On day #2 of their volunteering trip to Egypt, Dr. Cliff, his daughter Emily and their crew settle in with the team who provide care to hundreds of dogs at the Furever Rescue Shelter, a local animal welfare organization in Cairo. The day started with Dr. Cliff examining dogs with all kinds of injuries. One energetic dog welcomed him very enthusiastically with a wagging tail that was covered with poop, spattering it all over Dr. Cliff! No stranger to mishaps of this sort, Dr.Cliff took it all in stride and wiped himself off with disinfectant. However, Emily was overcome with laughter not knowing whether to hug her dad or not. Wisely, she stepped away from him while he cleaned himself.
After touring the kitchen where they prepare food daily for hundreds of dogs, Dr. Cliff began the task of neutering a stray dog that had arrived earlier in the day. To the uninitiated, procedures like spaying and neutering could seem unethical, cruel and even draconian. While veterinarian researchers have recently started to discover a few drawbacks to neutering male dogs, the benefits vastly outweigh the disadvantages.
Overpopulation of Stray Dogs
In Cairo, inadequate control of strays has caused the dog population to mushroom exponentially with very unfortunate consequences – rampant animal abuse, neglect and the spread of diseases like Rabies. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that one un-spayed female dog and her offspring can produce 11,167 puppies per year. Our world simply does not have enough households to care for all dogs, and Egypt is no exception. Over 2 million dogs remain homeless in the country. Euthanization occurs daily and on a massive scale. Keeping stay dogs from reproducing is considered a humanitarian act of kindness and an effective way to manage this problem.
Spay and neuter surgeries have become essential services at rescue shelters like Furever, In addition to overpopulation, neutering and spaying help dogs to live longer and are known to control aggression in male dogs.
In this graphic video, Dr. Cliff demonstrates what occurs during neutering where he removes a dog’s testicles. Furry patients are always given anesthetic and pain killers before surgery. Their post-operative care includes more pain killers, antibiotics and the famous “cone of shame” collar to keep them from licking or scratching the wound while it heals.
Furever Rescue Shelter
Furever Rescue Shelter is a local animal welfare organization supported by SPCA International. Founded in 2017, they care for neglected and abused dogs, providing them with essential medical care and TLC until they can be placed in their forever homes.
To see more rescue missions like this by Dr. Cliff Worldwide Vet, subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
About Dr. Cliff
Dr. Cliff Redford, DVM, is an experienced veterinarian and owner/operator of the Wellington Veterinary Hospital in Markham, Ontario, Canada. Fondly known as Dr. Cliff to his clients, he has tended to the wellness of pets and animals for over two decades. Hands-on experience in his clinic, combined with animal advocacy and rescue missions locally and across the globe, has allowed him to curate a vast body of knowledge on animal health and welfare, including preventative counselling, soft tissue surgery, advanced dental procedures, internal medicine and emergency care.