* Apologies that this is now going back over 3 years.... I have had no contact recently and I don't know how things are now in Zimbabwe ... we pray that the situation will improve .... however, things don't seem too good from all that we can find out. *

TO ALL ANIMAL LOVERS - THIS IS JUST TERRIBLE

PETS AND OTHER ANIMALS IN ZIMBABWE NEED URGENT HELP

ANIMAL VICTIMS OF WAR

UPDATES:

JANUARY 2003

MARCH 2003

APRIL 2003

With global events focusing on the innocent victims of warfare, we are ignorant of another type of victim of an equally vicious war. When Robert Mugabe "vowed" to cease farm invasions, he announced in the same breath that the "dissidents" were not under his control, thus ensuring that the farm invasions could continue, just under another name.

Farmers have under an hour to leave their properties, thus domestic and farm animals are mostly left on the farms, in the hope that they can be rescued later. Unfortunately this is seldom the case. Domestic animals are locked up in the farmhouses, drinking from the toilets and shower drains, and mostly suffer a slow death from starvation. Livestock are left without water and food, and the cows remain unmilked. Sometimes they torch the paddocks, and horses, cows and sheep die in the flames, or worse suffer, terrible burn wounds.

The latest atrocities, as seen on CNN, are mutilations committed by the dissidents to serve as a warning to farmers not to return. Dogs are hung alive from hooks on farm gates, children's pet ponies are having one of their front hooves chopped off and cows and sheep are being hamstrung. 

THE ZIMBABWE PET RESCUE PROJECT has been launched by a group of animal lovers who cannot stand by and see this tragedy unfold. We are raising funds to assist the incredibly brave souls in Zimbabwe who are going from farm to farm in their own vehicles to rescue those animals which are still alive or to put down those beyond help. The funds that are raised are not given to any government organisation and are extremely carefully monitored and used for veterinary bills.

We are a non-political project and this is not political rhetoric, it is fact!

Our fundraising account is:

FUND RAISING NO: PVO 38/69

MORE INFORMATION BELOW                                            (from letters sent to newspapers) 

We kindly request a few moments of your time as we are in search of good advice and fresh input with regards our present situation. We are currently running the Zimbabwe Pet Rescue Project in order to lend financial assistance to those brave souls in Zim who are going out to the farms (regardless of very real death threats) that have been appropriated by the "war veterans" to rescue and euthanase the animals that have been abandoned and mutilated in the current state of lunacy that is gripping that country.

We have raised in the region of R65 000.00 which has been divided between supplying them with hard currency to pay vet and fuel bills and buying medical supplies through a company in Zim who in turn distributes these supplies to the rescue operators. Meryl and her crew have reinstated our faith in humanity, after being shattered by what we have seen and experienced. No first world person will comprehend the sheer magnitude and depth of depravity and cruelty of the mutilations.

Our only recipient of these funds is the Zim ZNSPCA who run the rescues under the guidance of Meryl Harrison. We do not deal with any other operator or government institution and monitor the funds in minute detail as we live in Africa and are aware how funds raised tend to become "diluted" along the way. We have a registered NPO fund raising number.

I shall not send you the utterly mind-blowing photographs that we have of the animals rescued and euthanased as, I am sure, you are aware of the hideous mutilations of pets and farm animals that are occuring at this present moment. What I have included, though, is our information brief that we have sent to our local press and publications.

Where we need your advice is, where to from here? We have rather exhausted all our contacts here in SA and wish to appeal further afield as the ZNSPCA is now in the horrific situation of having zero supplies of Euthanase (the drug used to put down those animals that have been mutilated beyond any human help) and any anaesthetics to carry out surgery. They are currently stitching up wounds without anaesthetics.

Could you possibly supply us with ANY contacts in the international arena who would help us with this project? We had to "hit the ground running", so to speak, as this not a long term project that had the luxury of planning and infrastructure. We had to help IMMEDIATELY and have learnt as we have gone along. We have every deposit slip, correlating bank statements and proof of receipt from both Meryl, the ZNSPCA and Milborrow, the company from whom we buy the medical supplies. The ZNSPCA and Meryl Harrison are more than willing to verify any enquiry into the validity of our involvement and support of this rescue project.

Here in South Africa we have a stupendous amount of animal cruelty and we have ground to a halt with the ability to raise funds for what is essentially a foreign problem, thus we need to explore further afield and in order to do this we need advice and direction.

Could you help in any way with suggestions and advice as to whom we may contact? I can assure you that the horrific photographs would have a momentous effect on even the most cynical person or organisation.

Many, many thanks for taking the time to read this.

Yours sincerely, Estelle Walters

ZIMBABWE PET RESCUE PROJECT

TO: THE EDITOR RE: ZIMBABWE PET RESCUE PROJECT

Hello from South Africa!

We are fully aware that you must be inundated with requests to print the details of various campaigns and causes, but we pray that our project can enjoy a few moments of your consideration.

Due to the fact that animal mutilations are escalating at a horrific pace in Zimbabwe resulting from the land invasions, we have spearheaded a project to help in the rescue or euthanasia of domestic and farm animals that are dying horrific deaths because the "militants" are using this means to warn farmers not to return to their farms after being evicted. Amongst others, dogs are being hung alive on hooks from farm gates and children's pet ponies are having one hoof chopped off to serve as proof of what would happen to the farmers themselves.

As we have stated in our following brief, we avoid at all costs any political stand as this would jeopardise our project, so all we can do is ask the media to help publicise what we do in the hope that the community can support us in our endeavour. Please, please consider doing an article on the project, we also have horrifying photos and reports directly from the rescuers themselves that we can pass on to you. We would so appreciate any help from the media of any kind.

Please consider this, Many, many thanks

Yours sincerely Estelle Walters

PERSONAL CONTACT DETAILS:
HOME NUMBER:
South Africa (021) 789 2019
South Africa CELL NO: 072 1947 051
FAX NUMBER: South Africa (021)789 2019

Tel: Ann Kempen
Tel/Fax: + (0) 27 21 782 4445
Mobile: + (0) 28 82 570 5796

adj@all-about.co.za