Wednesday 26th July
The first jobs today were to take the dogs’ home that we had cared for over night and pick up the next dogs for operations that day. Rosy was one of the dogs that I picked up, a young female black and white dog that lives at a house regularly visited (I call it the ‘disco house’ after having a great laugh one night with glow in the dark sticks! – picture below from April 06).
We visited a new area today, quite a poor rough area near to a Hindu temple. On the way we stopped on the main Negombo Road to feed a woman obviously living on the streets. She was filthy and scoffed the food down; she looked in her 30’s and of a troubled mind. She cuddled a filthy teddy bear and had a small carrier bag by her side. Patrick and Gamini said that she regularly walks up and down the road talking to herself. We all felt sorry for the woman and would make a point of looking out for her.
In the Hindu area there were some unsavoury characters, mainly the young men. The local people slowly came to us with their dogs to be checked and treated. We gave worm and flea treatment as well as vitamins and food, lining them all up ready for Rabies vaccinations in a few weeks time. We also made note of those that needed to be spayed/neutered, and did meet some caring people amongst it all. There is normally someone that gives you continued faith in humanity.
Buddy and the Yellow dog (pictures below) were taken to the clinic. Buddy had heartworm and was started on a course of treatment, and the Yellow dog was left at the clinic to be given glucose and further injections.
We also paid our yearly rent on Patrick and Rupa’s compound, as always thanks to our supporters.
In the evening we went to another different area as a big group. Quite a few dogs were brought out to be given worm and flea treatment, and again lining them up for Rabies vaccinations and spay/neuter operations. The Sri Lankan people have no idea about the good old English queuing system and in the dark with so many people around you have to take care not to treat the same dog twice! At the end we got all of the children to line up for sweets, it was the best line I had seen there!!
The last job of the night was to pick the dogs up from the clinic.
