The Gunjur Dog Patrol

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.

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. 

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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.