Animal Health
The BIG FIX Uganda’s Animal Health work includes:
Operation of the region’s only veterinary hospital and veterinary laboratory
Intensive care and surgery for seriously ill and injured animals
Spay/neuter of dogs and cats
Providing free rabies vaccinations and deworming in the villages
The BIG FIX Uganda has been given the prestigious recognition as a a Rabies Center of Excellence by Global Alliance for Rabies Control as part of the Communities Against Rabies Initiative.
“This outstanding organization is making a real impact in Northern Uganda, working tirelessly in high rabies-risk areas to provide free rabies vaccinations and empower communities through education. Their efforts are creating safer, healthier lives for both animals and people. ”
Please
Support Us
$1 - Deworms 5 community dogs.
$3 - Deworms and vaccinates a community dog or cat against rabies.
$25 - Neuters a male dog or cat.
$35 - Spays a female dog or cat.
$50 - Allows us to provide chemotherapy for a dog with TVT tumors.
$150 - Covers the average cost of hospitalization for a parvo patient.
The BIG FIX Uganda Dog Hospital
In the vast region of Northern Uganda, The BIG FIX operates the ONLY veterinary hospital. Our hospital has been open 365 days a year since first opening in September 2016. We receive emergency cases 24 hours a day and have three resident veterinary doctors. The hospital provides routine care, vaccinations, spay/neuter, and admits patients for treatment of serious injuries and illnesses. We have an isolation treatment unit for parvo virus patients, a basic veterinary laboratory, and two patient housing buildings. During 2024, we have had an average admitted patient population of 35 dogs.
Community members who bring their companion animals to us are asked to contribute whatever they can afford toward the cost of care. Free services are available for those who cannot afford to contribute anything. We do not turn away any animal who needs care.
Animal care and welfare is our top priority. The animal care team cooks nutritious food daily for our patients and rescues and each dog is given daily exercise and enrichment. The kennels are monitored daily by our Animal Welfare Team.
Our Work in the Villages
Every year, we work in 40 or more of the highest rabies risk areas to provide free rabies vaccinations and deworming. Veterinary services would otherwise not be available to the animals in these villages. An average of 185 animals are treated at each of these village clinics. Animals in need of more intensive care are transported to our hospital for admission.
Our Field Educators are on site to check neck restraints, and provide education about fear free handling, feeding, and care. They also help guardians to wash and groom their dogs.
In remote areas, we provide spay/neuter surgeries in the village. In locations within one hour of our hospital, we make appointments for animals to be picked up at their homes and transported to our hospital, where we can provide better conditions for surgery and recovery.
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7 December 2024: Pader District at (1) Awere Sub-County Headquarters and (2) Lagile
14 December 2024: Nwoya District at Alero Center
19 December 2024: Amuru District at (1) Pawel Lageta and (2) Lakang Center
Rabies Education and Prevention
Rabies is a very real and deadly threat in Northern Uganda. Though there are no reliable statistics on the number of people killed each year by rabies, most people know someone who has died from this completely preventable disease. Most of the victims are children attacked by unvaccinated dogs.
The BIG FIX Uganda utilizes a Rabies Tracker App which was gifted to us by Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC). Since February 2022, all vaccinations and rabies outbreaks have been documented with GPS coordinates on the Rabies Tracker, enabling us to better respond to outbreaks. We work very closely with the local governments to protect people and animals when suspected rabies cases are reported. The BIG FIX Emergency Rabies Response Team dispatches to and investigates rabies reports and works to ensure that any exposed animals and people receive post-exposure treatment and vaccinations.
The BIG FIX team is serious about Zero by 30, a global movement which aims to eliminate human deaths caused by rabies by 2030. 22 members of our team have completed two courses of study with GARC and have received the Bronze Dog Health Champion Certificate.
The BIG FIX Uganda is a recipient of the WORLD RABIES DAY AWARD FOR SUB-SAHARA AFRICA. The World Rabies Day awards are given by a committee including individuals from the World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), Center for Disease Control, MSD Animal Health, and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control.
Some of THE BIG FIX Uganda’s Bronze Dog Health Champions
Animal Rescue, Rehabilitation,
and Re-Homing
While The BIG FIX Uganda does not embrace sheltering as a solution to dog overpopulation, we do rescue, rehabilitate, and re-home many animals each year. These dogs and cats are brought in by our rescue officers or abandoned at our hospital. They often need intensive treatment and rehabilitation. Many never knew kindness from humans and need time to learn to trust. Fortunately, our Animal Welfare Team is comprised of patient and compassionate Comfort Dog Project graduates who manage all animal care on the premises, our foster care program, adoptions, and home checks.
To apply to adopt a dog or cat from us, please contact our Animal Welfare Team.
