Using Animal Care to Promote Empathy in Children

The date for our 2024 Veterinary Clinic is now set for Sept 23, 2023.  This date will allow us to link our messaging to World Rabies Month in Sept. 

Rabies is an issue in Eswatini.  Once a year government provides mandatory rabies vaccinations at the dip tanks.  However as most dogs have not been operated on, there are many unfed freely roaming dogs so bites happen often, after which a person needs to get a series of 6 injections.

Our Annual Veterinary Clinic gives people first time exposure to how spaying and neutering improves the health and behaviour of a dog. This combined with vaccinations is the best way to prevent rabies.

Between clinics we advertise the services of our government Vet and of Swaziland Animal Welfare Society (SAWS) However there are often limitations of transport and medical supplies so recently we provided our government Vet with sutures so that he could continue to carry out operations for those who can arrange transport.

Every day at our office and training site we seem to have teachable moments with our dogs. In particular, Chani, the one-eyed dog from SAWS captures people’s hearts when they realize someone poked out her eye.

Griffin, the school cat at Hlanganani, is beloved by students and staff alike. She is very much fulfilling her role of giving students a positive experience with pets.

Being able to carry out our Clinic on an annual basis is creating a positive momentum on our objective of  "using animal care to promote responsibility and empathy in children”. 

Thank you for your support in helping make this happen. 

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Vusumnotfo activity 1.1.  Parenting - ii) Conduct - a veterinary clinic annually, as a strategy to promote animal care as a positive demonstration of responsibility and empathy to children