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TAPA News: February 2012

35,000 mark! TAPA has now sterilised over 35,000 animals! We are making a difference, thanks to your support!

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

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!

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, balantota, Moratuwa, and Hikkaduwa, some requiring multiple sequential field clinics.

Field Clinics in the Last 12 Months

Village sponsors include: William and Charlotte Parks Foundation for Animal Welfare (USA), 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!

Batticaloa Area Flood Zone January 2011	Flood assessment and relief for animals
Batticaloa Area Flood Zone February 2011	Flood relief for animals
Polonnaruwa Flood Zone March 2011 Also in March:	Flood relief for animals
Boghagoda Galle March 2011	327 animals sterilised
Vauniya Former War Zone April 2011	416 animals sterilised
Vauniya Former War Zone May 2011	508 animals sterilised
Jaffna Tsunami Zone/Former War Zone June 2011	448 animals sterilised
Dogstar Foundation Kegalle July 2011	502 animals sterilised
Negombo August 2011 Also in August:	157 animals sterilised
Vauniya Former War Zone August 2011	250 animals sterilised
Vauniya Former War Zone September 2011 Also in September:	265 animals sterilised
Mt. Lavinia World Tourism/Rabies/Animal Days	105 animals sterilised
Vakarai/Batticaloa Tsunami Zone/Former War Zone October 2011	501 animals sterilised
Tangalle November 2011	435 animals sterilised (storm)
Hambantota December 2011	431 animals sterilised (rain)
Siriyagama Hambantota Area January 2012	502 animals sterilised

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)

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 (Pvt) Ltd, a well-known Sri Lankan department store. Over 3000 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.