Dziko Sri Lanka - The Street Dog Blog

I went to check on the temple kitten today. ❤️ ...Now called CARROT 🥕 after a predictive text blip here by my lovely friend Zoe.. "that carrot cat was amazing!"... 🤣🙈 I left some cat biscuits in a container for the locals and asked Chethana to write a note in Sinhala to ask them to put food down for the kitten as it is still so tiny! When I popped up to see the kitten there was a lady who has willingly taken on the task and seems quite fond of our little furry friend! If you remember there were two kittens, one has been missing for a while now. At first I wondered if the kitten had maybe died or been eaten by a snake or monitor lizard. Ramesh had pointed out a nearby jungle area where he had seen a Cobra and locals were aware of one there too.. so I did fear the worst. Another local joined us as I was doing my best to communicate with the lovely lady I had met... so he got out his phone to use a translate app! I asked where the other kitten and gone... The reply.. ' He has gone to build a local house' Good ole Google translate!! 🤣🤣🙈 I'm taking that as he has been taken to a local house to live.. which is something which commonly happens here! The cat population is not particularly an issue here, however the charity do still neuter them and also give them rabies vaccines too. And... Hey Hey Cheesy triangles are a hit with CARROT too!

I never get bored of this view from my balcony!! I do love how I don't need an alarm clock in the mornings as my wake up calls are either: 🌞 The sound of Chethana sweeping leaves (which is very much a Sri Lankan morning routine!) to keep bugs at bay.. 🌞 Or monkeys bouncing on my roof.. followed by a loud bang from Chethana firing a monkey scarer! 🌞Or the sound of the bread van travelling through the streets, playing the same Beethoven tune over and over! There are LOTS of monkeys in the community where I am staying, not so many are seen in the tourist areas which I suspect is due to these areas being built up with less surrounding jungle area. They do occasionally cause some havoc here and the local people try and deter the monkeys from hanging (literally 🤣) out on their properties as they cause damage to roofs, electricity cables and steal food!! They use catapults and pellet guns to scare them away (NOT to injure them).. the monkeys are pretty fearless and saunter off casually in response!! The dogs and monkeys co - habit.. the dogs on the ground and the monkeys using the network of cables and trees above!! The dogs are soooo habituated to the other animals on the ground.. cats, cows, goats, monitor lizards, chickens.. they all get along pretty well together!! Today has been a relaxing day before our next surgery day tomorrow.. 🐶🐶🐶

Look how tubby BULL is looking!! Without a shadow of a doubt the Dziko team saved this dogs' life!! He has had a course of Vincristine (cancer treatment) for a TVT and has also been treated for tick fever. (Scroll though previous posts to read more!) He is unrecognisable from the first time that I saw him! Our volunteer Jenny has been keeping tabs on him and her husband Ishan who is Sri Lankan has also been involved which has supported communication with Bulls guardians. Here's what Jenny said today.. ' last night was BULLS final dose of medicines and he and his guardians want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone for bringing his health and energy back. 🥰 The guardians have let him be fully free, with no leashing anymore and they have been surprised that nowadays he spends time mostly in their garden. Ishan explained to them that this is because he trusts them now and the guardians were very happy about that! Now they also hope that we can neuter him because they don't want him to run away after girls anymore or get a TVT again.' What is so beautiful about this is that BULLs' quality of life has improved in so many ways! His health is great and his guardians have also adapted his lifestyle which is also greatly improved. All of his welfare needs are being ticked off one by one!! I do believe that education starts with SHOWING the local community how to create a healthy bond and relationship with the dogs. They see us interacting with the dogs which I'm sure helps build the guardians confidence to interact with them in the same way. This story has been a HUGE success within the Dziko Project and one which everyone is so proud of and will never forget. ❤️❤️ Go Dziko team!!! ❤️🥰🎉

Meet MAVERICK ❤️ This little lady came in to be neutered yesterday and she was a little bit of a handful as she was very frightened. She is the REAL deal when it comes to a Street Dog. She cohabits with a group of adult dogs in one of the local fish markets. She has shelter, shade, access to water, lots of fresh fish and social contact with other dogs. She also has the option of human contact with the fish sellers there if she chooses. This group also have access to their own private beach area which runs under a bridge! We think her mum is the only un-neutered female dog in the group.. she remains un-neutered as we simply cannot catch her.. These dogs are super clever and on our arrival.. however stealth like we are ... and even armed with cookies and chicken.. the dogs seem to vocalise a message I would translate to.. " Oh blimey here they come.. if you ain't been done RUN!!" All this whilst the neutered dogs run over, bouncing up and down my 'averagely' clean t-shirt with their fish stinking paws for the cookies and chicken.. with such a fun and positive energy!! The sight of Andy and his net is definitely a trigger for these dogs too.. they are so cute at building associations.. Man with net = trouble MAVERICK is absolutely not used to being handled and somehow in her little life has lost half her tail too. She was carefully handled yesterday though I don't doubt for one minute she found it stressful. However, she will have been saved from lots of stress that she would have faced as an un neutered female dog here. A true street dog and we wish her well ❤️ I checked on her today and she has recovered from her anaesthetic well. A HUGE thank you Jill Jillaroo Tromans for sponsoring her rabies vaccine which will protect her and contribute to keeping her in good health. AND... For naming her too.. her name defines strength and independence.. all the attributes for being a street dog 🐶 It's the dogs like MAVERICK who realllllllly ne

Meet CEDAR ❤️ She is a street dog who lives near a fish market and by the sea. She came in to be neutered today with her sister and a female dog we think is her mum. They were all super friendly and took their day with us completely in their stride. I'm not quite sure where the scar on her head has come from but it has completely healed and has been checked by our vet. They live near a main road so a family in a nearby home keep an eye on them and took them into their garden whilst they recover fully from their anaesthetic. I will be passing these girls pretty frequently on my scooter so I can keep a check on them over the next few weeks. Kathryn Settrey thank you so much for sponsoring CEDAR as she has also had a rabies vaccination today on your behalf.. and now has a beautiful name too ❤️ If you have a matching name for her sister and mum let me know.. it seems only right to name them all! 🐶🐶🐶 EDIT...Standby.. Standby.. her sister is now named OLIVE ❤️ with a donation from Rebecca Kay. Thank you so much..xx EDIT EDIT .... CEDAR and OLIVES' mum is now named FINTY.. thank you Becca for completing our family with another donation too ❤️ Big Love ❤️ Apologies for the loud noise on the video.. that is the sound of our autoclave sterilising the surgical kits! Photos of CEDAR, OLIVE and their mum FINTY in the comments! ❤️

Today has been a day off. I was SO excited to see a new addition to our beach... A sea turtle nesting sanctuary!! There are a few of these along the coast line so to have one on my doorstep is super exciting! Today I helped the conservation team dig holes in a secure enclosure and buried 26 eggs which will remain there for 45 days. They buried many, many more in individually dug holes. The covered holes have wooden plaques placed over them with all of the nest details and now it's a waiting game for the hatchlings. A little disappointed that I won't be in Sri Lanka in 45 days.. if I didn't have commitments at home I would definitely be staying longer to help accompany my little hatchlings off to the sea! Lovely to see there is conservation work being done here to save these beautiful creatures. We have a surgery day planned tomorrow so more dogs to introduce you to.. yay! 🐶

My Sri Lankan Horn Bill friend! Thought he was going to choke on his morning biscuit but he left unscathed.. phew! Apparently these beautiful birds make nests in tree trunks. The female will stay in the nest for up to 3 months with the male popping in to provide food. They block the nest door up with mud so it is totally secure.. Cute ❤️

Look who joined us on a beach walk this morning ❤️ GEORGE Iric Tinkerson

Mr Wonkys' (aka Hugo) day out to have treatment with the amazing The Dziko Project team ❤️❤️

Off to see if I can find these guys again by our local temple. I have some worming tablets for them so I hope I can find them! Then to check in on Mr Wonky again after his ear surgery. I popped over to see him last night to give him some biscuits for his bedtime snack!! 🐶🐶🐶