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Vet to run 385 miles across Sri Lanka for hospital

Jim ScottNorth East and Cumbria
News imageJaney Lowes Dr Janey Lowes, who is wearing an orange bandana and a black shirt with a blue collar, is holding a small to medium sized black and brown dog. The dog is wearing a red collar. In the background is a white wall with a wooden shelf, which features one image of a volunteer holding a dog.Janey Lowes
Dr Janey Lowes was backpacking when she discovered injured street animals who would not be treated in Sri Lanka

A vet who gave up her life in the UK to care for injured street animals in Sri Lanka is to run the 385-mile (620km) length of the country to raise money for a £1.6m new hospital.

Dr Janey Lowes, from Barnard Castle, County Durham, will do the 'Dog Jog' challenge on 9 October from Point Pedro down to Dondra, which she hopes to complete in 22 days.

Lowes said there was a "need" for the charity which she founded, WeCare Worldwide in 2014, to move into a purpose-built facility as it had outgrown its "makeshift" clinic.

"The figure is terrifying, but it's the price of a two-bed flat in London and this could build a whole functional hospital," she said.

Lowes founded the charity after seeing the scale of the problem in the country, and a lack of available care, while on a backpacking trip.

"I just remember feeling just useless, even as a vet. I had all the skills to help but I couldn't do anything, I didn't have any equipment, " Lowes told the BBC.

"It was a case of gosh, people in Sri Lanka must feel so helpless, the dogs must feel so helpless, because there is no help."

News imageJaney Lowes Three veterinary staff, all dressed in blue t-shirts with a light blue logo, wear white and green coloured rubber gloves. They are in theatre, and are working on a stray dog which is having equipment placed over its nose and mouth. In the background is one large metal kennel and two drips. Janey Lowes
The charity has dozens of people who work around the clock to save the animals

Initially, she treated the animals inside her home but converted a former nursery building into a clinic.

Since then, it has cared for more than 35,000 cats and dogs, providing vaccines against rabies, and often administering life-saving treatment to those hit by cars.

However, Lowes says it is now too small, outdated, and has black mould and various leaks.

She said: "Really it was too small back then, and it's too small now, every tiny little bit of space is optimised.

"You're running around the hospital and it was almost like an animal emergency through the door every time it rained."

News imageJaney Lowes A brown dog stands in a concrete kennel and is protected behind blue bars, which have faded in colour. The white wall behind the bars has also flaked away.Janey Lowes
The existing facilities are outdated, and sometimes leak, says Lowes

She has identified the location of the new hospital, which will also feature a training centre, but said it could only happen through fundraising.

The challenge is the equivalent of about 30, 13.1 mile Great North Runs.

"I've never even done the Great North Run, I don't know what I was thinking, I just needed to do something mental to raise the amount of money we need.

"It will help so many dogs."

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