Jaco: A Dog Caught in the Crossfire
Today is Change a Pet’s Life Day and we wanted to share the story of Jaco, the first pet’s life we changed at the TEARS Welfare Clinic this year.
On the evening of New Year’s Day, TEARS received a call from the Ocean View Police Station asking us to assist. There was a dog that had been caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting where the owner of the dog was also shot.
The call came in around 6:30pm. Cape Medical Response was on-scene to attend to the owner and offered their assistance to bring the injured dog Jaco to our Welfare Clinic to meet our veterinary team. The TEARS Operations Manager and Senior Veterinarian rushed to meet the CMR team with Jaco in order to assess him and stabilise him.
Jaco was found to have a gunshot wound on his left front leg and the bullet was still inside. The Vet stabilised Jaco on a drip and bandaged his leg. Jaco received pain meds and antibiotics and spent the night resting.
The following morning, Jaco had x-rays and the resident Vet removed the bullet from the leg. Luckily for Jaco the bone was not shattered or broken but only fractured. Jaco is now receiving weekly splintered bandage changes for the next 6-weeks.
Jaco’s dad is still in hospital and we have been in contact with Agnes who is Jaco’s mom and she is looking after Jaco while his dad is recovering in hospital.
The TEARS Welfare Clinic doesn’t just change pet’s lives on one day. The Clinic is busy changing the lives of pets everyday. Whether it be sterilisation, vaccination or emergency treatment, the TEARS Clinic is sometimes the only veterinary option for pets in low-income communities.
You can support the work of the TEARS Welfare Clinic by pledging a monthly gift. Donate today!
