Vital supplies on their way to aid street dogs in Sri Lanka

A FORMER Teesdale vet who set up an international charity to help Sri Lanka’s street dogs is to get the supplies she has been waiting almost a year to receive.
A container packed with  medical equipment and pet supplies is due to arrive at WECare Worldwide charity’s office in Sri Lanka this month after being stuck in Gateshead since last year.
The charity was set up by Janey Lowes, of Barnard Castle, after she witnessed the plight of sick and injured animals while on holiday in Sri Lanka in 2014.
The charity has since treated thousands of animals in need, while helping tackle rabies and  attack the overpopulation issue on the island.
Ms Lowes, who received a prestigious Point of Light award from David Cameron in recognition of her volunteer work and won Vet of the Year 2017 at the Daily Mirror’s Animal Hero Awards, has been overwhelmed with the support the charity has received so far and is thrilled that the container has finally been sent to Sri Lanka.
She said: “I’m absolutely over the moon to finally be able to send this urgently needed equipment to Sri Lanka where it can be put to good use.
“We put out an appeal over a year ago to colleagues, reps, clients and animal lovers, as we were in desperate need of basic equipment and consumables.
“We are now lucky enough to have a container full to the brim of goodies that will make a huge difference to what we can achieve on the ground in Sri Lanka.
“The equipment that is in there is some of the first of its kind in our area and will allow us to continue transforming the lives of animals who often are in a really, really bad way,” said Ms Lowes.
The container was sat in Gateshead for so long due to issues with financing the shipment. After featuring on BBC’s Inside Out programme in January, the charity has had help from the public and is now in a position to pay for the container to be shipped to Sri Lanka.
The container shipment was also featured by BBC, Look North last month.
It is packed full of medical equipment and pet supplies, donated by both North
East and nationwide supporters.
These supplies will help with treating the animals in the country and includes surgical equipment, dog treats, toys and medication.
The shipment was sent from Gateshead on  May 22, and will arrive in Sri Lanka mid-June.
WECare Worldwide is a charity set up in the North East by UK vets to help the street dogs of Sri Lanka in desperate need of care and provides neutering, vaccinations and treatment.
To keep up to date with the arrival of the shipment, visit the WECare Worldwide’s Facebook page.