Saving strays in Sierra Leone
Feb 15, 2010
© WSPA
Mark Whitfield, a British paramedic and mechanic is supplying a Sierra Leone WSPA member society with a mobile veterinary clinic that he tirelessly renovated himself to save strays from a life of cruelty and neglect.
Mark, 33, has always been passionate about animal welfare so when he was ready to fulfil his dream, of helping stray dogs in Africa, he turned to the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) and asked for our advice.
We recommended that Mark offer his support to the Sierra Leone Animal Welfare Society (SLAWS), a WSPA member society led by Dr Jalloh, a local vet, who works with the stray dog population in Sierra Leone.
Mark, who has been a WSPA supporter for many years, managed to secure a decommissioned mobile clinic from a private organisation named Corporate Health.
The vehicle is simply designed but very robust and has the capacity to provide two veterinary operating theatres. Mark has spent approximately 300 hours working on the vehicle, carrying out servicing and refurbishment as well as fixing components worn or broken in its previous service life.
Freetown’s stray dog problem
WSPA has been working with the SLAWS since 1990. With WSPA’s backing and advice, Dr Jalloh and his team have sterilized, vaccinated and de-wormed nearly 56,000 dogs.
However, there is still a long way to go and the widespread, utter poverty in Sierra Leone is causing outbreaks of preventable diseases, such as rabies.
Listen to a recent interview with Dr. Jalloh on BBC World Service about how the civil war in Sierra Leone had an unexpected side effect on the country’s dog population.
Mark Whitfield says: “I have always loved dogs and it just seems a shame that sometimes they get forgotten in times of poverty and war, especially if no one takes responsibility for them. The dogs are running freely all over Freetown in Sierra Leone, starving and riddled with diseases. Unfortunately, they are a health hazard to the people that live alongside them, who mostly see the dogs as a nuisance.”
“When I heard about all that the SLAWS team was doing, I felt incredibly inspired to help both the dogs and the local people.”
After Mark’s arrival in Africa
© WSPA
Mark, who flew out to Sierra Leone yesterday (Sunday 14th February), will meet Dr Jalloh and his team and present them with the mobile veterinary clinic which they will then use to drive through Sierra Leone and help stray dogs wherever possible.
You can follow Mark on his blog or via WSPA UK’s Facebook page and Twitter feed>>
The mobile clinics will enable WSPA and SLAWS to ensure that more and more of the dog population will be neutered, immunised, and treated for common aliments such as skin diseases and internal parasites. As a result the stray population and rabies problems will be effectively managed.
Mark Whitfield says: “Thanks for supporting us WSPA; it's such a big project! We're really excited about it, the prospect of helping so many animals is just unbelievable!”
Next steps for Freetown
Most of the stray dogs in Africa are a result of irresponsible animal ownership and uncontrolled breeding. Huge numbers of these dogs are dying agonising deaths from various diseases, due to the lack of veterinary facilities and poor basic health. Other animal welfare needs also arise from injuries, accidents and beatings, and lack of shelter from the heat and rain.
The Freetown City Council (FCC) has now agreed, in principle, to establish a municipal dog population management unit and has pledged to introduce a dog licensing system, compulsory vaccination and identification tags, as well as take on support of the clinic services in the long-term.
Currently WSPA is advising them on the drafting of new by-laws which will establish an excellent foundation from which to take on the project and to secure funding.
Find out more about WSPA’s work with stray dogs>>
Find out more about WSPA’s work in Sierra Leone>>
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