2022 has been a very special year at IWCT as we have been able to watch the build of our brand new, purpose built Treatment Centre! However, there has been lots more we have achieved and we wanted to share a few highlights below:

Clinics

As well as the build process, we have still been able to run our twice weekly clinics at the old Centre. In addition to this, after a break due to the pandemic, we have been able to get back out conducting mobile clinics in provincial areas. 

Regular Clinics:

At the Treatment Centre (both old and new) we host consultation and spay/neuter clinics. During these, we also offer the rabies vaccine for free and treat many dogs for mange.

We also saw head vet Doc Roland conduct emergency veterinary surgery on Brownie, the dog who was the victim of a knife attack. As we aren’t an emergency practice, we were lucky for Roland’s quick thinking of getting Brownie’s owners to bring him to the Centre so Roland could give Brownie the care he needed. 

Mobile Clinics:

As Covid restrictions were relaxed, our team were able to travel to the islands of Iloilo and Guimaras. Here they conducted the first island clinics in nearly two years. Island clinics are especially important, as we are really able to make a difference in controlling the dog population in these more remote areas. Furthermore, we make a significant impact in reducing rabies in areas such as this through our vaccination programme. We are well on the way to helping the Philippines be “Rabies free by 2030.”

Carabao Clinics:

The ever popular carabao and goat clinics also returned to rural areas. Carabao are known as the “farmer’s best friend” in the Philippines. They are used to work the land in the rice fields and provide milk and meat to the farming families. During these clinics we provide vitamins and deworming medication. This helps to keep the carabao in good health and prolong their working life. 

Behind the scenes

Our team have also been busy working on our communications to provide information on Responsible Pet Ownership. Printed leaflets will be available at all our clinics and in schools when we return to give our Education Seminars. All the material is also available in the Education section of  our website. This means that even if you aren’t in the Philippines or able to attend a seminar, you can still access free information about how best to care for your dog. 

Fundraising

All our work in the Philippines would be impossible without the generous donations from our supporters. However, we understand that the latter part of 2022 has been hit with the cost of living crisis. This may make it harder for our followers to give a donation. That’s why we’ve really been encouraging the following:

• Choosing to support IWCT on Amazon Smile – Amazon donate a percentage of their profits to us when you place an order 
• Signing up Give As You Live or Easyfundraising to generate free funds for us when you shop online
• Opting into a regular donation on our website – just £1 a month won’t have a huge impact on your day to day outgoings but can make a big difference to our work in the Philippines.

You can find more information about all of these topics by following the links above. If you have a specific query, please don’t hesitate to email us.

There is much work to be done in 2023 – increasing our visits to schools, continuing our spay, neuter and vaccination programmes, completing the Enrichment Park at the new Centre and increasing the number of successful rehabilitations and adoptions of rescue dogs we take in. All of this is made possible by your generosity and support. 

We would like to wish you all a happy and healthy New Year, and thank you.