One of the dogs with tick fever being given a bath.
Image: Supplied
STRAY Paws Animal Rescue and Welfare is appealing to the public to donate tick and flea medication following a recent tick fever outbreak affecting dogs in Welbedacht, Chatsworth.
Shabnam Baran, the founder and director of the non-profit company, said: “We are currently facing a massive tick fever outbreak, and our resources are stretched to a breaking point. Last week, four dogs needed emergency treatment and the veterinary bill exceeded R4,000.
“On Saturday, we bathed 10 dogs in Ectodex (dip wash for mange, ticks and lice) to provide immediate relief. While the dogs feel instant relief, it’s a temporary fix. To stop this outbreak, we desperately need NexGard (a chewable) and long-term tick and flea control.
“We cannot keep up with the medical bills for sick dogs. We have to stop the ticks from biting. Every rand counts. Every bath helps and every tablet saves a life,” she said.
Baran said they do not run from a kennels but from dusty roadsides, local spaza shops, and the doorsteps of families who love their pets but lack the resources to care for them.
"We believe that animal welfare is inseparable from community welfare. Our work focuses on high-impact, mobile intervention in Durban’s most impoverished areas.”
Shabnam Baran, the founder and director of the non-profit company, Stray Paws Animal Rescue and Welfare, is appealing to the public to donate tick and flea medication.
Image: Supplied
Baran said their work included mass sterilisation drives.
“We coordinate large-scale spay and neuter campaigns to humanely control the overpopulation. So far we have sterilised over 4,000 animals in townships alone. From mange treatment and vaccinations to emergency wound care, we provide life-saving medical attention to animals that would otherwise never see a vet.
“We also provide humanitarian aid for pets. We distribute two tons of donated food, collars, kennels and warm blankets a month to ensure that ‘township’ dogs and cats have the basics for survival. We don't just see a stray dog; we see a community that needs support,” she said.
For more information, visit www.straypaws.org.za.