International Animal Welfare Organisations, Dog Star Foundation

The RSPCA are praised for their work helping and protecting our canines in Australia but there are many international organisations out there who achieve this on a global scale.

The Dog Star Foundation isn’t your ordinary organization. It is a UK based fund raising project that works with the Sri Lankan based charity the Millennium Elephant Foundation (MEF). They provide free veterinary treatment to dogs and cats in the Kegalle area of Sri Lanka as well as mobile neutering and vaccination clinics countrywide.

But why would they want to help dogs in Sri Lanka when there are plenty of unfortunate animals in their own country? The Dog Star Foundation insists that global issues like Fairtrade or the Tsunami of 2004 were not ignored by the UK so either should the growing problem of animal welfare in Sri Lanka.

“If we ignored all the great causes around the world just because we haven’t solved all our problems at home, we’d be a very insular place.” –Dog Star Foundation

With this selfless mindset, the Dog Star Foundation has achieved wonders. They have sterilized 892 animals since February 2007 and aim to provide at least six neutering clinics a year to treat companion animals whose owners have no access or the funds to pay for treatment. They have introduced a feeding program at the Randenyia Temple to provide weekly food donations to the stray dogs and cats who live on temple ground. And they have also conducted research on stray dogs observing their behaviour, feeding habits and health. Through this research, the Dog Star Foundation can strategically target their clinics to provide services where they are most needed, reduce the spread of rabies and control the birthrate of stray dogs.

There are plenty of ways you can help this great organisation to continue helping animals in need. You can donate funds or even sponsor a dog. You can purchase Dog Star merchandise from their website or café press store. And if you’re really keen, you can volunteer to work in Sri Lanka with the friendlt MEF team. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience in an amazing country.

Image courtesy of akk_rus.