Bringing dog welfare to N. Zambia

               - Owners and their dogs waiting to get neutered in our campaigns - Photo by The Dziko Project -


Our amazing project 

Rabies exists in all continents, Zambia and its rural areas being among one of the world’s hotspots for rabies. In up to 99% of cases, dogs are responsible for the virus transmission to humans, with over 95% of human deaths in Africa. The financial burden of treating a rabies exposure is extremely high (around $40 USD per person, when the average family daily income is around US$ 1–2 per person). The most cost-effective strategy for controlling the spread of rabies is through dog vaccination, as it is ten times cheaper, protects the whole community and incorporates the dogs’ welfare.

  - Young boy and his dogs on his turn for registration and rabies vaccination in one of our campaigns - Photo by The Dziko Project -

There are only a few charities making a difference on this framework due to limited funds and resources most of these organizations do not have the capacity to reach with their welfare and population control to cover all of the Zambian territory, therefore there are a lot of areas where nothing has ever been done; this is where The Dziko Project comes in, bringing animal welfare and education to areas for the first time. 

The Dziko Project hosts sterilization and vaccination campaigns, coupled with education to pet owners and across the community, in the Chingola and surrounding rural districts of the Copperbelt Province, in Northern Zambia, both for the first time. We work in partnership with the Kitwe Animal Welfare Society (KAWS) and their local vets to reach and treat as many dogs and animals as we can.

Our campaigns provide FREE sterilization, rabies vaccination, 5 in 1 vaccinations, health care check, wound management, and equally as important education on responsible pet care and rabies prevention awareness. 


THE HARSH REALITY & SOLUTION

Zambia’s idea of rabies elimination and population control is to conduct mass culling (shooting) of all street dogs and unregistered dogs, particularly in the rural areas.  Across the country 10’s of thousands of unwanted puppies and kittens are born every year, that sadly live very short lives due to abuse, disease, injury and, especially, starvation. The females continue to fall pregnant (as they are not spayed) and, sadly, keep losing their litters for starvation as usually the mothers don’t produce enough milk due to their malnutrition. This horrible situation keeps happening again and again. 

- Three little puppies were handed over to us in one of our campaigns in terrible condition  in Northern Zambia - Photo by The Dziko Project -

The World Health Organization reports that studies have shown culling as an ineffective way of rabies elimination, with vaccination being the most successful method to reduce the disease incidence in all species.  As too, is the control of population and reducing the number of unwanted litters of puppies and kittens in the community.

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What we have achieved already with your love and support:

Total Numbers at November 2020:

- a total of 2052 vaccines were administrated. Exactly 1752 dogs against rabies, 300 puppies against canine distemper, infectious canine hepatitis, canine adenovirus type 1 and 2, canine parainfluenza and canine parvovirus, and 23 cats
 dewormed 760 puppies/dogs
 - sterilized 250 dogs 
 - castrated 2 male cat, and spayed 2 female cat
 - attended 100’s and 100’s of wounds (mostly fly bites on dogs ears)
-  handed out over 1000 proper dog collars thanks do the amazing handmade donation by @thedogcallednora, and other donations
 - educated 100’s of children and pet owners on pet care and loving their dogs and cats

- Action shot of one of our sterilization campaigns around Kitwe, Zambia - Photo by The Dziko Project -

These numbers would not have been possible without you, and the amazing team of vets, vet assistants, vet students, and numerous volunteers who came together to make it a huge success. We would like to thank the pet owners for trusting us with their pets, and most importantly, being responsible pet owners. Additionally, thanks to the community and local businesses who also donated or provided discounts for us to ensure your funds where spent where it was needed most. 

Besides our goal of controlling the population of dogs in Zambia and rabies disease,   we chose to work with Kitwe Animal Welfare Society - KAWS, the largest rescue an animal shelter in the Copperbelt Province, of Northern Zambia. There is only one other shelter in the region, and it is 60kms away. Currently, KAWS is caring for over 60 dogs and 20 cats.

The Dziko Project, with your help,  improved their facilities and achieved special projects: 

1) Constructed a new outdoor cattery  -> the rescued cats were homed in an outdoor enclosure but after some escapes and the lack of funds to be able to build a proper escape-proof enclosure the cats were moved into little and enclosed cemented dog kennels for their safety. Therefore, The Dziko Project built a naturalised outdoor enclosure, where the cats can enjoy their time in the shelter, which sometimes is years, san bathing, climbing a tree... 

Dimensions of the cattery built = 10.5m length x 7.5m width x 4m high
** Pending to upload photos of the finished cattery