There's a wide school of thought that somehow believes poor people shouldn't own pets. Those who think so should meet the clients of Mdzananda Animal Clinic, a partner organisation of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). Mdzananda provides the only permanent, on site veterinary services to the dogs and cats of the more than one-million people who live in Khayelitsha, near to Cape Town, South Africa.

Highly respected and supported by the community, Mdzananda Animal Clinic was founded in 1996 in response to the need to provide primary veterinary healthcare services to a fast growing community that had no access to help for their animals.

Initially it worked from a single donated shipping container and with no running water or electricity. Today thanks to the support of IFAW and others the project runs from six recycled shipping containers, on its own land and is fully serviced. It receives no financial support from the City of Cape Town.

Mdzananda's services include free sterilisations, and low cost or free treatments such as dipping, deworming and vaccination of dogs and cats. Its services are provided five-and-half-days a week, and an emergency service operates after hours and on Sundays. Mobile outreach clinics are held on weekday afternoons.

The project has a vibrant and busy volunteer programme and regularly hosts visiting veterinarians, veterinary nurses and vet techs.