Tel no: + 27 12 734 2990
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About
Us
CVSSA is a registered Non Profit Company in South Africa endorsed and sponsored by Welttierschutzgesellschaft e.V Germany and partnered by Optima Community Veterinary Clinic (South African Veterinary Association NGO).
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We encourage local and foreign veterinary and pre-veterinary students to get involved in our projects, to inspire them to provide community service in their own environment once they qualify as well as learning vital practical and clinical skills while working with our team.
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Rabies Elimination through mass vaccination and sterilisation.
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Provision of basic veterinary care in the poorer communities of Southern Africa.
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Education in basic pet care ( Humane Education).
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Main
Sponsor
Welttierschutzgesellschaft e.V. (WTG) is a Berlin/Germany based registered non-profit organisation. Their vision is a world in which animals are appreciated by people, treated according to their needs and with respect.
In their work for animal welfare WTG focuses on countries and regions with little protection for animals. They aim at improving the situation for animals in the long term i.e. by providing veterinary care, by supporting animal sanctuaries and through our educational work.
WTG cooperates with local partner organisations and involves the people who are directly concerned. In WTG’s view worldwide animal welfare also starts at everyone’s own doorstep which is why they create awareness in their home country, Germany, to improve the relationship between humans and animals.
Brief
History
Dr Renee van Rheede has a veterinary practice in a small mining village, Cullinan (Cullinan Animal Hospital) in South Africa. During 2007 there was a rabies scare in the Cullinan area.
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She learnt of the plight of animals in the poorer community of Onverwacht just outside Cullinan through a staff member. They had no veterinarian to help them with rabies vaccines. She promptly arranged a vaccination campaign, liaised with the state vet and vaccinated Onverwacht animals.
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During the vaccination campaign, van Rheede realised that the community and the animals are in desperate need of veterinary assistance. She then arranged a meeting with the head master and teachers at the Onverwacht School. In this meeting the education of the children in basic pet care was highlighted. This is where the corner stones of all future work were laid.
She realised to successfully change the plight of these animals she would have to :
1) Short Term:Provide basic veterinary care
2) Long Term:Educate the people in basic pet care ( Humane Education)
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Out of the above a CHANGE took place in the community of Onverwacht as they became proud pet owners and realised that a pet will love you regardless. After 9 years this community has developed into responsible per owners, and despite poverty still visible, more and more of the pet owners are now forming part of her private practice client base.
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Due to growth in operations and requests by more and more communities pleading for veterinary asisstance, she realised that she needed financial assistance and more veterinarians to assist her. She duely Registered as Optima Community Veterinary Clinic, a branch of South African Veterinary Association NGO.
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2014 saw the birth of Vets For Change South Africa with her as one of 3 start up directors. The following year saw the pioneering work of Vets For Change South Africa with Optima CVC NGO as partner, Welttiershutzgesellschaft e.V Germany as Main Sponsor and her as Principle Veterinarian for the projects.
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It was time to formalise the concept and CVSSA was born and registered with Registrar of Companies in South Africa. Our main sponsor remains Welttierschutzgesellschaft e.V Germany.
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2014, 2015 ( Projects Run under Optima CVC and Vets For Change South Africa) saw Wellttierschutzgesellschaft e. V offering their sponsorship and guardianship of our projects.
2016 Welttierschutzgesellschaft e. V offered main sponsorship to the CVS - Southern Africa projects, allowing us to reach deeper into Africa and assisting in the most impoverished area
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2015/2016, due to the high demand for her team's outreach projects all accross Southern Africa, the team and partners saw the birth of Community Veterinary Services - Southern Africa (CVSSA).
Humane
Education
CVSSA is involved in Education at many levels. A Crèche was started in Onverwacht Township in 2014, to aid in early childhood animal education and empathy development.
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Dr Renee Van Rheede Van Oudtshoorn acts as guest lecturer at Onderstepoort Veterinary Faculty at University of Pretoria as well as acting as mentor for final year vet students (Local and International) and newly graduated vets.
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The team spend hours a week educating in animals care at schools as well as in shacks/informal settlements, often starting at 5am to catch labourers at home before they leave for work.
Our
Partners
Main Sponsor:
Welttierschutzgesellschaft e.V.
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Primary South African Partner:
Optima Community Veterinary Clinic
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Veterinary Facility Sponsor:
Cullinan Animal Hospital
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Contributors to projects since 2014:
Premier Diamond Mine in Culllinan, Kendon Medical Supplies, Merial Pharmaceuticals, Zoetis, F10 Animal Health, Adcock Ingram, Purina, Pick n Pay, Diag Import and Export, Optima Feeds and Vet Shops, Marltons Pet Products, University of Pretoria Veterinary Faculty, Onderstepoort, Lakato PTY Ltd, Transpharm, Afrivet.
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