Dog Care Clinic e.V .: Street dogs in Sri Lanka

Idyllic Sri Lanka– A tourist destination with dark sides

Sri Lanka is an island nation, known as a tourist destination, situated South-East of India in the Indian Ocean. The approximately 20 million inhabitants live – except from tourism – by exporting its natural resources such as coconuts, rubber, tea and coffee.

The standard of living can’t be compared to Germany. This also leads to worse health conditions, so that – for example – the Organization “Médecins sans Frontières” has to be active in the country.

But not only the people need help from the outside – as well the animals need support.

For this reason, in 2007 an association was founded by Marina Möbius, which cares for dogs in Sri Lanka.

Marina Möbius initially cared for individual dogs and thus founded the social project in Sri Lanka, from which originated the Dog Care Clinic.

The Dog Care Clinic Institute was opened in 2007. An approximately 25-member team of veterinarians and carers work up to Western medical standards in this modern surgical facility.

Four years later, in April 2011, a day hospital could be added, which has made ambulant treatments possible.

Approximately 20 dogs are neutered every day at the Dog Care Clinic and many more are treated.

Furthermore we established two mobile teams for neutering and treatment of an additional 8.000 dogs per year in the local villages and even in the jungle – no matter whether it’s an owned or a street dog.

Dogs that have no owner and even after treatment have no hope to find a new one, are granted the opportunity to spend a quiet life on the associations compound.

Here they are supplied and treated, and can switch over to a dignified “dogs pensioners life”.

The clinic is not the only activity of the Association

An estimated 3 million street dogs are not easy to provide. They often suffer from illnesses, are undernourished and – to cap it all – still multiply unabated.

Root cause prevention is just as important and in the long run more successful than symptom control:

The objective is less, but more healthy dogs that may not infect people with diseases.

Therefore, the clinic runs neuter programs outside the home, carried out to prevent the constant proliferation of dogs already undernourished and poorly furnished. In addition, there are special vaccination and feed programs outside and inside the premises of the clinic.

Mass vaccinations are important measures to prevent a spill-over of diseases.

So, for example, the risk of rabies and other dangerous infections is reduced. Because these are not only a great danger for other animals, but also for the people.

Help for the animals is always an aid for the local people, too

Also the animals that live with their owners are often sick, because the master can’t muster the veterinarian costs. So also these dogs are treated when injured and maintained healthy.

The employees are active exclusively at site. This will – at the same time – sensitize the population for the problems and keep their attention on the right tracks.

Also, in this way, jobs for local residents are created. Families, who take dogs, are supported with food. Also, there are often school supplies or medication given to the children as “Pay”.

At the same time the association cares for the families of its employees and is as well providing a good education for their children.

Transport of animals to Germany is in no way an intended target. Dog Care Clinic wants to help exclusively at site, instead of shifting the problem.

You can help – as a Member, as a Sponsor for an animal or as a Helper on the ground

The work of the Dog Care Clinic constantly costs money -lots of money. Employees have to be paid and the animals need to be supplied with food and medication.

The Association is thus is dependent on financial assistance from the outside.

Help is possible in various ways. You can become a member of the Dog Care Clinic Association.

In addition, you can take over the sponsorship for one or more of the animals.

If you transfer a monthly amount and ask to sponsor a special dog you’ll receive a sponsor-ship certificate and get the most recent information on your dog and it’s medical status.

Find a membership application, a sponsorship agreement and all dogs looking for a sponsor on the website of the Association: www.dogcare-clinic.com

But also one-time donations help a lot. You may send them to the association by bank transfer, by using our online PayPal Donation system or contact us for any donations in kind.

As a sample for donations in kind we would like to mention the generous donation of the Animal Foundation Wolfgang Bösche (www.tierschutzstiftung-boesche.de), who donated two so-called “Tuc Tucs” in January 2012.

Those all area vehicles, we would never have been able to afford, make it possible to run our vaccination and feeding programs even in the most remote areas.

The whole team of the Dog Care Clinic gives a big – Thank You! If you have the appropriate training you may also help on the ground. Here, you can combine your vacation with a social project. Often veterinarians, animal keepers help in the Dog Care Clinic for several days during their holidays. Even without training you are welcome for a stay as an intern or student. For help on the ground – however – perfect knowledge of the English language is imperative. If you are interested to work with the Dog Care Clinic e.V., you will find more information at our website info@dogcare-clinic.com.[:]