2014 Report

During 2014, The BIG FIX Uganda accomplished the following:

Organization Development.

Successfully transitioned to full-time presence and activities in Gulu; Acquired two motorbikes to enable us to economically travel to remote villages; Purchased 4 acres of land where we plan to build Uganda’s first free veterinary hospital, a

veterinary laboratory, an education center, and staff/volunteer housing; Opened the region’s first small pet supply shop to generate income; Constructed custom designed kennels to house patients requiring intensive care; Developed supply and equipment donation sources.

Animal Birth Control and Animal Health. Held 76 village field clinics, treated 8,023 animals and performed 963 surgeries. Held a successful World Spay Day event which received widespread media coverage. Initiated a Trap-Neuter-Return program for feral cats in Gulu town. Conducted regular radio talk show programs about animal kindness, dog bite prevention animal

companionship and animal health issues. Acquired the means to treat inoperable TVT cancer cases with highly effective chemotherapy. Conducted education and vaccination clinics in southwestern Uganda (Kasese District). Worked with government agencies to better document cases of rabies and dog bites in Gulu,

Amuru, Kasese and Nwoya Districts. Held a successful World Rabies Day event in cooperation with Makarere University’s COVAB and

the Uganda Veterinary Association.

Humane Education. Presented our humane education program to 34 schools, reaching 21,378 students. Wrote, illustrated and published Adongpiny & Tam-Pira: Best Friends Forever, Uganda’s first animal

kindness story book in English and the local Acholi language. Organized over 30 Animal Kindness Clubs in schools and villages. Held World Animal Day celebrations including a parade and leadership gathering.

Developing Human-Animal Bonds. Developed and implemented The Comfort Dog Project, East Africa’s first animal assisted

intervention program, partnering war trauma survivors with canine companions. Taught people in 76 different villages how to handle, groom, and wash their dogs.

Team Training. Obtained sponsorship for two of our veterinary surgeons to continue their educations through

Makarere University’s Masters in Veterinary Medicine program. Started a library of veterinary and animal rights resource materials through a successful book drive

in the U.S.

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Organization Development.

The BIG FIX Uganda was founded in mid-2012. Our mission is to alleviate the suffering of animals, to improve the health and welfare of animals and people, and to promote good human-animal bonds. We continually strive to accomplish these goals through animal birth control (by surgical sterilization), animal health and wellness (by providing free veterinary care), animal welfare education, and animal assisted interventions (started in 2014). To become as economically efficient as possible, The BIG FIX Uganda began leasing a house in Pece Division, Gulu District in June 2013. This house and surrounding compound have served as the center for our organization’s activities since that time. The property provides housing to our staff and volunteers, storage space for our supplies and equipment and meeting grounds for our events. It also serves as our business office and veterinary clinic. Through the end of 2013, our outreach was accomplished through scheduled activities in Northern Uganda. To better meet the needs of the people and animals in the region, we transitioned to a full-time presence and ongoing activities in Gulu District beginning January 1, 2014. Our permanent staff includes a full-time Humane Officer, Mr. Remmy Mukulu, and a veterinary surgeon (Drs. Moses Migadde, Wilfred Opira and Robert Omara, serving on rotation). Mr. Francis Okello Oloya, Director of The Comfort Dog Project and a Community Psychologist, joined the team staff in July.

We obtained sponsorships to acquire two motorbikes which serve as our team’s transportation. More than half of the villages we serve cannot be reached by vehicle due to the lack of roads, so our motorbikes provide the only means of accessing these remote places. Our entire mobile field clinic (including a trunk carrying our supplies/equipment, an ice chest carrying our vaccines, a surgical table, a tent and a bag of supplies for village

Since August 2012,

The BIG FIX Uganda has:

Treated 16,398 animals; Performed 1,952 surgeries; Held 138 village field clinics in villages; Visited 70 schools; Provided over 51,000 students with humane education.

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education classes) along with our staff (a veterinary surgeon, humane officer and two veterinary assistants) travel distances as long as two hours one way on these motorbikes to provide free veterinary services in the villages. Our team has been challenged by foul weather, flooded roads/pathways, navigation challenges, frequent motorbike breakdowns, and unimaginably long work days. They have only succeeded through sheer determination, a spirit that anything is possible and an extraordinary commitment to our mission. The team’s accomplishments during 2014 required demonstration of strong organizational skills, excellent

communication and cooperation with local leaders, and many personal sacrifices. The animals and people we serve always came first.

The BIG FIX Uganda has made strides toward developing financial support from the communities we serve, though this is challenging in one of the most impoverished places in the world. We have actively sought donations of supplies and funds from within Uganda and opened a small pet supply shop to generate income. We also began seeking membership fees and donations from those able to financially support our work. In total, these efforts resulted in revenues of $2,268 during 2014 and we hope to increase this support in 2015. During 2014, The BIG FIX Uganda received thousands of dollars in supplies and equipment from many supportive organizations including Providence Health and Services, Worldwide Veterinary Services, Project V.E.T.S., Global Links, Brothers & Brothers Foundation, Med Wish International and private donors. The Comfort Dog Project received donations of dog training equipment and resources from Skyhoundz, Hyperflite, Lupine Pet, Campbell Pet and PetSafe. Financial support has been received from Humane Society International, Ulster SPCA (in Northern Ireland), Onshore Foundation, The Pollination Project, LoveAnimals.org and private donors. Progressing toward our long-term vision for The BIG FIX Uganda, we obtained sponsorships to acquire four acres of land in Gulu District where we will build our future home. Our goal is to construct Uganda’s first free veterinary hospital, a small veterinary laboratory (which will be the country’s only vet lab outside

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Kampala), an education center, a dog activity area and staff/volunteer housing. We will be actively seeking grants and support to begin the detailed planning and construction of these facilities during 2015.

Animal Birth Control and Animal Health.

The BIG FIX Uganda was part of Humane Society International’s 2014 World Spay Day activities on February 25 by providing free spay/neuter and comprehensive animal health and wellness services at our clinic in Gulu. Our team vaccinated and treated 276 dogs and 10 cats in addition to performing 67 spay/neuter surgeries and 4 TVT tumor excisions. An official ribbon cutting ceremony attended by many distinguished leaders was held as part of the day’s events. In commemoration of World Spay Day, The BIG

Members of The BIG FIX Uganda team

with local leaders and villagers on the

four acres which will one day house our

permanent home in Koch Village,

Pece Acayo Parish.

During 2014, The BIG FIX Uganda:

Held 76 field clinics in villages, which provided free veterinary services in places where no services were otherwise available.

Treated 8,023 animals, with general health screenings, rabies vaccinations, de-worming, flea/tick treatment and any other care needed by the individual animals.

Performed 963 spay/neuter and other surgeries.

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FIX Uganda team worked throughout the month of February on public sensitization concerning the importance of spay/neuter and trap-neuter-return. The World Spay Day activities organized by The BIG FIX Uganda were covered by reporters from all media houses with correspondents in Northern Uganda, including all radio stations and NTV, WBS and URBAN TV. Using cat traps and equipment donated by SNIP International, The BIG FIX Uganda initiated the region’s first Trap-Neuter-Return program for feral cats in Gulu town as part of World Spay Day activities. The TNR program has faced serious challenges since

TNR is a completely different strategy from mass poisoning of feral cats. However, our TNR program is now well underway and government and business leaders in Gulu town are now generally committed to TNR as a humane solution for feral cat population control.

Cancerous transmissible venereal tumors (TVT) are prevalent in dogs in Northern Uganda. Even though some tumors can be surgically excised, many tumors prove to be inoperable due to their location or extent. Another issue is that many TVT dogs are severely anemic and, therefore, make poor surgical candidates. Thanks to a generous donor and our ability to find a source for acquiring vincristine sulfate, an extremely effective chemotherapy drug, we now have the ability to treat such cases with weekly

injections. To date, our canine cancer patients have suffered no side effects and have made good recoveries. Working with a dedicated team of volunteers in Southwestern Uganda’s Kasese District, The BIG FIX Uganda initiated the region’s first free rabies vaccination program in June in response to the 2013 deaths of 30 people in the district caused by rabies. In this severely impoverished region on the border of the DRC (Congo), local leaders often ordered all dogs to be killed in response to the outbreak of any rabies case. The BIG FIX Uganda has been working with local leaders and conducting public education. In June, out team treated and de-wormed 172 dogs, 120 cats, and 416

TVT as presented (left) and after 3 doses of Vincristine Sulfate (above).

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goats/sheep for a total of 708 animals in Kasese District. We have met with the District Veterinary Officers and other regional leaders in Kasese, Gulu, Amuru and Nwoya Districts in an effort to better document cases of dog bites and suspected rabid dogs. In Gulu and Nwoya, we have undertaken substantial review and analysis of existing records to help document the extent

of the rabies crisis in Northern Uganda. We began a partnership with Mission Rabies which we hope will result in development of comprehensive plans to carry out mass vaccinations throughout Uganda. In September, The BIG FIX Uganda was the lead organizer of Uganda’s World Rabies Day events, in cooperation with Makarere University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, the Uganda Veterinary Association, and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control. Responding to the overwhelming demand for rabies vaccinations in Amuru District, The BIG FIX Uganda held field clinics in Amuru District (on the border of South Sudan).

In total, 614 dogs and cats in Amuru district were vaccinated during September. Involving vet students who came to volunteer with us, we visited schools in Koro Sub-County and educated students and teachers about rabies prevention. On September 28, we held a massive free clinic at Koro Sub-County Headquarters. Our team vaccinated 463 dogs and cats and performed 27 spay/neuter surgeries were performed over a span of four hours. A line of 300 dogs with their guardians was waiting for our team’s arrival that morning. We also had a line of over 100 animals for sterilization. Those who could not be spayed/neutered that day were cared for in October. Many distinguished local, regional and national leaders attended the event. They made speeches recognizing the importance of working with The BIG FIX Uganda in order to achieve humane control of rabies through the vaccination of dogs.

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Humane Education.

During 2014, The BIG FIX Uganda provided humane and animal health education at 34 schools reaching 21,378 primary school students.

Thanks to a grant from The Pollination Project, The BIG FIX Uganda was able to publish the country’s first animal kindness themed story book in English and in the local Acholi language (Lua), Adongpiny & Tam-Pira: Best Friends Forever. The story, written by team members Dr. Wilfred Opira and Sarah Lamunu Schmidt, tells the tale of how the bond between a woman and her dog transformed a village’s attitude toward animals. The book’s illustrations feature the artwork of Gulu District primary school students. BIG FIX Uganda team members have regularly participated in radio broadcasts on Mega FM and Flavor FM, providing information about animal health and welfare, the benefits of dog companionship, and our organization’s activities. These broadcasts reached hundreds of thousands of listeners throughout Northern Uganda, Southern Sudan, and Eastern DRC.

During 2014, we organized over 30 Animal Kindness Clubs in schools and villages throughout Gulu District. The activities of these clubs multiply the effect of our work by creating enthusiastic young leaders devoted to our mission. All of the Animal Kindness Club leaders will be participating in a full day of training at our compound in Gulu during January 2015.

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In each village we visit with our mobile veterinary clinic, we also teach dog guardians how to groom and wash their canine companions. Why? Aside from the obvious health benefits of bathing, these washing and grooming activities are important methods of creating a strong bond between a dog and his/her guardian. We have also developed a canine obedience training program (called Gwok Ma Pire Tek, meaning “Very Important Dog”) which will reward dog-guardian teams who implement compassionate training techniques and pass a test. Many of our Animal Kindness Club leaders participated in The BIG FIX Uganda’s October 4th celebration of World Animal Day. This celebration was organized as part of our commitment to and participation in the Pan African Animal Welfare Alliance. Uganda’s World Animal Day events began with a parade through Gulu town. Children made and displayed signs with messages concerning the day’s theme Animals Matter. A lively band and procession entertained and drew people to the streets. Many people joined the march all the way to the BIG FIX Uganda’s compound where over 200 people gathered to listen to heartfelt speeches from local and district leaders, recognizing the importance of animals and the need to protect their rights. These leaders pledged to fully support The BIG FIX Uganda’s efforts in their fight against cruelty and in strengthening enforcement measures at livestock transport checkpoints.

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Developing Human-Animal Bonds.

In June, The BIG FIX Uganda proudly added Francis Okello Oloyo to our team to serve as director of The Comfort Dog Project (CDP). CDP, East Africa’s first animal assisted intervention program, promotes powerful dog-guardian companionship to facilitate the psycho-social rehabilitation of war survivors suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. It is estimated that 7 in 10 people in Northern Uganda are suffering from psychological injury due to 25 years of war between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and the Ugandan government. The war devastated Northern Uganda’s families and communities. The economy of the region collapsed. Most residents lost their homes and possessions and were forced to live in camps for more than 10 years. Children were abducted and forced to carry out carnage, women and girls were raped, fathers

were murdered. Although there is now peace in the region, internal wars are still being waged and lost. Tens of thousands of survivors--with no social and mental health support--struggle to cope with anxiety, loneliness, and despair, and a host of caustic psychological and moral wounds that constitute post-traumatic stress disorder. The high rate of suicide and substance abuse in Northern Uganda is the tragic measure of the severity of PTSD in survivors and of the immediate need for effective intervention. The Comfort Dog Project was created by The BIG FIX Uganda in an effort to help these forgotten victims as well as to promote our mission of developing good human-animal bonds. CDP provides professional trauma counseling in conjunction with education in how to care for, train and create a solid dog-guardian bond as a way to further reduce the symptoms of PTSD. Our project director, a community psychologist and war trauma survivor from

the region, is deeply devoted to helping people and animals. The project is being carried out in four phases: (1) public education and selection of project clients; (2) client evaluations and assessments; (3) individual and group counseling coupled with regular dog bonding activities; (4) final client evaluations and assessments. Phases 1 and 2 have been completed and we will commence phase 3 in January 2015. CDP’s advisors include Meg Daley Olmert (renowned human-animal bond expert, author of Made For Each Other: The Biology of the Human-Animal Bond and co-founder of Warrior Canine Connection) and Peter Bloeme (World Champion Frisbee Dog trainer, co-founder of Hyperflite and Director of Skyhoundz Championships).

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Team Training. The BIG FIX Uganda is a progressive organization with a focus on improving team member access to educational opportunities which will help improve individual skills. During 2014, two of our veterinary surgeons, Dr. Wilfred Opira and Dr. Robert Omara, were able to continue their formal education through the Masters in Veterinary Medicine program at Makarere University, thanks to a generous sponsor. A successful ongoing textbook and resource drive in the U.S. has resulted in the beginning of a comprehensive library including books, periodicals, and audiovisual materials dealing with veterinary medicine, animal rights, and humane education.

Plan for 2015.

Organization Development. During 2015, we will design and develop construction plans for building Uganda’s first free veterinary hospital and team housing on our land in Gulu. We will actively be seeking grants and sponsorships to fund this development. The ongoing demand for our services and expansion of our programs requires that we increase our full time veterinary staff. Dr. Wilfred Opira and Dr. Moses Migadde will be working in Gulu, with Dr. Robert Omara serving on rotation. In addition to our regular program activities, Dr. Opira will be responsible for coordination of special programs such as Mission Rabies Uganda, World Spay Day and World Animal’s Day. Animal Birth Control. With two veterinary surgeons on staff, we plan to increase the number of spay/neuter surgeries performed during 2015 to 100 per month, not including special events or our ongoing trap-neuter-return of feral cats in Gulu Municipality. Animal Health and Wellness. Rabies continues to be a challenge for the health and welfare of dogs in Uganda. Many dogs die each year from rabies and countless others are killed due to fear of rabies. We have begun what we hope will be a long term partnership with Mission Rabies to conduct a pilot program during 2015 to include vaccination of 5,000 dogs in one of the most vulnerable areas of Uganda, along the Murcheson Falls National Park perimeter. We also will treat over 10,000 animals during 2015 during our regular village field clinics. Humane Education. Our 2015 goal is to reach 42 schools in Gulu and Nwoya Districts with our humane education program, reaching an estimated 55,000 primary school students. In January 2015, we held a training conference with 34 of our animal kindness club leaders to empower them with knowledge and projects to make their local clubs as active as possible. Quarterly reports from each club will be collected and the members of 2015’s most active animal kindness club will receive a trip to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in January 2016. Animal Assisted Intervention. The dog training activities of The Comfort Dog Project commenced in January 2015 and will conclude in June. Following final assessments of the clients, the project will produce a paper documenting the effects of animal companionship on the recovery of war trauma survivors suffering from PTSD and depression.

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In addition to the dog training activities, the CDP will continue to include village group counseling sessions for war trauma survivors. A new group of Comfort Dog Project participants will be selected as the CDP enters its second year in August 2015. Team Training. Two of our team members have again been awarded scholarships to attend Humane Society International’s Animal Care Expo 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana in the U.S. Dr. Opira has also been awarded an internship opportunity at a spay/neuter clinic in Florida as part of the HSI program. We are hopeful that we will be able to secure visas to allow them to take advantage of these opportunities. We also plan to attend the September 2015 conference of the Pan African Animal Welfare Alliance, which The BIG FIX Uganda has been part of since 2013. As a progressive organization which seeks to continually grow and improve, The BIG FIX Uganda will always seek additional training and development opportunities for its team members.