October 1, 2020 Stories

Working to secure safer lives for free-roaming dogs in Georgia

Working to secure safer lives for free-roaming dogs in Georgia

This World Animal Day (4 October), we’re asking for your help so we can continue providing life-saving care for the homeless dogs in Georgia.

Lockdown restrictions around the globe have had a huge impact on the lives of free-roaming dogs. In response to ever-changing regulations, Mayhew International’s work had to be cut back and even halted for several weeks earlier this year, impacting our vital Trap, Vaccinate, Neuter, Return (TVNR) programmes. This has left the free-roaming dogs more at risk of unwanted pregnancies and litters of pups being born on the street as well easily preventable infectious diseases.

Mayhew Georgia works to improve the lives of free-roaming animals and communities within Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, and the surrounding areas. We fund a Trap, Vaccinate, Neuter, Return (TVNR) programme in Tbilisi, helping to control the free-roaming dog population. The dogs are also vaccinated against rabies and other common canine infectious diseases such as parvo-virus and distemper, all of which are still common in Georgia and are not only life-threatening to dogs, but also to humans.

Sadly, this year the dog breeding season in Georgia coincided with lockdown, which spanned several weeks. This has resulted in an increased number of puppies, born to unneutered mums on the street, all of which need our help urgently.

In Tbilisi alone, our teams have already seen the impact that the lack of TVNR has had. They have seen spikes in cases of canine diseases as a direct result of this increase in newborn pups. Sadly, they have also recorded more puppy deaths from preventable canine diseases, such as parvo. These free-roaming dogs are in real need of life-saving vaccinations, flea and worming treatment and neutering procedures to set them up for a safer future and a better life.

In areas outside of Tbilisi, there is little to no veterinary provision, resulting in a lack of care available for free-roaming dogs. To tackle this, Mayhew Georgia has been collaborating with mobile vet clinic Doggie Doc, which enables our team to expand our TVNR programme to reach areas where dogs are in need of our preventative veterinary care.

Free-roaming dogs risk a life subjected to unregulated breeding and poor health and even death from easily preventable infectious diseases, a self-perpetuating cycle that cannot end without easy access to neutering and vaccinations.

We cannot secure a safer future for these dogs without your help.

Help the free-roaming dogs of Georgia

Right now our teams in Georgia are doing everything they can to help the free-roaming dogs, but we receive no government funding for what we do and the effects of the pandemic have hit us and the dogs of Georgia hard.

This World Animal Day, we’re hoping to raise £5,000 which will ensure we can continue providing life-saving care for the free-roaming dogs of Georgia, both within and outside of the capital, Tbilisi.

Help the free-roaming dogs of Georgia

As little as £10 will provide vaccinations against deadly diseases such as rabies and distemper and just £27.50 will pay for neutering and pre and post-operative care as well as life-saving vaccines for one dog; vaccinations which also protect the local communities.

Together, we can continue to provide life-saving care for free-roaming dogs in Georgia. Please donate today, and help us secure safer lives for these dogs.