AKI-KCAW: History of our Partnership
Kingston Community Animal Welfare has been an AKI Partner Organization from the beginning of AKI in 2007. AKI support to KCAW ensures that they can feed, spay/neuter, and provide vet care to 100s of street cats and dogs and pets belonging to poor people in Kingston, Jamaica. Together, we've helped 1000s of animals; below is just a few from 2007 - 2015 (stories are courtesy of KCAW's Deborah Binns). In the early days--when we were 1st raising money, AKI supporters covered only about 20% of KCAW's costs. Since around 2011, we've covered about 75% of costs--and with that increase, Deborah/KCAW has also been able to help so many more cats and dogs. For more recent information about KCAW rescues and how AKI funds are used, see other AKI Blog posts.
From Deborah (20 April 2014): "This is my old boy Ralph. The (dog) love of my life as far as downtown strays go. He was as old as the rolling hills. I put him to sleep last week. He lost the use of his hind legs and stopped eating. He represents every dog I have ever saved and loved on the streets of Kingston.
He got more chops from machetes and stones thrown at him than any dog I know, yet he kept going with that unmistakable happy wag of his tail. I looked after him for 8 years, and now he is gone. Living in the ghetto isn’t easy for any dog, no matter how often you visit or feed them. But he enjoyed a long life and I had the chance to see him at his very best! My boy Ralph. What a dog!"
From Deborah (11 March 2014): This is Tumper and lil' Brownie. I rescued them from a horrible place downtown three weeks ago and took them to my house. Here are pics of their new forever home! Brownie was very ill when I first found her and I never thought she would make it but she pulled through! Their new names are Molly and Jilly.
Here's another great adoption of 2 rescued puppies:
Deborah told AKI: "While I was driving home from work in terrible Christmas traffic (December 2012), a huge, scrawny, starving dog appeared, bobbing and weaving in between cars. He wasn’t being chased but something sure had him scared. I thought for sure he would be hit sooner or later but as luck would have it he turned off onto a quiet side road. I left the main road and followed and saw him getting into someone’s garbage.
Of course, after years of doing this I was prepared to run this fellow down, so I took off my work shoes and donned my ‘runners’! Lol. However, on my approach he never ran, but kept trying to get into the garbage. He was hungry! I took a tin of dog food from my trunk (I always have food for occasions such as this!) and as he heard the tin snap he looked my way, came over and grabbed the tin out of my hand! I patted him and he never tried to run, he swallowed the food whole! He was bigger than my car! I opened the back door of my little car and he simply walked in and made himself comfortable (2 pictures below). So smart!
I took him home, bathed him and de-wormed him (thanks AKI for the meds!) I am happy to tell you that Samson went to his new home with Gregory on Saturday (3rd picture below) and they love him very much! They'll bring him for his neutering appointment next week."
From Deborah: "This is Angel. She got that name because she should not be alive today. We thought she was going to be another little puppy angel in heaven. But she fought with all she had...and here she is today! This is what AKI's donations go towards!"
My favorite rescue ever is this one (below-from 2010) of Deborah rescuing a dog from a canal in downtown Kingston. Deborah sent this:
Black Dog: Ok Deb you got her, now pull!
Me: Can you help? She's heavy
Black Dog: Er...no, cause I don't have any hands!
Me: Well with all the food I give you every week couldn't you at least try?
Black dog: Er...no
Me: She's slipping....
Black Dog: Ok, here grab my paw! But it'll cost you an extra bowl of food.
Me: Ok, deal
Me: Ok she's up! I got her!
Black Dog: Great!I know you're gonna give her all the food, so can I get mine first?
Deborah still visits and feeds Girl. A few years ago, she found Girl in bad shape, full of fleas and ticks and along with Girl's caretaker, gave her a bath.
Even though Bob was in horrible shape when Deborah saw him (2012), he really made her work to rescue him. She finally caught up with him, got him in her car, brought him home, and he went from a skeleton to a healthy-but still extremely wary- dog (and not adoptable, but happy enough at Deborah's).
In October 2015, Deborah, with the help of Sandra, rescued a dog that had been hit by a car. She named him Trugg. He had a broken hip bone and femur. He fully recovered.
From Deborah: "I found these pups [below] in an abandoned house near where I live. Can't catch the mummy dog, this is her second batch! Going to have to outsmart her but it's not easy outsmarting street dogs, they employ every bit of smarts to survive man's cruelty. But I won't give up. I have 3 months till they breed again." [pictures below]
Deborah: "The residents of Hanover Street in downtown Kingston begged me to help them with the terrible mange problem plaguing their dogs. So I told them to spread the word that I will be there at a certain time and date. Over 50 people were there waiting! I was so tired after I just sat on the curb for half an hour. In appreciation, I was offered a marijuana spliff and hot Guinness while I sat there, both of which I graciously declined! These people are so poor, yet they are so nice and really care about their dogs. They just need a little help!"
Below are pictures of some of KCAW/Deborah's rescues and typical feeding situations of KCAW street cats and dogs.
Deborah saw a guy throwing rocks at this mama dog (in the 2nd picture, you can imagine what she's saying to him). The dog was badly injured and Deborah treated her and took her and her puppies out of that bad situation.
Deborah: "I removed this dog from a yard downtown where he was kept without food or water. The pup was starving, the man could barely afford to feed himself and he relied on me each day to feed the dog. He had 2 pups, this one and a smaller one, an absolutely cute little pup, which eventually died. I’m keeping him safe and fed until I can find a home where they can afford to feed and take care of this guy just like he deserves."
Deborah: "The little brown pup I took from a smoldering tyre in downtown Kingston along a busy road beside my office. A homeless woman named Lavern who loves animals and always tells me when one is in trouble told me she saw someone put a puppy in a tyre and light it. She told me where (not even 500 metres from my office) so I drove over. I saw the tyre and the smoke. The little pup was safely curled up inside the tyre, unscathed by the flames.... He not only survived, but he grew like a weed."
Deborah: "I rescued this black doggie from a mall where she was left with a rope around her neck. You could tell she was still nursing little pups. I can only imagine what happened to them. I put her in the back of my car and took her home. She was so fragile and old. I was not going to extend her suffering. I took her to the animal shelter and asked them to please put her to sleep. But I feel ok about this because she knew warmth and kindness in her last days, and always had a full belly."
Deborah: "This cat doesn't really live anywhere, he or she lives next door in an apt complex where he has to dodge ‘missiles’ thrown by the residents, avoid speeding cars, plus a handyman who doesn’t want him (or her) around. Every night he sneaks into my backyard while my dogs are in the front and enjoys his cat food that I leave for him. I can't touch him but he doesn't run from me anymore. I’m going to trap her/him and spay/ neuter in the near future."
Below is a group of dogs that Deborah has been feeding for several years. As new ones arrive-and they always do-she gets them fixed and if needed, she takes them for vet care or provides needed treatment on her own when she can.
Here are some of the street cats and dogs and locations where Deborah/KCAW does weekly feedings.
The dog below who is stepping off the curb--he's running over to Deborah's car. It's amazing how the dogs know the sound (and definitely the smell) of Deborah's car long before she actually arrives and they come running from all over! For many of the street dogs and cats, Deborah's visits are their only chance for a real meal. For many though, Deborah works with people in the communities who feed the cats and dogs on days when Deborah doesn't come by.
After Hurricane Dean, Deborah was first on the scene to help animals in need of rescue (back in 2007).
For more information about KCAW, including how AKI funds are used, see AKI Blog posts.