Current News:  February 2010

25,000 mark! TAPA has now sterilised over 25,000 animals! We are making a difference, thanks to your support!

 

     

 

Read about TAPA's Education Programme in the Oct 2009 Issue of IN AWE (International Animal Welfare Education), produced by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA).

A Special Thank You for Their Generous Donations to Friends of TAPA

To world tennis star Martina Navratilova Ms. Navratilova has been called "the greatest singles, doubles, and mixed doubles player who's ever lived."

To Keely and Pierce Brosnan Mr. Brosnan, of 007 fame, is also presently Campaign Chair of the Entertainment Industry Foundation.

To actress Lake Bell Ms. Bell has appeared on ER, The Practice, and Boston Legal, and in several movies.

  

  

Recent Photos from the Field

Field Clinic in the tsunami rubble		View of tsunami rubble from the clinic
Village boy brings his dog for sterilisation		Netting dogs in an urban environment
Villager and his dog		Administering pre-surgery meds                   through the net
Sterilisations under way		Sterilising a cat
Sterilising for Project Embark

  

  

Memorial Donation

Thank you to Mrs. W. Wijesekara of Nugegoda, Sri Lanka, who made a donation to TAPA in memory of her beloved Lassie, Flash, and Syndy, and to Mark and Sandy Benson of Atlanta, Georgia (USA), who made a donation in memory of their wonderful Pookie. The spirits of these animals live on to help other animals.

Please contact us if you would like to make a donation to honor the memory of a special friend now gone.

 

Creative Fundraising for TAPA

 

Dog Training Workshop Supports TAPA. Ms. Peni Fitzpatrick, renowned dog (and people) trainer and owner of The Dog Company of Sidney, Canada, recently conducted a dog training workshop in San Diego, California, with proceeds donated to Friends of TAPA! This two-day course was designed to help dog owners modify their own behaviors to better control the behavior of their dogs. Many of the dogs in the class were "problem" dogs—but by the end of the class, they were passing between other dogs and walking together in the pack. Logistics assistance was provided by Gina McGrath, owner of Claws and Paws Pet Sitting Service of Encinitas, California and Kris Elig, owner of Professional Pet Sit of San Diego, California.
Thank you!

 

Dog Training Workshop with Peni Fitzpatrick

 

Vet Clinics Support TAPA. The Broadford Veterinary Clinic (Central Highlands Group) of Australia supported us through a creative approach that was appreciated by clients and staff. The Broadford Clinic recently held a special spay-neuter promotion and donated 25% of the income to TAPA! And the Box Hill, Eltham and Mount Morency Vet Hospitals (Australia) have been selling chocolates with proceeds to TAPA.

 

Skydiving for TAPA! While on a Scuba diving holiday in Sri Lanka, Kay Anderson of England found the TAPA field clinic at work. She was deeply impressed with the work being done and spent two weeks assisting the TAPA team and the animals. Upon return to England, Kay decided she must raise funds to help TAPA. Maybe a sponsored long distance swim? The London Marathon? Skydiving it was to be: Kay decided her friends would pay to see her jump out of an airplane! Kay's friend Julia Webster, even though uneasy with heights, also volunteered to jump for TAPA, and Kay's brother-in-law Steve Croton joined in. Friends and family became sponsors. Julia's employer, ING Bank, offered to match Julia's donation. The die was cast!

On the appointed day, the queasy trio made their way to the skydive airport – but then waited five anxious hours for a break in the thunderstorms. Suddenly the skies cleared and off they went, jumping from above the clouds in tandem with instructors. Freefalling at up to 120 miles per hour (200 kph) from 12,000 feet (3,700 meters) until the parachutes opened. What an exhilarating adventure! Kay, Julia and Steve loved it, especially knowing they had raised enough money for TAPA to sterilise 100 dogs, preventing many subsequent generations of unwanted puppies.

TAPA and the animals greatly appreciate this creative fundraiser. Kay, Julia and Steve hope it will inspire others to "think out of the box" to help TAPA!

 

Kay practices, wearing TAPA colours		Steve bids farewell to his kids		Kay and Julia get ready		Safe on the ground again!

 

 

Community Education Programme. Our formal community education is underway, thanks to a grant from the RSPCA (UK). Presentations have been made in schools and orphanages, and copies of our “How to Avoid Dog Bites” leaflets in three languages are being distributed. See Education for more information and downloadable copies.

Where we have been working recently. For the past few months, the TAPA team has been working primarily along the south coast tsunami zone, with a field clinic also conducted in Trincomalee, on the East Coast. The statistics below are included in our cumulative total of animals sterilised. In addition to the field clinics below, we have previously implemented clinics in areas centered on Panadura, Kirinda, Bundala (near Kirinda), Tangalle, Arugam Bay, Hambantota, Ambalantota, Moratuwa, and Hikkaduwa, some requiring multiple sequential field clinics.
Field Clinics in the last 12 months Village sponsors include: Brigitte Bardot Foundation (France), Ms. Marina Möbius, Vier Pfoten Dog Care Clinic e.v. (Germany/Sri Lanka), Ahimsa Foundation (USA), Wereld Asielen (Netherlands), and individual TAPA and Friends of TAPA donors. Thank you for making this possible!
Ahangama January 2009 500 animals sterilised     Akmeemana Near Galle Feb-Mar 2009 500 animals sterilised       Unawatuna Beach East of Galle April 2009 321 animals sterilised (Follow-up Clinic)     Gampola Kandy May 2009 500 animals sterilised       Paragon Tsunami Village East of Galle June 2009 271 animals sterilised (Follow-up Clinic)       Kadugannawa Near Kandy July 2009 506 animals sterilised     Bope-Poddala West of Galle August 2009   440 animals sterilised   Ukwatta East of Galle September 2009   454 animals sterilised   Habaraduwa East of Galle October 2009   447 animals sterilised   Gonapura/ Baddegama West of Galle November 2009   502 animals sterilised   Bope-Poddala West of Galle December 2009   308 animals sterilised (Follow-up Clinic) Unawatuna Beach East of Galle January 2010   258 animals sterilised (Follow-up Clinic)     Tsunami zone is highlighted in yellow. Areas TAPA has worked are highlighted in brown.
Statistics. About 50% of the animals sterilised are community/stray dogs that the TAPA team netted and about 50% are dogs brought by their owners, maintaining TAPA's approach of sterilising both individually owned animals as well as community dogs/strays.
Friends of the Tsunami Animal-People Alliance (FoTAPA) has been established in the USA to support sterilisation work in the tsunami zone. FoTAPA has been designated as a "501(c)(3)" nonprofit charitable organisation by the US Internal Revenue Service. Donations by US taxpayers are deductible under IRS regulations. Non-US taxpayers are also very welcome to support FoTAPA. Online donations are now accepted from anywhere in the world via PayPal and credit card. See How to Help – Donate via Friends of TAPA USA for more information.
Project Embark. TAPA is proud to have been the implementing partner of Project Embark in Colombo. Project Embark is a corporate social responsibility campaign of Odel Foundation, sponsored by ODEL (Pvt) Ltd, a well-known department store. Over 1600 animals have now been sterilised under Project Embark. See Thank You – Corporate Sponsors for more information on this exciting development. TAPA uses our regular donations to work only in the tsunami zone. However, when sponsored, we are available to work in any environment in Sri Lanka. Working in an urban environment has been a different challenge for our team compared to working in the tsunami zone – more traffic with which to contend, have to be careful swinging a net with more people around, and so on.
Volunteer Vet/Nurse Programme. Our team continues to benefit from the knowledge and experience of our international volunteer vets and nurses. Our most recent volunteers have been from France, Australia and the UK. See How to Help – Volunteer Vets/Nurses for more information.		Cat recovering from sterilisation surgery

 

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