What is the Dog Care Clinic?

Help and treatment of animals and support for the local communities

Helping animals and people in Sri LankaAs the name already suggests, it is a clinic for dogs – but not only that. This social organization was founded by Marina Möbius who was overwhelmed by the terrible plight and suffering of dogs when travelling in Sri Lanka, that she decided to do something about it. In 2007 she opened up the hospital and shelter for dogs. Today this enterprise employs roughly 35 people and gives shelter to currently 120 dogs who live on the property permanently. Additionally the Dog Care Clinic (DCC) provides food for approximately 500 dogs during their daily feeding trips. Not only strays, but also dogs who have been taken into the “ReHomeing Program” by locals with little income, are fed by the DCC.

The organization focuses on neutering dogs (and cats), treating the sick and injured, and giving a home to dogs who either cannot return back to a life on the street or are unplaceable due to age or illness.

What is the situation of dogs in Sri Lanka?

There are approximately 40 million stray dogs living in Sri Lanka, a country where many people are living in poverty, especially rural poverty, depsite the fact that the life expectancy and literacy rate of the people are on high standards and nearly on par with developed countries. Sadly, an estimated number of 3 million dogs die every year due to undernourishment, diseases, accidents or at the hand of humans who torture or kill them.

Homeless dog looking poor

To neuter or treat sick dogs or any other pets is for many people financially simply not possible. Stray dogs and pets walk around freely and are caught in a vicious circle of uncontrolled reproduction. Many of the puppies never make it as they starve, get sick or are killed by humans who find them to be a nuisance. When they grow up their life becomes a hard struggle to find food and escape violent attacks by other dogs, or people who don’t want the parasite infested animals on their streets or beaches. It’s not hard to image that with such a huge number of wild living dogs and so little financial backup, the situation for animals and humans can only get worse, if nothing is being done.

And this is where the Dog Care Clinic gets involved.

Medical aid for animals and social backing for people

Neutering Program of the Dog Care ClinicThe dog care clinic tackles the problem in two ways: One part of course is the medical treatment of the animals, which are mainly dogs, but also cats, monkeys, bats, birds etc. and the other part the social and financial backing of the local people. Together these two approaches complement each other and make up a healthy solution for people and animals.Doctor neutering dog

 

 

In detail the Dog Care Clinic (DCC) has set up the following programs to improve the situation:

Vetinary experience? Volunteer at the DCC

The clinic is a modern, well equipped animal hospital and with around 120 dogs living there permanently, the cost for food, medicine, equipment and employee wages is of course very high. Up to date the DCC has neutered around 45.000 dogs, additionally they feed daily roughly 500 dogs on their tours and support foster families with goods and foster seniors with “pensions” of 5000 rupees (approx. 32 EUR) per month, to ensure that they have at least some kind of income.

If you have some vetinary qualifications and would like to spend time in Sri Lanka helping the team over there providing medical aid and care for dogs, contact Marina Möbius under info@dogcare-clinic.com.

With so many dogs on the streets and in need, a good pair of helping and caring hands is very appreciated.

Sponsor a dog  – help financially

Little puppy Omega being adoptedKeeping all this going costs a lot of money and therefore the DCC is heavily dependent on donations and sponsorships. Currently the donations cover only 10% of the running costs. The remaining 90% are self-funded by the initiator Marina Möbius.

If you would like to support this project, sponsoring one of the many dogs is the best way since it gives a stable funding the DCC they can rely on. But even one-time financial contributions are urgently needed and every cent counts.

 

The Dog Care Clinic has set up also a few more ways you can support their work in Sri Lanka, which you’ll find here.

Check out the gallery for happy dogs, puppies and their foster families…

 

Note: All images copyrighted by Dog Care Clinic e.V., hero image © TripSpirit.