Helen Lockhart is the Two Oceans Aquarium Communications & Sustainability Manager.
If, like us, you always wish to do more to help animals, we’d like to submit for your consideration the Mdzananda Animal Clinic’s Paw programme. Mdzananda has been doing life-saving work with pets and people in Khayelitsha for the last 20 years, but their main funder is pulling its financial support. Mdzananda’s work is now in peril, but if we can get just 600 people to commit to donating just R100 (or R50, or R25) a month, the clinic will have recouped its R700 000 funding deficit.
Towards the end of last year, a group of us from the Two Oceans Aquarium visited the Mdzananda Animal Clinic in Khayelitsha for the first time. While we were there, we met some of the dedicated and passionate staff and many of the special animals in their care. We met and heard the story of Burnie, a little ginger cat who had suffered from severe burns as a result of having had boiling water thrown on him. And we saw Enzy, a pit-bull who wore the scars of abuse on her body, but not on her spirit as she wagged her tail and happily engaged with us. We also met some of the resident cats that had pride of place in the administration office!
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Several months after our visit I read the happy tale of Burnie’s adoption and then the heart-warming story of Enzy (now Daisy-Mae) who has found a loving home in Johannesburg. Their stories are not the only ones to emerge from Mdzananda, which was started 20 years ago by one man, Mr Joe, who visited pets in the community, feeding them and bathing and dipping them. Today the residents of Khayelitsha bring their beloved pets to the clinic for treatment, which they receive at minimal cost to their owners. Not only does Mdzananda treat and care for over 1 000 animals every month, they also run education programmes to inform residents about how to care for their pets.
This remarkable organisation is in desperate need of funding, as its primary funder is withdrawing over the next few years. This year already saw a reduction of 31.55% - a whopping R715 639 less in their coffers, which is huge knock for a non-profit community organisation such as Mdzananda.
We decided as the Aquarium to support them where we can – after all every little bit counts. We recently made a donation of R20 000 towards their running costs, which include the hospital, theatre, mobile clinics and an ambulance to attend to emergency cases.
Two Oceans Aquarium CEO Michael Farquhar said: “The Mdzananda story is an inspiring one and the people who work there do a fantastic job under trying conditions. The joy they bring to animals and people’s lives in Khayelitsha is a pleasure to witness. Their vision, 'Enhancing wellbeing for animals and their community through veterinary health care, education and partnerships', speaks to care for the environment as central to the health of the community and its animals. To this end, they even have a small nursery to facilitate the community to green their surroundings for the wellbeing of their pets and the community as a whole. A remarkable team which really deserves more support. I urge you to help them where you can and to follow them on Facebook or sign up for their newsletter – it is always worth the read.”
"The Mdzananda Animal Clinic is so thrilled to receive such a generous donation from the Aquarium," says Mdzananda Animal Clinic Fundraising & Communication Manager Marcelle du Plessis. "This donation of R20 000 will help us vastly to treat the animals coming to our clinic. With R20 000 we are able to purchase most of the vaccinations bought in one month meaning a large amount of animals will be kept from contracting contagious and deadly diseases."
Paws for a cause
Several staff members, including Michael, have also joined as Paw Members and donate an amount every month. If we can get 600 more people to sign up to give just R100 a month, the clinic will be able to fill the funding void it currently sits with. To sign up as a Paw Member you can send your name, postal address, birthday date and how much you wish to donate monthly to info@mdzananda.co.za.
Please encourage your friends to sign up too!
Other initiatives from the Aquarium include a substantial donation of cod liver oil, which Mdzananda uses to improve skin condition in dogs with mange, as well as to provide vitamin D for their patients with rickets; our members generously brought blankets, pet food and toys to the Members’ Festive Celebration in December 2016 to give to Mdzananda, and our Environmental Education Centre’s Outreach team will be joining forces with Mdzananda’s education unit to help educate the community. The Aquarium is also a drop-off point – please bring newspapers, blankets, pet food (dog and cat, adult and young), washing powder, black bags, cat litter, hot water bottles, leads and collars, and anything else which may be of use to the Mdzananda Animal Clinic.
