Written by, and photos supplied by Odette Visser, Marketing & Event Coordinator, TEARS Animal Rescue
Bringing the heart and soul of TEARS to the community
TEARS Animal Rescue is a pro-life, non-profit organisation serving companion animals in low-income communities in the Southern Peninsula of Cape Town. Located in Sunnydale, TEARS operates a Veterinary Clinic at their headquarters, in addition to two Mobile Clinics. TEARS remains one of the country’s leading animal welfare organisations.
The TEARS Veterinary Hospital is the heart of TEARS Animal Rescue. The hospital treats around 17,000 companion animals per year. Focused on serving low-income communities in the surrounding areas, TEARS provides vital veterinary services at a free or reduced welfare rate to the South Peninsula’s poorest, providing sterilisation, vaccination, treatment and rehabilitation support to injured, abandoned, abused and homeless dogs, cats, kittens and puppies.
It’s a hard life for people living in low-income communities, and as a result they’re not always able to provide for their families or their beloved animals. In most cases, the pets are adored and it’s either a case of not being able to provide or not having the compassionate education and information on animal care that keeps owners from giving their pets the life that they deserve.
Accessing basic veterinary care, quality food and adequate shelter can be out of reach for many pet owners. That is where the TEARS Mobile Clinic Outreach Programme comes in. The TEARS Mobile Clinic brings these services directly to people in under-resourced areas and to their pets. Without the TEARS Mobile Clinic, these animals would never be able to access basic care, especially for families who don’t have access to transportation.
The TEARS Mobile Clinic visits the communities on a set schedule and for emergencies, acting as an animal ambulance. Our mobile team picks up the injured, provides flea, tick and worm medication, and administers vaccinations. Animals are transported to and from the TEARS Veterinary Hospital for treatment or sterilisation. Sadly, many animals are surrendered to TEARS via the Mobile Clinic where they’re assessed before receiving vital rehabilitation and holistic care before they’re ready to be rehomed.
TEARS’ mission is to improve the lives of animals by increasing our impact footprint in the following areas:
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Companion animal population control
through sterilisations to reduce the number of kittens and puppies born into hardship;
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Animal vaccination programmes
prevent debilitating and often deadly animal-borne diseases spreading between animals or being transmitted to humans;
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Compassion and pet care education
with a focus on marginalised youth as a means of inspiring a new generation and creating a kinder world.
Without the generous support of the TEARS donors, the TEARS Mobile Clinic and TEARS Veterinary Hospital wouldn’t be able to offer vital support to animals in need. Your donations keep the TEARS Mobile Clinics operational.
DONATE HERE https://tears.org.za/donate/ or register for the TEARS Sleepathon https://tears.org.za/sleepathon/ today and choose “Mobile and Welfare Vet Clinic” as your chosen fundraiser cause. The TEARS Sleepathon is the ultimate slumber party where individuals or groups can fundraise for a cause and cosy up for a night at either our kennels or cattery with a furry friend.
Veterinary Clinic Outreach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EeqEQ5N0ew&t=75s
For more information, contact TEARS Animal Rescue on 021 785 4482, email events@tears.org.za or follow on:
Facebook: @TEARSAnimalRescue
Twitter: @TEARSwelfare
Instagram: @tearsanimalrescue
Website: www.tears.org.za
About TEARS Animal Rescue:
TEARS is a pro-life, non-profit organisation established in 1999 (registered in terms of Section 18A of the Income Tax Act) whose core aim is to rescue, treat, rehabilitate, reunite and rehome lost, abandoned, abused, and neglected companion animals and to educate pet owners and the youth living in the under-resourced communities within which we operate.
We strive to meet the needs of the low-income communities in the Southern Peninsula by providing:
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Free sterilisations and subsidised medical support that includes vaccinations, deworming, and parasite control.
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Access to two TEARS mobile clinics that offer primary healthcare and pet care support.
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Access to the TEARS Veterinary Clinic, offering free and subsidised veterinary care to our welfare beneficiaries for almost any condition, illness, or injury.
TEARS remains the only facility in the Cape Peninsula’s far South available seven days a week, including an after-hours mobile clinic service until 9 pm, to treat the hundreds of animals who need treatment each month for various conditions, illnesses, and injuries.