|
Newsletter, April 2019
"With your help, we made Nepal a kinder place for animals."
April highlights
|
|
|
Providing relief to animals after Nepal's first recorded Tornado
|
|
|
|
On 31 March, two Terai disticts, Bara and Parsa were devastated by the first ever recorded Tornado in Nepal, which killed 28 people and injured over 600. As with all natural disasters, along with human casualties, many animals were also affected, especially livestock and equines. Following an initial needs assessment, a team from Animal Nepal led by Dr Atish Yadav left for Bara on 3 April, equipped with medication and other much needed relief material. Almost all the households in these villages had been affected in some way, so they did not have the capacity to provide medical care for their animals. We gave needs-based medical support to the injured animals, most of which had fractures and wounds. Animals requiring longer-term care were put under the care of a local vet technician with whom we left behind medical supplies. We also distributed fodder grass seeds and first aid kits to 38 equine owners and 35 other villagers. Since then, the area has experienced more heavy rainfalls and such cases of extreme weather is likely to increase in frequency with the onset of monsoon season as well as with the inevitable affects of climate change. In view of this, it is crucial that the central and provincial governments have a proper disaster management plan in place which also includes a plan for animals. Alongside this, Animal Nepal will continue our education classes for equine owners/handlers with a strong focus on preparing them for any future disasters.
|
|
|
We completed our second Animal Birth Control camp in Nepalgunj
|
|
|
|
Did you know, it is estimated that a single un-spayed female dog and her puppies can produce up to 67,000 more pups in just six years! Therefore, our Humane Dog Population Management Program is crucial in stabilizing the stray dog population and in doing so, ensure their welfare. As part of our program, we conduct regular 'Catch, Neuter, Vaccinate & Release (CNVR)' programs primarily inside Lalitpur district but also in other parts of the country such as Nepalgunj, Lumbini and Dhading. This month, our team completed their second annul CNVR camp in Nepalgunj in coordination with the Nepalgunj municipality. During this week long camp, a total of 205 dogs were sterilized and vaccinated thanks to Dr Sunil Thapa and his dedicated team. To see a meaningful result, these camps must be conducted at least five years in a row, so we will be back again next year!
|
|
|
Meeting our program beneficiaries in Hirminiya
|
|
|
|
In April, a team from our Head Office, visited Hirminiya in Banke, which is our primary program area for our Equine Welfare Project. Most of the households here are equine owners and they largely rely on equine based livelihood. Through our project, we not only provide medical support to the equines, but we also educate the community about animal welfare and support them in providing better care for their animals through various education classes. A person's access to information and financial independence can have a direct influence on the treatment of animals under their care. With this in mind, the project has been active in providing skills-based training to the community, focusing specifically on the women. By learning new skills, they can pursue alternative livelihoods which will improve their financial position. As part of this, 22 households in Hirminiya have received training and support for mushroom and fodder grass farming. A year on, the beneficiaries have found their place in the market where there is always a demand for their products. It was great to see the community benefiting from the work being done by Animal Nepal with the help of World Horse Welfare.
|
|
|
Animal Nepal Board Away Day
|
|
|
We recently had an Away Day for our board and members which included a visit to our Dukuchhap Donkey Sanctuary, a nearby brick kiln and Chobhar Dog Treatment Center. Everyone very much enjoyed spending time with the animals. The visit to the brick kiln was deemed to be particularly useful as they had the opportunity to see the animals at work and learn more about the work we are doing in ensuring the welfare of working animals.
|
|
|
One man and his many dogs
|
|
|
|
Animal rescue organizations like us are able to do the work we do because of the support we receive from community members. One such case is that of Pratip Rai from Nagaun, who has adopted a whole bunch of stray dogs and cats. Pratap is not very well off but he always makes sure his furry family are well fed and looked after. It is so very encouraging to see members of the public taking it upon themselves to provide the much needed care and shelter to these stray animals. Our mobile vet technician regularly visits Pratap to administer vaccines and other medications to his animals. Thank you Pratap for everything you do for your furry family!
|
|
|
Education sessions for equine owning community
|
|
|
|
In April, our Equine Outreach Team delivered a number of education sessions on equine welfare, harness training and communicable diseases in Dhading and Gorkha. Sessions like these are particularly important in raising awareness among the equine owning community and thus ultimately ensuring the welfare of the animals under their care.
|
|
|
Animal Nepal in the media
|
|
|
|
For 2019, Animal Nepal aims to make animal welfare a part of the mainstream conversation. To achieve this, with the help of The Donkey Sanctuary UK, we have produced a nine-part docu-series called A voice for the voiceless, which is aired on channel AP1 on the third Tuesday of the month at 6 pm. The series talks about animal welfare in Nepal and looks at the suffering experienced by working and other animals. The program is also available to watch online through our YouTube channel.
Animal Nepal also has a weekly radio show called Conversations About Animal Welfare, which airs on 97.5 Image FM, every Friday at 9.05 pm.
|
|
|
|
|
