Hediye’s Puppies Get Their First Vaccination and Penda’s Puppies Go to Work

On Monday of this week, Hediye’s six puppies, born 15 August, received their first vaccination. This first “puppy vaccine” is against distemper, Parvo, hepatitis, and Parainfluenza. The puppies were given the vaccines while receiving their morning feeding, so they didn’t even notice; they were so interested in the food!

I am giving the vaccines, and Paige Seitz, animal husbandry volunteer, took all the photos.

On Sunday, 2 October, the first of Penda’s puppies went to its new home, with a nice couple who have a farm with goats and sheep here in Namibia. When it grows up, this puppy will serve to protect the farmer’s animals from predators like jackals, hyenas, cheetah, and leopards. The future livestock guarding dog puppies all grow up in the kraal at CCF with goats and sheep, so they are used to the animals and learn from their mothers to bark at any sign of danger. Although it seems strange that one small puppy can help save the cheetah, this pup and others like it grow into the Livestock Guarding Dogs that are helping prevent livestock/predator conflict all over Namibia. Thus, each puppy is part of a larger plan to help protect cheetahs and other predators from being shot or poisoned when they prey on farm animals like goats and sheep.