How will our AZEVN Funds help..?
With the support of funds from the AZEVN during the summer of 2018, Wildlife Vets International (WVI) will be sourcing vaccine to vaccinate 2000 dogs in the Dete area; the community lands bordering Hwange National Park by the Main Gate. Painted Dog Conservation will be organising the clinics and Dr Dube, the regional head of the state veterinary department, will be overseeing the vaccinations.
In the summer of 2019, WVI will continue this project by supporingt a veterinary team to accompany a similar vaccination clinic.
The team will set up a neutering and minor injuries clinic along side the vaccinations and the clinics aim to achieve an increase in domestic and wild dog welfare through the following:
- Vaccinate close to 2000 dogs to ensure 70% coverage in the area, against rabies and canine distemper in particular.
- Treat the domestic dogs against ticks to reduce the probability of tick bourne disease
- Neutering will reduce the transmission of Transmissible Venereal Tumours as well producing a change in behaviour – stopping dogs from running off and becoming very thin.
- Provide an opportunity for dog owners to see someone with veterinary knowledge as there is little veterinary provision in the area, if they could afford it.
- Provide an opportunity for the PDC/WVI team to talk about disease transmission – between people/domestic animals/wildlife – how it can affect individuals and what they can do about it.
- Provide an opportunity for PDC to help the communities they work with to promote wildlife (painted dogs in particular) conservation and PDCs work.
- Reduce the risk of rabies in the human population. Note: it is historically very low but there was a painted dog pack that came in to the area with rabies just before Christmas 2017.
- Provide training for 2 vet students – ideally from Zimbabwe but possibly international students who would pay their way and make a contribution towards the clinic costs.
