Last year, Rashmi and I (the service leaders of Care For Paws) initiated a service project to get involved with the community around us. One of the greater problems we attempt to combat as a service is the issue of overpopulation and neglection in Sri Lanka, concentrating on the Pelawatte area. This is the largest event we host all year, in which all the funds raised are allocated to. It takes weeks of planning, communicating and initiating to make the event possible. We work in collaboration with Shoba from adopt a dog Sri Lanka and Dr. Chamith from the future vets of Sri Lanka.

 

 

The event was hosted at the army tri force headquarters in Pelawatte. The involvement of the government made our event that much greater, demonstrating the variety of efforts in hopes of reducing the issues surrounding stray animals. Dr. Chamith from future vets of Sri Lanka, helped us gain the approval necessary to host it at such a high security zone, where we can really make a difference. The soldiers were keen to work with us and treated us with great hospitality. There is a total of around 500 stray dogs currently situated within the army tri force headquarters. We sterilized a total of 45 dogs/ cats and treated a total of 50 dogs, out of the 500. Larger more renowned organizations have held sterilization at the location to help reduce the issue, but Care For Paws was the first organization for the year of 2019. As it is ultimately a collective effort, to attempt to reduce the unfortunate issue in Sri Lanka. If it weren’t for the sterilization camps hosted across the country by various organizations including us, the government would kill the dogs in order to control the population and the issue of rabies. Which makes our project/ event that much more important and powerful when considering the greater issue at hand.

 

The day commenced earlier at 7 am on a Saturday. Though we were exhausted from the deprivation of sleep, each of us was excited to see what the day had to offer. Somehow we managed to squeeze ten kids to the back of a pick up truck, in which we embarked on our journey. Once we arrived at a more secluded area of the army camp, we set up the pens to keep the dogs in and the mobile sterilization van to prepare for the operations. Dr. Chamith briefed all the kids on their responsibilities for the day and the importance of what we are doing as a group. The doctor had a team of people drive around the vast army camp collecting dogs for the surgery. Every hour a new batch of dogs who were under  would arrive ready for their operations. The doctor was kind enough to allow us to watch the open surgery and patiently explained the process, whilst answering any questions the children had. We had the most important role, which was the after care of the dogs. After the surgeries the dogs would be drowsy and many of the vomited food they had previously eaten. Which made it important for us to keep a constant eye on their behavior to ensure that they didn’t choke on their own vomit. It was also important for us to show love and support by being there for them and caressing them as they slowly woke up to the pains and fears post surgery. We also lathered the dogs in a purple solution which acts as a skin treatment for any issues they might have. It was heart breaking to hear them whimpering but in hindsight what we ere doing was for their betterment.

 

This process went on for hours as each member of the group worked tirelessly. The soldiers were very kind to us and provided us with a tea break and lunch at their base. They were extremely content with the work of each of the students, as they understood the gravity of the larger issue.  They were so impressed with the work that they kindly requested us to return again sometime during the year. I was honored when they asked as this project was something very personal to me. Ethically, it may seem as though what we were conducting was crude and inhumane however, it is a potential solution to a large global issue in Asia.

Our day ended at 3pm, after which we were all exhausted from the hours of commitment and care towards each of the dogs. It was the most rewarding feeling to have taken a step back to observe what we had accomplished in such a short period of time. As the service leader of the group, I was overjoyed and extremely proud of the effort and commitment that each member demonstrated as they persevered through the difficulties of the whimpering. We will be hosting our re-vaccination camp sometime in May in the area where we held our sterilization and vaccination camp last year, to ensure that they dogs and cats of the area are up to date with their vaccinations.

Below is a video I made to visually demonstrate essentially what went on during the day: