October 2026 at Tumaini Tails
September ended with a milk bottle in one hand and a wet cotton wool ball in the other. October started with plates of milk and broth. Slowly, the kitchen became a kitchen again, and the bedroom began to smell like a bedroom. There’s a lot to catch up on, and a favour to ask at the end: we’re looking for fosters and adopters, so please read on.
THE PUPPIES
Remember the nine newborns we rescued on 19th September, and the ten orphaned three-week-olds who followed four days later? They all made it.
The newborns needed feeds every two hours, each ending with coaxing out the wee and poop, and a round could take up to four hours. Then came over three weeks of terrible, profuse diarrhoea. Two courses of antibiotics, probiotics and several lab tests later, everything for bacterial infection came back negative. We were so relieved.
We couldn’t have done it without the volunteers who bottle-fed and turned up with moral support, and a patient husband who took over the cooking, school runs and childcare.
Now they amble about, tumbling over their own paws, with little grunts and squeals of delight over toys, rocks, leaves and stones. Both litters get on well, and they’re picking up their manners from our older dogs and puppies. They should be ready for adoption in early December.
Karanjee pups having a wipe down
Wee Karanjee & Tigoni pups
Wee Karanjee & Tigoni pups
Ajabu
Then there’s Ajabu, born with all four limbs splayed. The vets thought she’d need surgery on all four legs before she turned 4 months old, unless good nutrition kicked in and her limbs grew properly. And they have! She walks and runs, tumbles countless times a day, and her chest is off the ground. We’ll tell you how her next vet check goes.
WAITING FOR THEIR PEOPLE
These dogs, and one very busy kitten, are all looking for families. More of them are on our Adoption tab.
Bella, a 7-year-old terrier cross, came to us in early September, surrendered by her elderly owners, who could no longer care for her. She arrived with a horrific wound hidden under her long, shaggy fur, which we only discovered on her second day, when she kept wincing in pain. It was a very large wound across her abdomen, typical of a burn, and neither her owners nor we can work out how it happened. She spent over three weeks at the vet while the damaged skin was cleaned away on regular basis, until healthy skin could grow back. Now she’s thriving and ruling the roost with her tiny frame. Sweet, adorable and feisty, she has a few large dogs cowering.
Lulu, a gorgeous Kenyan Shepherd, is 4, with all the sass and confidence of a beautiful girl who knows it. Her family’s circumstances changed, and letting her go was the hardest decision for them. Lulu has settled in well and is always nudging us to take her on yet another long walk!
Flurry, a terrier cross, came to us in a flurry at the end of the month. She was found at a petrol station in Tigoni, following anyone who would take her home, in the rain and cold, matted from nose to tail and full of fleas and ticks. Since Sheila fetched her, Flurry hasn’t let Sheila out of her sight. She’s an easy, loving girl who shadows Sheila around the house. Flurry will be spayed next week.
Rooster and Tobias are two neutered dogs nobody came back for. Rooster spent weeks at the guard barrier on Convent Drive, Lavington, where a kind passer-by fed him when she could. Tobias was left behind in Lower Kabete. Both have settled in well: Rooster sleeps with the pups, and Tobias gets along with every dog here.
Little Blizzard is a skinny kitten of about 3 months, found as a stray and handed over to us. She’s hyperactive and still quite slim, because all that energy goes straight into buzzing about. The patient and resourceful husband stepped in again and built her a catio on a bedroom roof in just two days, and she has used it for exactly one purpose: more buzzing.
HALLOWEEN AT NIFTY’S
On 31st October, Nifty’s held a Halloween party and our very own Tigonians, Nifty’s, together with Caitlin and Annick, made it happen. In total they raised KSh 36,000 for us, and we have put it towards vaccinations, tick and flea treatment and deworming for our newer puppies.
Our hands-on volunteers Kushi, Syna, Aarti and Priyanka came along, and so did our dog walkers Patrick and Timothy, to introduce some of our wonderful rescues to the crowd. The rain didn’t stop us, and it was a fun-filled afternoon. Thank you to everyone who came, and to the team at Nifty’s for thinking of us.
FEWER LITTERS, LESS SUFFERING
A few villagers near Tigoni have asked us to help sterilise their free-roaming dogs. We have 2 neuters and 7 spays lined up, and as soon as the owners give us the go-ahead, we’ll start, hopefully in the next couple of weeks.
Every litter that isn’t born is a litter that can’t be left out in the cold, go hungry, be hit by a car or end up with no one. It’s also easier on the mothers, and it’s the kindest way we know to stop another September like the one we’ve just had.
Would you like to help one of these dogs? Message us on WhatsApp, 0706 489 002 (text only), or donate at www.tumainitails.org/donate. A spay with vaccination and deworming costs us KSh 10,000, and a neuter KSh 7,000, so every gift goes straight to where it is needed.
WITH THANKS
Thank you to the volunteers who bottle-fed, socialised the puppies and kept us going with moral support. One kind soul even whisked three of the pups away to foster until they turn 10 weeks old, which took a huge amount off our workload. You’re all named in our September update.
Petzone kindly sent 70kg of dog food, and Bio Canine Sciences gives us a free bag every time we order dog food from them. Thank you both.
OUR PLEA FOR THE WEEKS AHEAD
We have 57 rescue dogs and pups at home, plus 12 foster dogs. So our plea is for fosters, and adopters, to help get some of them into homes. The younger puppies will be next in line very soon!
Our Foster Care Flyer explains what fostering involves and how we support you. You can download it here: Download the Foster Care Flyer.
To adopt, message us on WhatsApp, 0706 489 002 (text only). To donate, visit www.tumainitails.org/donate. Donations of any size, food and, as ever, toys are all very welcome.
Thank you for being part of our October.