PAWS for Change: Help Roaming Dogs in Peru

Our mission continues to focus on providing quality and safe healthcare to the roaming animals throughout Cusco and the surrounding villages. PAWS works to ensure that all surgeries are completed in a sterile environment while considering the animal's well-being throughout the healing process. We have continued our health and education campaigns in rural communities, collaborating with 16 villages and 3 shelters.

Getting to the Villages

Our Mobile Veterinary Clinic traveled to 16 rural villages last quarter for health campaigns. Many of these villages are deep in the Andean mountains, down switchback dirt roads dotted with the occasional alpaca or donkey. Due to the remoteness of some towns, villagers would not have access to any veterinary services if not for the Mobile Veterinary Clinic, so it is crucial to journey into the communities outside of Cusco.

With this in mind, PAWS tries to visit villages every three months to offer animals deworming, vitamins, and vaccinations. Additionally, if an owner brings in a sick or injured pet, our staff can assist the owner in the best way to help the animal. Sometimes, this means providing medication or cleaning a wound. For neutering campaigns, PAWS goes to villages approximately every six months, depending on the population of puppies in the town and the need for spaying and neutering. This quarter, we were able to provide 70 surgeries.

Education Programs

Our campaigns focused on three educational programs by visiting the villages of Huayllarcocha, Quillahuata, and Yuncaypata. These educational programs are paramount to the future well-being of roaming animals in the Cusco region. For each program, we focus on the importance of monitoring pets' health, practicing responsible pet ownership, and keeping animals up to date on their vaccinations. The educational program also delves into the importance of neutering animals to stabilize the growing population and reduce the possibility of animals being poisoned to reduce overpopulation.

Helping Injured Animals

With 40,000 roaming animals on the streets of Cusco, injuries can be a heartbreaking reality. While PAWS works to neuter animals and educate on responsible pet ownership, we still face instances of car accidents and poisonings. Our coordinator arrives at the scene of potentially life-threatening injuries and takes the harmed animals to local clinics for treatment.
PAWS allocates funds each month to help these animals. We have partnered with local clinics to help cover the treatment and hospitalization of animals needing medical attention. We also work with the local fire and accident service who often encounter injured dogs and provide finacial support for veterinary care.

Thank you for your support!

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of our generous donors. Your unwavering support has been the cornerstone of PAWS' success, driving us forward and making our impactful work possible. Your kindness and dedication have enabled us to make a tangible difference in the lives of the animals we serve. Truly, it is not possible without your compassion and commitment. Thank you for making everything we do possible!