Animal Sanctuaries In Sri Lanka In "Survival Mode” Amid The Country’s Crisis - Here’s How You Can Help

THINK

Aug 24

Sri Lanka is currently suffering from economic collapse, political instability, and ongoing food, medicine and fuel shortages, with sanctuaries across the nation in critical need of your support.

A dog rescued by Animal SOS. Credit: Amy Jones/Moving Animals

Sanctuaries in Sri Lanka are currently “in survival mode” according to Animal SOS, a rescue organization working to alleviate the suffering of the country’s stray animals in Sri Lanka by providing veterinary care, rehabilitation, homing and refuge.

Sri Lanka is currently suffering from economic collapse, political instability, and ongoing food, medicine and fuel shortages, which has sparked months of turmoil and public unrest and plunged people and animals into crisis. The underlying reasons for the current state of the country are complex, with the BBC citing the Covid pandemic, the deadly bomb attacks in 2019, and President Rajapaksa's poor economic mismanagement.

Amid the turmoil, sanctuaries across the country are in critical need of support, in order to keep their doors open as well as provide for the animals already in their care.

“We are in survival mode and struggling to even feed our 2,000+ sanctuary animals. Food costs, along with just about everything else, have risen so sharply that we are currently paying quadruple the costs for some essential items,” said Animal SOS.

Meanwhile, demands to take in sick, injured and dying animals are at an all-time high, according to Animals SOS, as more animals are being abandoned due to the current hardships facing the country.

There are an estimated three million dogs living on the streets in Sri Lanka. Many of them starve to death or succumb to disease or injury — sixty percent of puppies don’t live to see their first birthday. One of the underlying problems with the street dog population is people’s attitudes; like the rest of the world, pedigree dogs are in popular demand resulting in street dogs being deemed as “less worthy”.

During this tumultuous time, please support these sanctuaries and charities who work tirelessly to provide much-needed shelter, education, and medical care to the three million street dogs and other animals throughout the nation.

Animal SOS

Animal SOS Sri Lanka is the largest animal sanctuary in South Asia that works with the UK to rehome abused, disabled and vulnerable street dogs. Founded by Kim Cooling, the sanctuary is home to over 2,000 dogs and offers veterinary care, free neutering and anti-rabies vaccinations to sick and injured animals in Sri Lanka. It also runs the largest feeding programme on the island, cooking one tonne of food a day to feed 3,000 dogs and cats. "This is an SOS to save our beautiful sanctuary and life-saving project from collapse,” said Cooling. “More than 2,000 lives are at imminent risk unless help comes quickly."

If you would like to help save this animal rescue charity from closure, you can donate via bank transfer or PayPal.

Dogstar Foundation

Dogstar Foundation operates a mobile sterilisation clinic to offer a humane dog population management programme for the country’s 3 million street animals. So far, the charity has sterilised nearly 50,000 dogs and 4,000 cats and carried out close to 70,000 rabies vaccinations to prevent disease, suffering, and more unwanted puppies.

Now more than ever, Dogstar Foundation’s work is crucial. If you would like to help support you can donate via bank transfer or PayPal.

Embark

Embark was founded by Otara Gunewardene, a Sri Lankan entrepreneur, animal welfare advocate, and conservationist in 2007. Since then, the organization has worked tirelessly to transform the lives of street dogs and the communities they live in through rescues, adoption programs, sterilizations, vaccinations, education and campaigns.

To help fund Embark’s extensive welfare work, the brand offer a unique line of pooch-inspired clothing and merchandise with stores across the country. But amid the crisis, the stores have been forced to shut, meaning the charity’s income has been drastically slashed.

Please help keep this animal rescue organization running by donating via bank transfer or PayPal.

WECare Worldwide

WECare is an organization set up by Westway Veterinary Group, the largest veterinary practice in the North of England that provides the street dogs of Sri Lanka with access to a high standard of veterinary care. The charity is working to eliminate rabies in the country, reduce the numbers of unwanted street dogs, all while treating sick or injured animals.

Help WECare continue their incredible work by donating via bank transfer or PayPal.

Bridging Lanka

A donkey roaming the streets of Mannar. Credit: Amy Jones/Moving Animals

The town of Mannar in Sri Lanka is home to over 1,000 feral donkeys, who roam the busy streets in search of food and water. The country’s first Donkey Clinic & Education Centre opened in 2018 to help the town’s donkeys by treating those in urgent need of medical care and relocating others to safer areas. Their hope is to eventually relocate every single donkey in Mannar to a safe, new home.

The work that the Donkey Clinic and Education Centre are doing is crucial and a lifeline to these animals. Help support their initiative here.

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