ACHIEVEMENTS SO FAR

1998

May   Team of 4 trap, neuter & return to site all cats at the Kombo & Fajara hotels

June  Dodou Bojang appointed full-time Coordinator in The Gambia

Nov    First meeting of a small group of Gambians to form

          AWAG (Association for the Welfare of Animals in The Gambia)

Dec   SPANA (Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad) agrees to help fund                   

          GambiCats and AWAG for 2 years. Programme expanded to help beach dogs
 

1999

Mar   Charity status granted to GambiCats in the UK & AWAG in The Gambia.

May   Kombo Beach closes for 5 months. The Alice Noakes Trust and supporters fund

          feeding programme for cat colony

Aug   One of the 1998 team & a dog handler assess health & number of  beach dogs. Some
          20 caught, collared, given anti-rabies shots and worm tablets
 

2000

Feb   Gambian paper carries full-page article by Bijou Peters supporting GambiCats. BBC

         Focus on Africa carries story about Kombo cats and their Cafe

Mar   First Workshop on Neutering Cats & Dogs held at Abuko with UK vet & local vets

May   Daily feeding of cats at hotels closed for rainy season continues

Nov   Neutering programme starts at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Banjul

2001

Jan   SPANA agrees reduced funding for further 3 years

May   Universities Federation for Animal Welfare agree grant for veterinary equipment for
            Gambian vets.

Nov    Website created by supporter goes live at www.gambicats.org.uk
 

2002

Jan   WSPA donates portable autoclave

Mar   Pet Plan agree funds to help neuter & care for pets of Gambians

Dec    Second autoclave donated to Department of Livestock Services, Abuko
 

2003

June  First beach dog neutering programme with UK vet, nurse & dog handler. Dogs are

          neutered, given anti-rabies injection, ear-notched and microchipped

Dec    SPANA funding ends

2004

June  New Cat Cafe at Scala Restaurant

Oct    WSPA grant helps purchase new vehicle

2005

May   2nd Beach Dog neutering programme in the Palma Rima area

Aug   MRC (Medical Research Council) joins GambiCats

 
2006 

Jan    Banjul Port dog programme

                                                                                               2007

Jan    Banjul stray dog programme

                                                                                                2008

Jan    Abuko Neutering Clinic

THANKS TO THE DEDICATION AND SKILL OF DODOU BOJANG & HIS ASSISTANTS, AND THE GENEROUS HELP RECEIVED FROM SUPPORTERS & SPANA, WE HAVE NOW NEUTERED OVER 1500 CATS & 150 DOGS. HOMES HAVE BEEN FOUND FOR MORE THAN 200 CATS & PUPPIES.  CATS & DOGS AT OVER 30 SITES ARE MONITORED REGULARLY.

THE FUTURE

1.  Continuing the work programme

·                    trapping & neutering newcomers at hotels

·                    monitoring neutered colonies to watch for sick cats

·                    monitoring the beach dogs

·                    trying to find homes for unwanted or young cats & dogs

·                    feeding neutered cat colonies at closed hotels during the rainy season

·                    continuing to send out the Newsletter to supporters
 

2.  Expanding GambiCats' work

·                    encouraging more hotels to join the scheme

·                    funding more neutering programmes for beach dogs

·                    persuading more hotels to pay the vet costs for neutering the cats

·                    supporting Gambian veterinary skills by sending out medicines

            and equipment, and by holding Workshops

·                    finding more supporters to help fund the programmes

·                    raising funds for a clinic near the beach to expand the work with beach dogs