Since the start of 2022 TEARS Animal Rescue has recorded an increase in the number of animals that need rescue and emergency veterinary treatment. The Charity is appealing to individuals and especially corporate donors to consider making a tax-free donation to the TEARS Veterinary Outreach and Mobile Clinic Fund before the end of the financial year, entitling donors to enjoy a reduction on their income tax bill.
Says TEARS Head of Fundraising, Lara Van Rensburg. ā Most people think of TEARS as a Kennel and Cattery but by far the most critical service of TEARS, and the beating heart of itsā outreach and animal welfare operation, are the TEARS Mobile Clinic and TEARS Veterinary Hospital which together are responsible for the rescue and treatment of up to 100 animals every month. We spend just over R6,18M on veterinary treatment and community outreach per annum. Without the financial support we receive from individuals, Trusts and Foundations, corporates, and via Bequests, TEARS would not have survived the lean times or the impact of COVID-19 on its ability to fundraise or generate income to support the hardest hit and the most vulnerable in impoverished communities. As a recognised Level 1 B-BBEE contributor and Public Beneficiary Organisation all donations to TEARS are tax deductible, with donors receiving a Section 18A tax receipt, allowing them to claim the applicable tax relief.ā
The TEARS Veterinary Clinic operates with three veterinarians and support staff including Animal Welfare Assistants and orderlies, and sees an average of 50-60 patients per day, which include sterilisations, scheduled and emergency surgeries and a variety of assessments and tests that range from blood work, X-rays and ultra-sounds. The number of cases the TEARS Mobile Clinic and Hospital is processing on a weekly and monthly basis has escalated significantly since the onset of Lockdown, as a direct consequence of the rising unemployment levels and resulting deprivation and hardship that is being experienced by people and pets.
āBernie Mackā, as heās affectionately known, is a 5-year old Terrier-Cross who came to TEARS earlier this month after a child allegedly threw boiling water over the dog. By the time the TEARS Mobile Clinic was called out to attend to him, it was five days after the incident had taken place and Bernie had sustained second degree burns over half of his body. Thanks to the TEARS Veterinary team, he received emergency wound and burn treatment together with pain relief medication before going into a high-care environment where he is rehabilitating well and being exposed to lots of TLC from the TEARS Kennel team.
Homeless 7-year old German Shepard Cross, āTrackerā was rescued by TEARS with limited odds of surviving. After being run over by a train on 14 January, which amputated his left hind leg, tail and both testes, most people would have judged his chances of recovering as something akin to a miracle. Thanks to his rescuers and TEARS and Noordhoek Veterinarian Dr Tracy Dicks, who consults to TEARS, Tracker’s will to live paid off and heās recovering well in a loving home-environment with TEARS Kennel Manager, Luke Kruyt, until he can be fully rehabilitated and adopted into a forever home.
Says TEARS Operations Manager, Mandy Store, āTEARS is symbolic of second chance stories like Bernieās and Trackerās. The TEARS Veterinary Hospital treats a variety of lethal and non-lethal animal-borne diseases including skin diseases, erhlichiasis, distemper, canine parvovirus, feline herpes virus, as well as bite and stab wounds, burns, and blunt force trauma that many pets sustain as a result of motor vehicle accidents (hit and runs) or being beaten or trodden on! It costs TEARS approximately R 515,000 per month to operate our Hospital and Mobile Clinic and provide the welfare and rescue services we do across the Southern Cape Peninsula.ā
For the 2020/21 period, TEARS rescued 727 pets; vaccinated 3 314 animals; sterilised 6 091 animals, plus another 3 314 feral and community cats, which were sterilised, treated and released; and treated 6 720 injured and sick animals at the TEARS Veterinary Hospital, which included 3 432 vet consultations.
Please donate to the TEARS Veterinary Outreach and Mobile Clinic Fund today or visit https://tears.org.za/basic-animal-health-care/ for more information.
An investment in TEARS will ensures that itsā rescue, treatment, rehabilitation and rehoming teams can continue to operate, and give more animals like Bernie and Tracker the āsecond chancesā they deserve.
