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The dogs have their day

Bow-wow Surgery in progress at the Mad Dogs' Trust

Woof, Woof! The dogs in the city finally seem to be having their day. And it is all due to the tireless efforts of a Briton, Penelope Koch Shepherd, who has founded Mad Dogs'Trust, an Animal Shelter and Clinic at Veli, Fort Kochi. The organisation founded a month and half ago hosts foreign vets every month led by resident vet, Amitha George who perform surgery on injured animals. Spaying of animals too is done here.

“Mad Dogs' Trust is dedicated to improving the life of street dogs in Kochi. We use the European methods of surgery meaning small incisions and the cost of spaying includes seven days in house care,” says Penny who has set up a top- of- the- line theatre, squeaky clean and stocked with required medicines.

The life of a street dog here is pretty much fine till they get injured, she says and that's where this organisation steps in. Healing mange, maggot wounds, vaccinating all dogs that are treated against rabies and distemper are some of the works done by them.

Visiting vets

The visiting vets do voluntary work. Dr. Auke Schutz from Hanover and Dr. Alexandria Hellbrigge-Goegous from Munich are presently working at the clinic. In future Penny hopes to have voluntary workers from the city helping her with the animals. A question that she is often asked is why Mad Dogs' Trust? “Its full name is Mad Dogs and a Scot. Mad Dogs in honour of Noel Cowards' song that observed the absurdities of Englishmen in Asia,” explains Penny in her typical wry British humour and the Scot is in memory of her husband who passed away late last year. He helped Penny set up the animal shelter and clinic. The in-house resident, Dr. Amitha George can be contacted on 09947426711(for enquiries in Malayalam) and Penny Shepherd on 97460 18456.

P.S.

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