Main fundraiser photo

Bringing dog welfare to N. Zambia


The Dziko Project, the only one organizing sterilization campaigns in 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

                                 - Where the cats where held before our construction in KAWS -

2) Constructed a new naturalised dog area for socialisation and behaviour enrichment -> given the number of dogs that the shelter is caring for, there is not enough personnel to walk the dogs, meaning that the dogs stayed in cemented kennels 24/7, some of them, years.

Dimensions of the runs to be built = 65m length x 16m width x 2m high
** Pending to upload photos of the finished outdoor playground

                                                   - Area where the dogs used to spent 24/7 at KAWS - 


WE NEED YOUR HELP


The Dziko Project needs to keep raising funds to purchase the vaccines, surgical supplies, anesthetic drugs, antibiotics, pain management drugs, wound management, and other necessary animal treatments to carry out this important and life-saving work. Not only life-saving for the dogs and cats, but also for the community in decreasing the spread of rabies and disease.

Help us vaccinate and sterilize dogs and cats and educate the community working with local community animal welfare shelters such as the Kitwe Animal Welfare Society (KAWS) in Northern Zambia. 

Let's all together make a difference.  Help us help them! #helpzambiandogs #helpzambiancats

                                                           MAKE A DIFFERENCE, DONATE & SHARE !


  - Education workshop in a local pre-school, Baobuyu Learning Center  in Livingstone, Zambia, by The Dziko Project. Illustration on the screen by El Galgo Azul -  


                        WHAT YOUR DONATION MEANS TO US 

Your $100 donation ensures that one female dog/cat is spayed, as well as fully vaccinated against rabies and other canine/feline diseases, wound management (if required), general overall health check, and a big dose of love 

Your $75 donation ensures that one male dog/cat is neutered, as well as fully vaccinated against rabies and other canine/feline diseases, neutered, wound management (if required), general overall health check, and a big dose of love – 

Your $50 donation ensures one dog is fully vaccinated, rabies, parvo and 5 in 1, general overall health check, wound management if needed and covers the cost of council registration, which eliminates the risk of unnecessary culling.  Proof of a current rabies vaccination is mandatory for council registration 

Your $25 donation contributes to the cost of veterinary and surgical supplies needed to carry out such a mass campaign and towards educational material for the community 

                                                                        How many dogs will you help us save?

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OUR PARTNER

Bettina Brotons , co-founder of The Dog and the Whale is joining the Dziko's team as the Graphic Designer and Illustrator of the campaign
The Dog and the Whale is a slow fashion brand that returns to artisan printing techniques to offer exclusive t-shirts and bags with socially responsible fabrics printed with dog images. Bettina's illustrations are carefully selected to communicate love for dogs and talk about the situation of thousands of abandoned or mistreated dogs, especially Spanish hunting dogs like podencos and sighthounds, what an honor to have her by our side.


OUR STORY

The Dziko Project is a small non-profit organization traveling the world working to improve animal welfare, especially with dogs’ ∼ the health, safety and psychological wellness of the animals. A way to make a little difference while on our travels.

This project was born in Malawi in 2017 after seeing the terrible conditions and abuse dogs were living in. We met Tiger, a dog whose owner had a motorcycle accident and had to leave for medical care to a bigger town, and just abandoned Tiger on the beach by himself. We spent 2 months gaining his trust until we were able to rescue him. This is how The Dziko Project started.

Why Dziko? Dziko was the other Malawian dog, with Tiger, who stole our heart and made us understand what a wild and free African dog is like. Plus, Dziko also means “wild” in Chichewa, a Malawian language.

All donations to the Dziko Project are contributed directly to the campaigns and resources required.

Please, if you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact us at [email redacted].

                     - Owner and her dog waiting for her turn in our campaign,  photo by The Dziko Project -

We can not do it without you, make a difference today, minimum donation is $5


> CONNECT & FOLLOW THE CAMPAIGN <
The Dziko Project  · @thedzikoproject
Sara Ortín  · @nomad.dog 
Bettina Brotons  · @bettina_brotons 




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Donations 

  • Becca Torgan
    • €10 
    • 3 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • €20 
    • 3 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • €200 
    • 3 yrs
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Organizer and beneficiary

The Dziko Project
Organizer
Barcelona
Sara Ortin Leon
Beneficiary

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