CVC Clinics
Sedgefield CVC
More about the CVC
Knysna Veterinary Clinic is proud to have opened their second CVC clinic to offer services to our local Sedgefield communities, mainly the Smutsville area. We have partnered with Sedgefield Animal Matters, a non-profit in the area to provide care in the form of vaccinations, ecto- and endo- parasitic treatments and any basic veterinary healthcare needed.
Every Friday is spay day at the clinic, and together with a volunteer team which includes Dr Frank De Groot and Sr Jean De Groot we sterilise a number of cats and dogs. Being the only providers of this service in the area, the need is great and hard work is given to try and control the population, educate owners and look after unwanted or uncared for animals. Thankfully we encounter many loving owners who try and provide the best for their pets.
West Coast CVC
More about the CVC
West Coast CVC was started 3 years ago with the support of the CCS mentor, Dr Derette Kotze, when the new program of sending out veterinary new grads as CCS veterinarians was started. Our first CCS vet was Dr Andries Lesch, who contributed a great deal to forming the basis of this clinic, followed by Dr Bianca van Wyk the following year and myself this year for building on this foundation and reaching point of serving ten different communities reaching from Hopefield all along the West Coast up to Lambertsbaai. Yet still we are receiving requests from more communities to come and help them. In each of these communities we work together closely with their respective welfare organizations.
Every morning the CCS vet ventures out with their valued assistant, Mrs. Allen Gericke to a different community, where a day comprises of sterilisations and consultations, with the occasional emergency. Our focus is on primary animal health care and sterilizations of dogs and cats, but we extend our skills to treatment of any other medical or surgical condition as far as our resources allow us to do so. We also make use of every opportunity to educate the adults and children during the course of the day concerning primary animal health care and as to why it is important to sterilize your animal.
Although we have made a big difference in the communities so far, there are yet still so many animals that cannot be helped due to their owners’ lack of financial resources. Any funding or donations will thus be utilized for dewormers, vaccinations, ectoparasite control, pain medication, antibiotics (especially doxycycline) and of course sterilizations.
We are a much loved CVC by our communities, and they are greatly thankful for all the help that we have been giving them over the past 2 and a half years. Many of these communities previously relied on fishing as their main source of income, but this is not the case anymore due to major restriction of fishing quotas, resulting in large scale unemployment and all the unhealthy consequences thereof.
Zamani CVC
More about the CVC
The Zamani Community Veterinary Clinic started almost as soon as we had moved to Memel in the Free State. When people heard there were veterinarians in town, there was no turning back! The beginning was tough: opening a practice, starting a charity, building a house and having a baby all in that first year … but every bit worth it!
The first year we had our vaccination day in the informal settlement, it did not go exactly according to plan. We ended up vaccinating and deworming from the back of our bakkie. At the end of that day, we were sunburnt, dehydrated, exhausted and sore, but very satisfied. That was our first milestone and I’d like to think we beat the odds and came up smiling.
After that, people started bringing their animals to our practice for vaccinations and treatment. It is very far for some people, especially for a small child carrying their beloved pet. We were inspired to continue.
This year, we are very fortunate to have received sponsorship from First National Bank as well as a local sponsor. This means that we can also focus on sterilisations. It has taken years of building bridges and education to get to the point where this community is interested and willing to sterilise their pets. Over the next few months, we will set aside a day every couple of weeks to spend on this. The animals will also be vaccinated, dewormed, treated for parasites and looked after at the hospital for one night.
We are very excited about this next step. We couldn’t have done it without all the fabulous sponsors – suppliers of vaccines, parasite control and more, and, of course, First National Bank. Their donation will help cover the costs of drugs used for the sterilisations. I am always overwhelmed by the generosity and support we receive! We do not pretend to fix the world but aspire to help make our piece of earth a better place for all who live here!
