Two-year-old Rexey is vaccinated in Gintota, Sri Lanka, on Thursday.
GALLE, Sri Lanka - The villagers come running when they see Dr. Chamal Mahanama pull up in a three-wheeler to administer his version of disaster relief - aimed at the four-legged survivors.
Standing in line with their pet dogs, cats, rabbits, and even the odd monkey, they wait patiently as the veterinarian deftly swabs a furry rump with alcohol before quickly injecting the vaccines - the first for rabies, the second for distemper, hepatitis and leptospirosis.
"People have lost everything. They have no houses, no work. ... We go to them and we vaccinate their pets for free. That automatically helps people," he said.
He is part of a team of vets drafted by London's World Society for the Protection of Animals to go into tsunami-stricken areas to vaccinate animals against disease, which becomes a greater risk when communities are vulnerable.
The group, which focuses efforts on the welfare of animals in the wake of disaster, has similar teams working in Indonesia, India and Thailand.
In the past week, some 5,000 animals, mostly dogs, have been vaccinated in Sri Lanka, said Juan Murillo, a veterinary field officer.
"In the relief camps where we've been, people are living with the animals they managed to save," Murillo said. "There's a very strong emotional attachment and protectiveness."
Pet owners tell Murillo, "If I have to stay in the heat, okay, but not my dog."
"They are really grateful someone cares about their animals," he said.
