Dr Janey Lowes has completed 374 km of her 600 km fundraising challenge, raising £94,690 towards a new hospital for street dogs—but says the animals she cannot help are the hardest part.
A British vet running the length of Sri Lanka is approaching £100,000 in donations as she battles exhaustion and the emotional strain of seeing street dogs she cannot stop to save.
Dr Janey Lowes, from Barnard Castle in County Durham, has reached stage 15 of her 22-stage Dog Jog, completing 374 km with another 226 km ahead.
The founder of WECare Worldwide is running from Point Pedro in the north to Dondra in the south to help fund a purpose-built veterinary hospital, rehabilitation centre and training facility.
She is now just £5,310 away from reaching £100,000.
For Janey, who is not a runner, the challenge reaches far beyond aching legs and blistered feet. Every day brings reminders of the animals her charity exists to help—and the limits of what its overstretched hospital can provide.
Dr Lowes said: “Every day I see dogs who need help, and the hardest thing is knowing I can’t stop and save every one of them. I’m a vet. When I see an animal suffering, everything in me wants to stop, kneel down and do something. Walking away stays with you long after the running has finished.
“I’m not a runner. My whole body hurts, and I’m tired physically, mentally, emotionally and everything aches. Some days I have a cry because it all feels too much. Then I think about the dogs still waiting for someone to help them.
“I can rest when this is over. A dog lying injured beside the road can’t choose when its suffering ends. That’s why this hospital matters so much. We need somewhere to take them. We need to be able to say yes when the next call comes.”
Janey founded WECare Worldwide in 2014 after witnessing the suffering of street dogs in Sri Lanka. Almost 12 years later, its team provides veterinary treatment, neutering and rabies vaccinations, but demand has outgrown its existing premises.
Figures supplied by WECare on 24 October record 40,646 rabies vaccinations, 26,812 neutering procedures and 6,135 emergency treatments.
The charity has secured land for the new development. It says the hospital and rehabilitation centre would allow its team to help 3,000 additional animals each year, while a dedicated training centre would support vets and veterinary nurses to improve care across Sri Lanka.
With 226 km still to cover, Janey hopes her efforts will encourage animal lovers to donate and help turn the plans into somewhere more sick and injured dogs can receive care.
Supporters can also join the Dog Jog from home by organising their own sponsored walk, run or fundraising challenge.
Donate: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/thedogjog.
Follow Janey’s progress: https://www.thedogjog.co.uk/run-tracker.
