• Society

Pets come first at The ARK

- 2023-07-14 10:07:00

"In January, an urgent plea from Kim, a resident of Omaruru, reached us about a dog that was extremely malnourished and wandering on the outskirts of town," says Ali Ryan, of The ARK Rescue & Rehabilitation in Omaruru .
This is how Survivor ended up at The ARK. His road to recovery has been long, but he is now ready to go home with Kim in the next few weeks.
“His journey at The ARK began with an extreme case of tick fever and severe malnutrition. Within two days, another challenge reared its head - a painful open wound in his groin caused by the bite of a fur-legged tick. Unfortunately, his weakened condition made anesthesia impossible. However, we took care of the wound carefully, removed the infected tissue and provided the necessary treatment."
"Together with two operations to close the wound - once the time was right - his rehabilitation lasted a total of 10 weeks."
Kim and her husband, Meino Mast, decided to adopt him.
Ali's passion is wild animals, but there are so many pets in need of help that she decided to do something. She started The ARK about two years ago.
The organization helps animals from Omaruru, Karibib and Usakos that need rehabilitation. There is no other animal welfare organization of its kind in the area.
"Our main focus is to be a dedicated rehabilitation center for pets in need. Our team dedicates their time to the daily rehabilitation process and has a passion for making a positive impact. While we do have healthy animals looking for their forever homes, we focus on rehabilitating animals with injuries or illnesses - like Simba. This to ensure that they get a well-deserved second chance."
Ali worked from her home in the beginning. However, the number of animals increased so much that she had to find a bigger place. Today, The ARK is situated on a plot, with two houses for cats, many dog kennels and the rehabilitation centre.
Corischna Grobler - another team member - also plays an important role in the animals' lives together with Ali and Petrus Dhiladhileni, who feed and clean the animals. Despite their small team, their dedication knows no bounds.
The Ark currently houses 65 animals, including adult to baby dogs and cats and even a few rabbits.
Rehabilitation
They are currently rehabilitating three dogs with cancer.
"It is not unusual for people to be surprised when they find out that a dog can get cancer. However, this type of cancer in dogs is very common, and highly treatable. We recently successfully treated a two-year-old dog diagnosed with transmissible genital growths (TVT). The dog was happily adopted into a loving home this week."
The organization has successfully treated more than 20 dogs with TVT to date.
"Dolly, a small black dog, found her way to The ARK Rescue in September 2022, and it quickly became apparent that she had suffered a serious injury. Her back leg was broken, and upon closer examination it was determined that this fracture had been untreated for several weeks.
"At only eight weeks old, it is truly heartbreaking to think how this innocent little dog managed to endure the pain of walking on a broken femur for weeks on end."
"While animals usually adapt quickly after the loss of a limb, Dolly's recovery was more challenging.
"We were concerned about her well-being, and we explored every possible option. Which eventually led to the amputation of one of her legs after two months of efforts to save the leg.
"We then started rehabilitating her in a swimming pool. With the help of my cousin, Josh, who tirelessly swam with Dolly twice a day, she gradually built up her muscles with water therapy. It was a remarkable turning point for her."
Meino works in Windhoek and he regularly takes animals for The ARK to the vets in Windhoek. Dolly was one of the dogs he drove when they amputated her leg. He immediately fell in love with her. Dolly is now full of life and enjoying every moment. Kim and Meino also adopted her.
Immediate action
In May, the team received a disturbing call. A drunk man was mistreating a small dog and they took immediate action.
“We monitored the situation, intervened and managed to bring Walnut to safety. With the help of the police, we faced a challenging situation, but our priority was to protect Walnut and ensure that the abuse stops.
"This innocent puppy was neglected, went without food and proper care for long periods of time and was thrown around like a rag doll.
"Walnut was covered in what looked like glue, and our efforts to get him clean were not entirely successful. After we bathed him three times, everything was still not removed."
Walnut is now round and healthy and is being terribly spoiled by his new owner, Kayla Pedreiro.
"When you have time and want to help, go to your nearest animal welfare organization and help. You don't have to give money. You can simply just go for a walk with the dogs.”
"There are few animal welfare organizations in Namibia, but the need is great and we are overwhelmed. Sterilize your animal, especially cats. A cat can become pregnant for four months and then you or the local animal organization sit with the kittens. If you can't afford it, ask for help. The ARK is responsible for Have-a-Heart's sterilization and castration campaigns on Omaruru and in the surrounding areas."
"Helping animals is not just a passion for me, it's a deep-rooted commitment driven by the simple question: How can we turn our backs on those in need? With countless animals in need of assistance, it is an undeniable calling to help in any way - as I do."
People who want to find out more about The ARK Rescue & Rehabliation or want to get involved can visit the organization's Facebook page.
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