fed and sheltered but they are not living the life they deserve. They need affection and understanding. Above all, they will love you unconditionally.  Remember that their fragile futures depend on whether people adopt or go out and buy a pet.  The reality is that we euthanize more than 250 animals per month. A sad thought to ponder on - but where would we home 250 extra animals per month and who would pay to feed them and vaccinate them? Who would pay the wages for extra staff to look after the animals and where would we find the funds to  build more and more kennels to shelter these poor innocent victims?

 

2014 has seen an amazing transformation in our facilities and a huge improvement in the levels of medical care we are able to extend to the many animals in need. We are the largest veterinary care providers in Zimbabwe.Harare SPCA follows the highest standards of animal shelter and  welfare controls for the animals in our care. We never overcrowd kennels as this leads to aggression, anxiety and kennel stress. Hygiene controls are strictly monitored and we feed good quality meals twice daily. Our hospital treats all the animalsin our care and all are spayed or neutered before they are re-homed. All adopted animals leave micro chipped.

 

Ideally we should only be here to act as the bridge from a shelter to a home but the reality is that the majority of the cats and dogs in our care will never leave. They will only know  life in a cage. Some are born in the shelter and will die in the shelter without ever being owned or loved. Who is to blame ?

 

If you are not in the position to adopt please volunteer your time. There are dogs that need exercise and cats that love being brushed. Puppies and kittens need to be socialized and played with. We just do not have enough hands to do all of this. The emotional wellbeing of the animals is of absolute importance to us but the numbers are high and volunteers always dwindle down to the regular few.

 

Last but not least, I must say that working and volunteering at any animal shelter is physically and emotionally draining and exceptionally stressful but I  have had the honour of working alongside the most amazing, generous, courageous and humble people . These men and women are selfless and  just keep at it despite all the difficulties. Where would all the neglected, unwanted and abused animals be without them? I have met animals that have fought all the odds stacked against them and they have survived. They have learnt to love unconditionally and to protect.

 

All we ask for as we enter the New Year, is your support and understanding. Do not breed or buy whilst shelter pets die. Lend a helping hand. Call us and ask what you can assist with.

Spay , neuter and microchip.  

 

Oh and ps. a new mobile clinic would come in handy, as ours, a vintage of note, has given up and died J

 

 

Wishing you all the very best for 2015

 

 

Desi Hacker (Harare Spca Council)