Community service at Mdzananda - by Lisa Cant-Haylett

Emily Willis from Tokai, Cape Town, volunteered for a few hours at Mdzananda last week, as part of her community service obligation as a Grade 8 learner at Springfield Convent. Every term, learners need to complete one and half hours community service.

We thank Emily for choosing Mdzananda!

Emily spent the majority of her time packing shampoo into containers, as well as feeding week old puppies. The shampoo is sold at low cost to assist people in the community in keeping their pets free of fleas and ticks.

It was great having Emily at Mdzananda and we encourage other young people who are required to take part in community service to include Mdzananda on their list.

Mdzananda Animal Clinic - township jiving video - posted by Lisa Cant-Haylett

A few days before Dr George Lightfoot left our shores for the UK after volunteering at Mdzananda for two months and becoming very much part of the Mdzananda 'family', one of the Animal Welfare Assistants recorded this video.

Can only women nuture? by Jane Levinson

Seven, one week old puppies were handed into clinic this Friday afternoon, because their mom had died.

Lazola one of our team members undertook the responsibility to take them home and feed them every two to three hours. He is a very proud foster parent. They are all doing very well under his care. He took this picture of his litter.

Cooling off in the heatwave.......by Jane Levinson

Danger and his owner were outside the consulting room waiting for treatment for his skin condition. At 38 degree C, Danger decided that he had enough of the heat, he submerged himself into the drinking water trough.

Volunteering at Mdzananda by Dr George Lightfoot

My first day at Mdzananda seems a long time ago with someone talking Xhosa at me across the consulting room table and me wondering what I had got myself into. Since then I have seen and done a lot, including treating diseases rarely seen in Britain such as distemper and babesia and seriously upped my spaying time.

As well as the many animals treated at the clinic over the last two months, it is the people that work there that really make an impression. From the all singing, all dancing surgical assistant team of Lazola and Ayanda, to the roof jumping of Bean, everyone works together in making Mdzananda such an important service to the local community.

I thank everyone involved for my time spent at the clinic. It’s been fantastic and I really hope to come again (though not to sample the local delicacies).
Picture left to right: George Lightfoot & Mongameli George