Donate to Gunjur Dog Patrol
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Paying from Norway? - Vipps #640156 – The GreenBox and mark the payment Dog Patrol
The Gunjur Dog Patrol in Gambia is a new charitable venture aimed at creating a healthier and happier dog community in Gunjur through education and preventative treatment.
Why is this needed?
For many years now, we have tried to help animals in our local area through neutering days and vaccination days. Our primary contributor supplying expertise and medical supplies has been The Gambia Horse & Donkey Trust. What we have seen is that many of the sick animals admitted to GHDT could have been treated in their own homes and if they had been treated earlier they may not have needed vet care. Through education, early treatment and preventative care we aim to have a healthier dog population and reduce suffering.
Exciting day with a tragic ending. 🙁 At 9:00 am we leave with four people in the Jeep of Footsteps Eco Lodge. The goal for today is to find injured dogs we have been notified of. It is not easy because they are just stray dogs that move around. The first search is on the beach here about ten kilometers away. After 1.5 hours and 1 kilometer of beach and surrounding bush we give up. The second possibility is nearby from a compound not far away. Again, nothing to be found there. It's not going well either. The third report is about a dog at Gunjur fishing village, where the fish is brought in from the sea and yes, finally a hit! A pitiful little dog with a neck wound hides under a trailer. He growls a little when I come closer, but he eats from my hand. We have a stick with a loop on it and a mobile dog cage, but when we arrive with it he flees the busy crowd in and unfortunately we lost him. We were able to track down the owner who will call us if the dog shows up again. Disappointed we drive back, but on the way home we happen to come across a very serious case along the side of the road. Enormously deep gaping wound on the back, a large cut on the neck, very thin and eyes that show a gray haze. This one is in very bad shape. In the meantime, the sun has fully broken through and she lies in the sweltering heat in the soft sand. We pack the animal with the loop and with difficulty we get him into the cage. Due to the serious injuries we decide to take him to the The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust where there are experienced doctors who could help him. After an hour's drive we arrive where the dog immediately receives first aid and the blood is examined by Omar. Our hope and reassurance is immediately dashed when the doctor takes the microscope. In addition to the very serious injuries and very poor physical health, the dog has a very aggressive parasite, of which this doctor has yet to never seen a dog heal at this stage. So there is only one option left: Put it to sleep! As I write this I get a lump in my throat again, but I know we helped this little animal. Otherwise she would still be languishing in the blazing sun. So this was my first day with the Dog Patrol. Exhausting, hopeful and confronting. Still, I feel like I did something good today; Giving this animal a humane death. My name is Oliver A. de Bie and I am a Dutch volunteer at Gunjur Dog Patrol. PS: There is no dead dog in any of the photos.
How will we achieve our goal of helping local dogs?
A team of dog rangers will patrol the village and surrounding area on pushbikes to help support the local dog population. Through identifying dogs that need help and their owners we can not only treat the dog but educate their owner to take care of their dog for the rest of their lives.
By building relationships with the local community we can identify those that would benefit from our vaccination clinics and other services. Our Dog Rangers will build trust and relationships nurturing an environment where dog owners feel they can ask for help.
How can you help and support Gunjur Dog Patrol?
We are aiming to start with two Dog Rangers and work up to a team of dedicated and experienced rangers working in the local community. Our one-time purchases such as bicycles, uniforms and start-up medical kits are already in place.
We have a target of reaching £4,000 to start with so that we get going and operate for a minimum of 6 months. Ideally our monthly costs would be met through regular monthly donations. The money will be spent on fair wages for our dog rangers, cost medications, emergency fund and misc running cost which amounts to around £600 per month.
Donate to Gunjur Dog Patrol
Donate a one-time GBP´s payment
Donate a one-time EURO´s payment
Paying from Norway? - Vipps #640156 – The GreenBox and mark the payment Dog Patrol
In memory of our beloved Seven, we are using her Facebook page to document the work our DRs will be doing each week. We think she would definitely be very proud of what we are trying to achieve. Please Join and share our FB Page here!
Gunjur Dog Patrol objectives!
- Visit, treat and monitor the health of local dogs in their homes/compounds.
- Educate and advise local dog owners on the care of their dogs.
- Focus on helping young people (aged 6-14) to learn about their dogs and how to treat them.
- Deliver health care services such as vaccination and neutering clinics and respond to local needs.
- Provide a first point of contact for people concerned about their dog welfare and assist with access to veterinary care when required.
- Work closely with other organisations and individuals that share similar aims to Gunjur Dog Patrol.
Services we will offer
- Our Gunjur Dog Rangers will provide mobile first aid for dogs, visiting and treating dogs in the local community.
- Provide treatment and advice on health issues such as mango worms, ticks & fleas, ear infections, minor cuts etc.
- Regular neutering and vaccination clinics.
- Emergency contact for animals in need in the greater Gunjur area.
- Opportunities for young people to learn about their dogs and how to care for them via a variety of different clubs and activities.
- Provide financial assistance for dogs/animals who need transport to receive emergency veterinary care (as funding allows)
Let’s look at a case study – Ear Mites/FlyStrike
Flystrike is usually caused by mites living in the inner ear and the dog trying to scratch the itch causes bleeding which then attracts flies which lay their eggs in the wound and subsequently lead to a maggot infestation. With some quick and easy treatment to eradicate the mites and stop the itching, along with some cream to aid in the healing process the ears will recover with minimal help.
Prevention is better than cure!
Instead of waiting until the problem has become so bad that it needs the attention of a qualified vet. Our mobile dog rangers (DRs) can identify a sick animal, find its owner and begin the process of treatment and education on how to prevent such a situation from occurring again.
Local people love their dogs, it is simply a lack of funds and knowledge that brings about unnecessary pain and distress for the animals. For a small amount of money, GDP can begin the process of ensuring our four-legged friends get the care they need when they need it.
If our DRs identify an animal which needs more care than we can provide, we will, of course, endeavour to take it to the professionals at GHDT, hopefully in some small way we can prevent the need for that from ever happening in the first place.
Donate to Gunjur Dog Patrol
Donate a one-time GBP´s payment
Donate a one-time EURO´s payment
Paying from Norway? - Vipps #640156 – The GreenBox and mark the payment Dog Patrol