Launching this month, and to coincide with World Animal Day last week, TEARS Animal Rescue will be undertaking a ground-breaking 6-month fundraising and community vaccination campaign to protect 3000 at-risk dogs and puppies against two lethal canine viral infections, Canine Distemper Virus (Distemper) and Canine Parvo Virus (Parvo) and decrease the risk of its spreading in the “Deep South” communities of Vrygrond, Masiphumelele, Ocean View and Red Hill.
The TEARS Mobile Clinics aim to vaccinate 500 community pets per month, between October 2023 and March 2024, at a cost to TEARS of R360 000.00 using a newly launched revolutionary vaccine from MSD Animal Health that provides puppies with immunization from these diseases between three (Parvo) and seven (Distemper) days respectively. A single dose can be given from 4 weeks of age and functions as an effective two-in-one active protection against both viruses.
Says TEARS Head Veterinarian, Dr Tania Heuer, “Based on the recorded efficacy of the new Nobivac® Puppy DP (Distemper/Parvo) PLUS vaccine, TEARS is doubling the monthly number of pets we vaccinate and hopes to record a substantial decline in infection and mortality rates over the short and medium term. The Distemper and Parvo viruses are two of the most infectious diseases to dogs and remain one of the biggest challenges for companion animal welfare organisations working in overcrowded and low-income communities where the number of homeless and unvaccinated animals makes the spread of the disease all the more difficult to contain.”
The Distemper virus, which attacks a dog’s respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurological systems, takes between one and four weeks to incubate; while the Parvovirus can take from as little as three to seven days for symptoms to appear. Parvo mainly targets the gastrointestinal tract resulting in vomiting and bloody diarrhea.
Says Dr Heuer, “Unlike other Distemper and Parvo vaccines, the Nobivac® Puppy DP PLUS vaccine is the only canine core vaccine labelled for use in puppies as young as four weeks of age.”
TEARS supports the best vaccination protocols and advocates that all pets receive a second vaccination at nine weeks of age, a third vaccination at 12 weeks, and then again at 16 weeks. Adult dogs that have not been vaccinated as a puppy only require two vaccines one month apart and thereafter annually.
TEARS Head of Marketing and Fundraising, Lara Van Rensburg comments, “TEARS takes a partnership approach to extending our reach and solving systemic animal welfare issues that affect vulnerable pets and community pet owners. While the cost to TEARS is substantial, we have a duty of care to support community health by providing the most effective preventative measures to combat the spread of deadly viruses to pets in those communities. We are 100% reliant on donor funding, rebates, and sponsorships from our healthcare partners to provide sustainable companion animal healthcare solutions.”
To help TEARS protect vulnerable community dogs and puppies please donate to the TEARS Community Vaccination Campaign. TEARS relies 100% on donations to provide rescue, treatment, rehabilitation, and rehoming services and 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. Donations can be made to
Acc Name: TEARS
Bank: Standard Bank
Current Bank Account: 072062886
Branch No: 051001
Click here to donate: https://tears.devman.co.za/devman/online/vetoutreach/ or visit www.tears.org.za.
