KSPCA
I was only able to volunteer for what seemed like a very short time of 8 days helping at the KSPCA. I was willing to do anything - help clean cages, pick up poop, walk dogs, anything! I was quickly ushered into the office where I was asked to put my marketing expertise to work. I started to brief them on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and other digital marketing means to get some attraction and hopefully donations from outside Kenya. The KSPCA are amazing for what they do to help support the local communities and villages with domestic animals in particular dogs. They run on a shoe string budget and I mean shoe string - we are talking child's shoe size 3.
www.kspca-kenya.org
www.facebook.com/kspca
www.twitter.com/kspca
A lot of people wonder and ask what is the point of having a SPCA in a third world country or developing country where people don't have money or care for their animals like we do in western civilisation. I beg to differ. No matter where I travel I see and meet people (granted not the majority) but people from the poorest communities who care and love their pets just as much as we do. They may not have the money to pay for vaccinations, spaying or neutering or even have the resources to feed their animal every day (people come first here when there is so little to eat) but they still love and care for their animal. It is just that their version of care is different from what we might expect or want. I always have to give myself a big pep talk when I travel to developing countries. I know what to expect and I know what I will see or hear. It can be heart breaking but my cause and my mission is to find the positive dog stories and the positive work that people do with their dogs. Dogs are so amazing (as most of you who read my blogs and updates know!) They are the only domesticated animal that has such a special relationship with man.
KSPCA are a fine example of what can be done in small ways to help support people less fortunate than us. They are very small and very poor but they help offer support, experience of animal care and a place to go for questions relating to care of their animals. Many dogs and puppies have been given to KSPCA instead of being tossed in a ditch (which sadly is very common here) where they can be given an opportunity for re homing or care temporarily.
The KSPCA also go to local villages and talk about spaying and neutering and will spay and neuter for free where possible. They have very little surgical supplies as they have one set for neutering and spaying but when possible they will spay and neuter as many dogs as possible if people are too poor to pay.
The in-house vet who is Kenyan is a lovely young man who cares greatly about dogs and the animals in his care. It was amazing to see him work with some of the sick puppies that came into the KSPCA whilst I was there working. I will be editing some more short videos to support the KSPCA when I return to the UK in August.
The KSPCA also support greatly the care and rehabilitation of donkeys. Donkeys are often mistreated due to poor care or ignorance of safety equipment such as no cutting bridles and well balanced weights for carrying. The KSPCA make and sell and sometimes donate where possible bridles and carrying tack so people can use their donkey without injuring them in the process. They also teach people in villages how to care for their donkeys so they can last longer and have a more sustainable livelihood. I filmed some great interviews with the Kenyan guys who hand make these bridles and carrying tack all from ropes and old blankets.
I am saving the best story from my time at the KSPCA for one of my videos. It is a story about one of the dogs that came into their care two years ago. He probably has the most amazing dog story I have ever heard in my life yet.
More to come ...
the Dog Reporter
www.thedogreporter.com
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