Hug a Husky to Improve your Health!

Husky Rescue KZN is a non-profit organisation that rescues and rehabilitates abused and abandoned huskies and gives these animals a purpose – to help people deal with emotional or physical trauma, by using animal-assisted activity and therapy.

They rescue, foster and rehome Siberian Huskies and Husky mixed breeds, and look after an average of 50 dogs on a rented farm in Cato Ridge at any given time. While their immediate goal is the rescue and rehoming of unwanted Huskies, their long-term vision and mission is to set up a working farm where they can use the rescued dogs in animal-assisted therapy programmes to assist people with emotional issues (such as abused women).

Their current rented farm has been sold and they are on the look-out for new premises, hopefully a farm where they can establish their therapy programme and various other projects that would help create sustainable income.

Husky Rescue KZN has recently embarked on two new projects, and this is how you can help them:

• The Newsed Book Shop at The Shongweni Farmers and Craft Market – please donate any previously loved books or shop for a few good reads from the book stall.
• The distribution of “Primal Raw”, a good quality raw dog and cat food for which they have sub-distributor rights – please buy your pet food direct from Husky Rescue KZN.

Having a furry companion helps a person’s mental and physical health in a plethora of ways:

• Elevates your mood
• Provides comfort and reduces anxiety
• Uplift children in distress
• Stimulates communication and increases mental stimulation
• Reduces cortisol (the stress hormone) which reduces blood pressure, pain, anxiety, depression and fatigue
• Increases levels of oxytocin and dopamine (the happy hormones) which helps to create trust and calmness, and reduces feelings of loneliness and isolation
• Helps children focus, improves literacy skills, provides a non-stressful, non-judgmental environment and increases their confidence by them practicing their reading skills to Huskies
• Increases self-confidence and reduces self-consciousness

“When animals are involved with counselling, therapy, healthcare and school setting clients, patients and students feel more natural, relaxed and nurtured. This allows them to do the work that’s needed more readily. And animals help the professionals as well by keeping them calm and focused.”

Husky Rescue KZN is an NPO and PBO and is registered as The Lebanon ARROHHH (Association for the Rescue and Rehabilitation of Humans, Huskies and Horses). They started in August 2009 and were registered in March 2010.

For more info, or to offer assistance, please contact:

Husky Rescue KZN | NPO 077637 | PBO 930031765 | www.huskyrescuekzn.com | Facebook Page: Husky Rescue KZN | Charnell Ruth – 078 040 8282 or charnell@huskyrescuekzn.com