After the second round of devastating flooding in KZN, Ballito student, eco-activist and animal lover Milan Comley reached out on social media in an attempt to help two litters of puppies who were at risk of drowning. That was the beginning of SAFE – a dog fostering, adoption and education non-profit organisation (NPO).
“We can no longer ‘adopt’ the problem away. There are far too many puppies and dogs needing homes. Rescue centres are full and funding and support have dwindled.”
It was this realisation, says Milan, that she and SAFE co-founders Claire Augustyn and Kerry Janke came to when they were in the process of founding the NPO. “We sat down and looked at the overwhelming statistics and the reality of the unprecedented numbers of unwanted, abandoned and abused puppies and dogs in KZN at present.”
They identified three key challenges: lack of sterilisation, education about the care, treatment and medical requirements of animal ownership, and poverty and job security. “We then looked at how we could take responsibility for these areas to bring change.”
Milan, a 22-year-old Masters student in sustainability, is currently interning at a local clothing factory in the sustainability department. Having always been an eco-activist and animal lover, she says she is continually trying to create value for humans, animals and the environment wherever she sees a gap.
“All three of us, though, have stories going back to our childhoods, illustrating our natural instinct to help those in distress. Taking responsibility to see a life changed comes naturally to all three of us, it seems,” she says.
The overriding philosophy at SAFE is that people need to take responsibility for the change that they want to see. And, it seems, that is exactly what its directors, members, fosters and volunteers are hard at work doing.
So, what exactly do they do? There are three pillars to the SAFE network. Pillar one is the ‘on the ground’ programmes – including a ‘betterment programme’ (improving a dog’s life where it currently is) and mass sterilisation and vaccinations programmes. Pillars two and three are ‘off-shoots’ of this programme and include a foster programme and an adoption programme. “The foster network comprises a group of ordinary households who, for various reasons, opt to open their hearts and homes to puppies and dogs that need to be uplifted and placed in a loving home environment while a permanent solution is found for them. This type of fostering is a temporary bridge between a dog’s horrendous past and a beautiful future,” says Milan.
They also have a wonderful ‘companion programme’, which offers a permanent foster solution, providing older dogs that have been identified and trained for senior members of the community.
The final pillar is the adoption programme. “The obvious conclusion in the chain is to find the correct homes to match the dogs and pups being cared for through our SAFE foster network. This is done with strict criteria.”
How can you help?
“We believe that everybody has something to offer, be it a skill, a second-hand item, their time or a financial resource. Not everybody is passionate about or suited to directly work with an animal, but they can be a vital part of the chain of change,” says Milan. SAFE has various lists available for those interested in becoming involved, including a needs list, a partner and volunteer list, foster and adoption and banking and donation information. Contact them to find out how you can become involved.
Details: [email protected], Milan: 072 152 2608, Kerry: 081 564 1649, Claire: 082 700 7581, @safefosteringnetwork
