MAY NEWSLETTER 2011

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IN THIS ISSUE:

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1.  Government must enforce the Dangerous Dogs Act, says TSPCA Chairman
2.  Fund raiser - 60s PARTY
3.  Fashion weekend

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1.  Government must enforce the Dangerous Dogs Act, says TSPCA Chairman
click here

 

On Tuesday we brought you the heartbreaking story of a teenager who was attacked by a pit-bull. In an effort to find out what can be done to prevent something like this from ever occurring in Tobago again, Tobago Channel Five news spoke with Chairman of the Tobago Branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Mary Soodeen.

In our previous newscast, you saw the pain and fear on the face of thirteen year old Shanice Archie as she relived the moment when she was attacked by a pit-bull. This pit- bull is owned by one of her neighbors in Majuba Trace Goodwood and according to Shanice’s mother it is often allowed to roam the neighborhood causing fear and panic among the residents.

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TOBAGO CHANNEL 5

Chairman of TSPCA Mary Soodeen says she was not surprised when she heard of the incident since persons are allowed to let their dogs roam free around Tobago. She said the role of the TSPCA’ is to try to bring about legislation to amend the dangerous dogs act which was assented to in 2000 but has not yet been proclaimed. Ms. Soodeen lamented that there is an increase of stray dogs and pit-bulls in Tobago.

She further stressed that dog owners must be held responsible for their charges. Ms. Soodeen expressed hope that in the wake of the incident in Goodwood and others in Trinidad, government would see the need to fast forward the implementation of the Dangerous Dogs Act.

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2.  Fund raiser - 60s PARTY:  

BUFFET DINNER AND DANCE
The fund raiser took place on the 7th May, Sandy Point Village, Crown Point.

Thank you Inken Janning for the beautiful photos. www.tobagophoto.com

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 3.  Fashion weekend:

Thanks to Marlon Grant, Inken Janning - www.tobago-photo.com, and all the volunteers.
Our Shelter dogs and puppies were on the Catwalk looking every bit as good as the models.
We are having an adoption drive on l8th June at Gulf City Mall and all our dogs and puppies will be up for adoption.

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APRIL NEWSLETTER 2011

IN THIS ISSUE

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1. Four students lauded for veterinary volunteer work in Trinidad and Tobago.

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1. Four students lauded for veterinary volunteer work in Trinidad and Tobago. 

 In January 2011, four veterinary students travelled to the Caribbean to help Biomedical Sciences PhD student Miguella Mark-Carew conduct field research for her Fulbright project addressing public health risks in Trinidad and Tobago. Second-year student Jasmine Bruno (pictured at the left, on the left) and third-year students Sarrah Kaye, Erin Lashnits (pictured at the left, on the right), and Sarah Dumas spent two weeks on the islands collecting parasite samples from dogs, cattle, and water buffalo, processing samples in the lab, counting roaming dogs in the streets, and volunteering in an intensive marathon spaying and neutering.

read more

MARCH NEWSLETTER 2011

 

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IN THIS ISSUE:

1. On going Education Programme.

2. Fund Raising.

3. Visits to our Shelter.

4. Staff.

5. Ongoing Work.

6. Volunteers.
7. Cruelty Investigations.

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1. On going Education Programme:

SHEP (Schools Humane Education Project) was held at three Primary Schools at Calder Hall,  Bon Accord and Mason Hall.  

a.Members of the TTSPCA give an interactive presentation and hand out bookmarks and leaflets to the students and teachers. The leaflets illustrate the "Health and Maintenance of animals" and "Responsible Ownership of your best friend" and "The benefits of spaying and neutering Animals".

The Shelter Vets have advised us that there has been an increase in the number of dogs brought in for checkups and spaying so the leaflets have not gone unnoticed.

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b. We have written a proposal for a series of Programmes to be aired on Radio and repeated in the Local newspaper

2. Fund Raising:

Our Fund Raising efforts continued with a jumble sale, book sales and our collection boxes.

3. Visits to our Shelter:

a. Miguella Mark-Carew is a Fulbright Scholar from Cornell University, USA.   She is doing her Phd in infectious diseases in stray/roaming dogs in Trinidad and Tobago.   She has been to the Shelter and interacted with the Veterinarians and Staff.   She has devised a questionnaire to find out how people react to roaming/stray dogs.

b. Operation Manager of TTSPCA in Trinidad and the President of the TTSPCA Council visited our Shelter.  To sum up their report I quote:-

“We would like to say how pleased we are with the progress that the Tobago Branch has made since our previous visits. We congratulate them on having such a well run facility with a great team of staff members”

4. Staff: 

We are working on the need for Staff training sessions which would cover topics from the role that the TTSPCA plays in society to animal cruelty laws etc.   A visit to Trinidad Northern Branch by the Tobago staff was discussed, to look at protocols used and meet others in the same profession.

5. Ongoing Work:

Quarantine Kennels have been built.

Project to build Boarding Kennels.  

Ongoing fund raising and searching for sponsors.

Adoptions:   We continue to encourage adoptions. click here

6. Volunteers:  

We are making every effort to build up a network of volunteers.   As we are an NGO we depend on volunteers to walk dogs, socialize our dogs and cats to make them more adoptable.    Email us with your ideas, opinions or questions.

7. Cruelty Investigations: 

Working with a volunteer Police Officer and a Vet we investigate cruelty cases and help end the suffering of animals.   However, we need your help, if you suspect that an animal is being abused please call the Shelter.

JANUARY NEWSLETTER 2011

Kelly Coladarci from The Humane Society (USA)

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IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Spott Programme 2011
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1. Spott Programme 2011

- ..... On January 15^th /16^th we held our SPOTT programme at 2 Venues on the Island:-

a. Mason Hall Community Centre
b. TTSPCA Shelter Clinic in Bacolet.

In collaboration with the Humane Society International of USA we had two clinics where we offered free spaying/neutering for dogs and cats.  With the assistance of Veterinarians from Trinidad and Tobago and USA we spayed and neutered 127 animals. 

Students from the Veterinarian College of Trinidad & Tobago and Cornell University New York were on hand where they assisted and also gained a lot of knowledge from the experience.

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Dr. Deonanan, from trinidad with Kelly from

       the Humane Society USA,   Vet students in the Background

This is our third year participating in the SPOTT programme

Amini and her dog snowflake came from Caanan

Each year we notice a greater participation of owners who appreciate the benefits of Spaying/neutering their Pets.  



Mason Hall lady with her cat.

We also had a Meeting with the Secretary for Health Mr. Albert Pilgrim who is aware of the stray and roaming dog problems on the Island.   We are trying to get Government assistance to help alleviate the problems

DECEMBER NEWSLETTER 2010

A wag of the tail, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to everyone!

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Inken Janning ( & her adopted dog "Jackson")

www.tobago-photo.com

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IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Rounding up the year.

2. Special Thank Yous

3. Project for 2011

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1. Rounding up the year.

- ..... TobagoSPCA continues to have as our main aim what the name says –Prevent cruelty to animals.  We attempt to locate owners of lost animals, rehome stray, rescued and unwanted animals and  raise awareness of the positive treatment and care of animals.

- ..... We now have 4 vets who attend to our Clinic so we are able to offer the general public affordable, safe veterinary care.

- ..... We continue with our FREE spay/neuter clinics with the Humane Society of the USA and our next clinic will be held  15^th/16^th January 2011.  We believe this is the way forward to prevent stray and unwanted animals in Tobago. 

-  ..... Our puppy run is up and running so the puppies now have a  play area to run about and socialize. 

LINKS:

http://www.ttspca.com/fundraising.htm

http://vee-updates.blogspot.com/

- ..... We have adoption drives on a frequent basis and many of our dogs and cats are adopted and live happy lives with their owners. 

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- ..... Visitors to our Island continue to fall in love with our animals and you can check out our blogpage to read their stories.   This month ‘MinnieHope’, found on Store Bay beach travelled to the USA with her new Owners. See more click here

- .....  UPDATE ON CHELSEA & LASSIE:- In June 2011 these two lucky dogs rescued from Turtle Beach, will travel to the UK... Hip Hip Hooray!

LINK: click here OCTOBER NEWSLETTER 2010

- ..... Our fundraising Committee continue to organize events and with the help of volunteers assist the TSPCA to continue the work of making life for the animals in Tobago a better place.

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2. Special Thank Yous

- ..... The Staff: Lets us give the staff at the Shelter a well deserved “Thank-You”.   They are faced on a daily basis with the sadness of unwanted animals yet for all the problems that need to be dealt with there is always a smile or two, a laugh when needed, time to pat a dog on the head, give a cat a stroke or two. 

- ..... The Volunteers: Where would any Shelter be without them.   Just by reaching out and giving dogs some comfort and exercise helps so much to socialize our dogs and make them adoptable.

Volunteer DOG walkers are always needed and 1 to 2 hours a week can bring much joy to the animals.   Or play with the puppies in the puppy run, or sit with the Cats in the Cattery.
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- ..... Inken Janning: Thanks for being present at our events and for all the wonderful, supportive photos she  takes.

You can visit her website at www.tobago-photo.com

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3. Project for 2011

Our Project for 2011 is to build Boarding Kennels which will generate funds for the Shelter and assist with our perennial difficulties with funding.  This is a major undertaking and we are looking for Sponsors.

If you would like to donate a monetary gift you can do this by posting a cheque or wiring us your donation to:

Republic Bank Ltd,  Main Street Branch, Scarborough, Tobago   
AC # 020408593701

If you wish to receive our Newsletters please send your email address to:
support@ttspca.com

"SPeCiAl"  T-shirts and Calendars from TobagoSPCA are on sale at the Shelter too!

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Wishing you Seasons Greetings and a peaceful New Year from the Committee of the TTSPCA.

Sincerely,

Mary Soodeen

Chairperson, TTSPCA Tobago Branch

OCTOBER NEWSLETTER 2010

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. A visit from World Society for Protection of Animals - and a workshop in Trinidad where the representative of WSPA  was a featured Speaker.

2. Our Manager - attended a workshop in St. Maarten on Animal Welfare in Education and we hope to include this information into our School Programme.

3. Important story: This is a story of two dogs: one named Chelsea and one named Lassie.

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1. A visit from World Society for Protection of Animals - and a workshop in Trinidad where the representative of WSPA  was a featured Speaker.
 In October  Jennifer Azofefa, a  WSPA representative paid us a visit from their head office in Mexico.  We are an Associate of the World Society for the Protection of Animals.  She spent a day with us at the Shelter and held an informal Meeting with the Manager and Committee Members. 
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Vet, Paul Crooks, Jennifer, Clare, Manager,
Mary Chairperson and Lois Committee member

Some of our members  went to a workshop in Trinidad,  organised by the AWWGTT (Animal Working Group of Trinidad and Tobago, on the "Humane Dog Population Management" where Jennifer was one of the Featured speakers.   A lot of information was gleaned from that workshop which wehope will help us with the stray dog population in Tobago.

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2. Our Manager - attended a workshop in St. Maarten on Animal Welfare in Education and we hope to include this information into our School Programme.

In October, Our Manager, Ms. Clare Joseph, attended a workshop in St. Maarten on a Humane Education Programme.   We will incorporate her ideas into our on-going education Programme and continue to empower students to realise they can apply the concept of respect and kindness towards animals, in their own lives. Our main story would be Chelsea and Lassie the two dogs from Turtle Beach We are looking for assistance in getting them to their new owners in UK.

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3. Important story: This is a story of two dogs: one named Chelsea and one named Lassie.
This is a story of two dogs: one named Chelsea and one named Lassie.

Chelsea and her mother Princess lived on Turtle Beach.   They were favourites with tourists who visited the Beach.    In October 2009 they were picked up by the TSPCA in Tobago, at the request of tourists, who paid to have them spayed. I released them back on the same beach two weeks after their operation to live out the rest of their lives. All the vendors on the beach knew and loved them also..   Henry had made leather collars for them. 
A few months later the Manager of the nearby hotel asked me to pick up both dogs as they were becoming a nuisance barking all night.   We came to an agreement and I picked up Princess and left Chelsea.   Princess was adopted from our Shelter. Many tourists have come and gone and all have fallen in love with Chelsea. One visitor in particular named Lesli, who took the attached photos in April 2010.    She  kept in touch with Tobagonians who gave her information on Chelsea.

Check out how gentle Chelsea is with the Leatherback
 turtle as she returns to the sea after laying her eggs.

Now Lassie comes into the picture.   In early October 2010 another group of tourists fell in love with Lassie and collected money to have her spayed.   They met with the Manager of the Hotel who agreed to allow Lassie to return to the beach and become a companion to Chelsea.   So I picked her up and spayed her.

Lassie

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Subsequently  I met with the Manager, who informed me that he did'nt want any dogs on the beach and that included Chelsea. He said she was attacking the staff.   Chelsea had made herself familiar with the Hotel and went by the Pool and other areas and the staff were ordered to remove her so she resented them.   She is a gentle dog and had to have a reason to attack the staff.   I picked her up once again and she is now at the Shelter. Unfortunately, there is a tendency to poison dogs when they become a 'nuisense' and I was afraid that would happen to Chelsea.

So Chelsea and Lassie are both now at the Shelter.  

HOW CAN WE HAVE A HAPPY ENDING FOR THESE LOVEABLE DOGS!??!  

Lesli heard via FACEBOOK that Chelsea was gone from the beach and contacted me through our support address :  support@ttspca.com.

She would like to adopt Chelsea.   Chelsea will have to be micro chipped, given a rabies vaccine and tested for rabies in a Laboratory in the UK, kept in Tobago for six months, then she can be sent to the UK.   All these procedures cost money, the fare alone to the UK for a dog is approximately tt$16,000. 

If any visitor to Turtle Beach, Tobago, who would have met Chelsea and maybe Lassie wishes to make a donation to the address on our website we will use it to help Chelsea and Lassie go to England.   There is a possibility that the Tourist who told me about Lassie may adopt her.

We are keeping our fingers crossed.

SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER 2010

IN THIS ISSUE:
1. The Village to Village Project - a spay/neuter programme 132 surgeries.
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1. In September we played a supporting Role in the "Village to Village" Free Veterinary Care and Medical Advice project which was held at our Clinic and a field hospital in Charleville and Bacolet. A total of 132 surgeries were performed on dogs and cats with the help of local Veterinarians from Trinidad and Tobago who gave of their time freely with a three-fold approach, and offered a free spay/neuter clinic, basic veterinary care clinic and community and education outreach.  

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Waiting area at our Shelter

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Recovery Room



3 dogs still waiting  

JUNE NEWSLETTER 2010

IN THIS ISSUE:
1. ANIMAL CARE EXPO... Nashville, Tennessee
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1. A Committee member attended the Humane Society 2010 Expo in  Nashville.   Knowledge gained from interacting with other Organisations, attending various seminars/workshops prove invaluable to making our shelter a better place for animals to stay

Check it out here!