TEARS OPERATES LIMITED AFTER HOURS VET SUPPORT FOR VULNERABLE PETS IN ‘DEEP SOUTH’

TEARS Animal Rescue, based in Sunnydale, is the only animal rescue organization that operates a limited after-hours veterinary support service to welfare pet owners in the Southern Peninsula.

The TEARS Veterinary Hospital, which is open seven days per week, is headed up by Dr Tania Hauer, and operates between 8am and 4.30pm daily. The Veterinary Team, which deals with an average of 40 patients daily, including at least five rescue-related emergencies, includes Dr Nico Labuschagne, three qualified Animal Welfare Assistants and two Animal Welfare Assistant Trainees.

TEARS Operations Manager, Mandy Store confirms that TEARS’ after-hours Mobile Clinic teams are busy every night, mostly in Ocean View, with cases ranging from animals that need emergency treatment for Biliary or Parvo, or due to injuries sustained from hit and run incidents.

“Most of the cases we’re treating, many of which have been left too long by the time TEARS receives the call, are preventable through regular vaccination and tick and flea treatments. The TEARS Animal Welfare Assistants on duty are qualified to provide basic vet care and pain relief, and where the is a life-threatening emergency or an animal is suffering, they will refer the case to the vet on call for telephonic veterinary guidance or to facilitate the appropriate treatment. In instances where TEARS is unable to assist, pet owners will be referred to the Cape Animal Medical Centre in Kenilworth,” says Mandy.

 

While TEARS closes its doors at 4.30pm, it continues to operate two TEARS Mobile Clinic vehicles until 9pm, providing a limited after-hour service to the four low-income communities the Public Beneficiary Organisation (PBO) is mandated to serve. 

A petition started earlier this month by local animal lovers on the change.org website is demanding a 24-hour vet service for pet owners living in the Southern Peninsula. There are only two 24-hour vet facilities operating in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town, which represents a minimum 40-minute drive, from the Valley to the nearest veterinary emergency facility. To date the petition has secured 1 922 signatures. 

Petitioner and local resident, Denise Thompson posted this comment on the site, “I'm signing because there is no local vet open after 6pm. For emergencies we have to rush to Rosemead Ave Claremont/Kenilworth to the only Vet hospital open 24/7. The animal could die in that time and traffic is only getting worse.”

Says TEARS General Manager, Lauren Carlyle, “We sympathise and agree with Valley residents who have signed the petition. A large part of our strategy to build TEARS a permanent home on the Wenga Farm, where the TEARS Cattery is currently situated, is to develop and secure funding for the first 24/7 Animal Rescue and Veterinary Hospital in the Southern Peninsula. But this is unlikely to happen before 2024. Currently TEARS simply doesn’t have the resources to deploy the medical and emergency staff that would be required, beyond the limited after hour service we currently offer.”

Animals that are rescued by or surrendered to TEARS are processed and admitted to the TEARS Cattery or Kennel, subject to space being available. TEARS is currently operating over-capacity with approximately 348 animals in its care –124 dogs and 224 cats.

“Surrenders have increased by 40% compared to last year. Moreover, this kitten season has been explosive with the number of unwanted kittens being surrendered to TEARS. We are appealing to Capetonians to open up their hearts and homes to adopt a rescue animal and change a life. As long as TEARS remains over capacity, we’re unable to take in any more animals.” says Mandy. 

 

TEARS Head of Fundraising, Lara Van Rensburg believes that much of the burden being placed on TEARS and local veterinary resources could be reduced by stepping up current sterilization, vaccination and tick and flea treatment programmes.  
 

Lara comments, “Many of the cases that become after-hours emergencies are based on non-compliant owners who don’t vaccinate or treat their pets for ticks and fleas. 99% of the hit-and-run victims that TEARS treats are suffering from either Biliary or Ehrlichia, which has made the animal weak, feverish and disorientated, often leading them to forage for food.  Our Vets see animals suffering from deadly viral borne diseases like Parvo and Distemper far too often, which is heart-breaking for the team when vaccination would have prevented another unnecessary death.  While TEARS provides primary healthcare and sterilisation support to at-risk animals living in low-income communities, we need more funds in order to extend the treatment of all these pets. While the City’s new pet keeping bylaw makes it essential for pet owners to sterilize their pets by 6-months, or risk a fine or jail time, the biggest challenge for TEARS is securing the funding to cover those costs.”

The public can help by donating to pay for a spay, sponsoring tick and flea treatments, providing pet food support for vulnerable pets, or adopting a rescue dog or cat that will enable TEARS to give another ‘lost cause’ a lifechanging second chance. 

To donate please click here:  https://tears.devman.co.za/devman/online/vetoutreach/ or visit www.tears.org.za

TEARS is a recognised Level 1 B-BBEE contributor and Public Beneficiary Organisation. Donations to TEARS are tax deductible, with donors receiving a Section 18A tax receipt.