Category: Feature Stories

Thank you to Lemonade and their customers! SPCA International is honored to be one of the organizations Lemonade customers choose to support through the innovative “give-back” program.

Lemonade is a home and renters insurance company that has built social good into their business model. They charge customers a flat fee and reserve the rest of customers’ premiums to pay claims. If there is any money left over at the end of the year, that money goes to the customer’s charity of choice as a “give-back” donation.

Here at SPCA International, we are so grateful to everyone who chose to donate their unused premium to help animals this year. The “give-back” amount totals $295,785 and is more than we ever imagined!

This donation will allow SPCA International to continue our life-saving work around the globe.

Thank you to EVERYONE involved with Lemonade. From the visionary founders to the customers who selected SPCA International for their “give-back” donation, our work wouldn’t be possible without incredible people like you.

June marks the spring season when thousands of kittens are born, adding to the number of cats in need of safe and loving homes. If you’ve been thinking about adopting a cat, now is a great time to reach out to your local shelter to find the “purrfect” fit for your family. Even if a new cat companion isn’t in your plans, there are other ways you can help.

1. Sterilize Pet Cats: Sterilization remains the most effective way of keeping the cat population manageable. Even if you have cats at home that don’t go outside, just one escape can add to the number of kittens in need of a home. Since cats can have multiple litters a year, every cat sterilized greatly reduces the number of unwanted cats in our communities.
2. Volunteer: Local shelters and rescue groups are always in need of volunteers. They typically have weekly opportunities, as well as one-time volunteer opportunities for special events such as adoption fairs or sterilization campaigns. A quick phone call to your local shelter is all it takes to find out how you can help.
3. Donate: You can support the rescue and care of homeless cats all over the world by donating to SPCA International’s Shelter Support Fund program.
4. Spread the Word: Tell your friends, family, coworkers and anyone else you think might want to adopt a cat or support cats in shelters. You never know who will hear your message and step up for a cat in need.

Our international partners are looking for loving homes for the fantastic felines and canines in their care, check out our Adopt An Animal page for animals looking for a family to call their own.

The pandemic is beginning to wane in many countries, but in some it is at its worst. India is experiencing a spike in cases and new lockdowns, creating a difficult situation for people and animals.

In India, animals that used to depend on restaurants and other businesses for garbage are struggling to find food. Rescue groups are understaffed because many staff and volunteers are falling ill or are unable to continue their work. Supply chain issues have made everything from kibble to medical supplies more expensive, and international adoptions have been halted for over a year.

Thanks to many generous SPCA International supporters, we are rushing grants to help these organizations in India continue their critically important work of saving and improving animal lives.

Dharamsala Animal Rescue: This organization has reached thousands of animals through their amazing work. They will use their grant to provide veterinary care, food and shelter and to promote local adoptions. Through their programs, they are changing attitudes toward stray dogs, improving lives and helping dogs find forever homes.

Stray Dog Support: This organization supports a network of individual animal welfare activists who provide food and care to stray dogs and cats. Stray Dog Support will use its grant to make sure community caretakers can keep caring for the animals that depend on them for survival in India. 

Pawsitive Sanctuary: This organization saves countless lives through its stray animal feeding program. Though they can’t rescue every animal from the streets, Pawsitive Sanctuary brings in and cares for those with injuries, tumors, and other disabilities. They make a lifelong commitment to care for animals that can’t survive on the streets and are unlikely to find forever homes.

Tom Animal Welfare Society: This shelter organization is committed to saving the lives of animals in India and has a new shelter facility to house rescued animals. In addition to rescuing animals in need, they provide medical outreach and education to improve the lives of animals large and small in India.

Manali Strays: This incredible organization reaches about 1,000 animals each year and will use its grant to rescue and rehabilitate stray animals, run their mobile clinic for minor medical conditions, sterilize pets and strays, vaccinate stray dogs and cats and provide community education once lockdown regulations are lifted.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela

Sava’s Safe Haven, a long-standing SPCA International partner organization, is working with local schools to bring animal welfare education to children in Romania.

This volunteer-run organization cares for hundreds of animals and typically rehomes about 100 animals each year throughout Europe. However, they know that education will change the next generation’s attitudes about animals and improve conditions for animals in Romania.

SPCA International is proud to support Sava’s Safe Haven’s new education initiative. In partnership with local schools, Sava’s Safe Haven is educating youngsters through interactive presentations. Children learn about animals, create posters with anti-cruelty messages and receive a small “diploma” recognizing their commitment to animal kindness.

Sava’s Safe Haven volunteers tell us that the children are incredibly kind-hearted. Many have brought food to donate for rescued animals, and one little girl even donated her pocket money, saying “This is for you, to look after animals. I hope one day I can adopt one dog from you!”

Now, Sava’s Safe Haven is working with teachers to plan a field trip to their shelter for the children! This exciting initiative seems so simple, yet it has the potential to change the future for animals in Romania.

SPCA International is honoring Sava’s Safe Haven education initiative with a grant for their education program. To encourage other education programs, we plan to honor one partner’s outstanding education program with a designated education grant each month.

You may remember the exciting announcement in late 2019; SPCA International had just made a $100,000 commitment to a Lebanon shelter called Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (BETA). The funds were earmarked for a new state-of-the-art shelter facility to house and care for the over 800 animals in BETA’s care.

Now, we are excited to announce that the shelter is nearly complete! SPCA International is proud to have designated a large portion of our grant to the “Senior Sanctuary” at the BETA shelter which will house older dogs who will likely live out their days at the shelter. These dogs have already been moved in and are enjoying their new home!

This new shelter was initiated because BETA received an eviction notice from their old property. It has been a long and sometimes difficult process, particularly with the additional challenges of COVID-19, but we are so proud of the result. The new shelter has been designed in accordance with international standards. Modeled after a world-renowned American shelter, the new facility is designed to increase adoption rates, run sustainably and be an example for others in the region to follow.

An SPCA International partner since 2016, BETA has been working to create a cruelty-free city through education and activism for the last 17 years. BETA rescues dogs, cats and wildlife from life-threatening danger. Once in their care, they work tirelessly to place animals in loving homes locally and around the world. The organization also conducts trap, neuter and release programs to reduce the overpopulation of stray dogs and cats in Beirut.

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Thanks to many generous individuals, Keeva is now safe. This sweet pup was being kicked, slapped and spit on when Staff Sergeant Renee stepped in to save her from abuse. When the Staff Sergeant and her team were ordered back to the U.S. they were devastated to know that Keeva might be left behind to fall back into the hands of people who would hurt her.

SPCA International is so proud to help soldiers like Renee rescue the pets they adopt overseas. These dedicated pet parents will do anything to save their babies, but their hands are tied with military orders that prohibit pets from traveling on official transportation.

Our Middle East team is a small group of dedicated individuals who care for dogs like Keeva while their health certificates and travel paperwork are prepared and processed. Their work is truly a labor of love that delivers dozens of animals each year into the waiting arms of the service men and women who love them.

We are thrilled to share that Keeva is safe with our team now. She is being pampered and cared for while her travel arrangements are made, and we expect her to arrive in the U.S. to be reunited with Staff Sergeant Renee in the next few days.  

These two will be forever grateful to every single person who helped them reunite with one another. From generous individual donors to the caring team in the Middle East, none of this work would be possible without the dedication of truly incredible individuals.

World of Angels Foundation, an existing SPCA International partner in China, recently reached out with a plea for help. They were dealing with a large-scale emergency. A local puppy mill was shutting down and planned to sell 100 dogs into the dog meat trade.

Fortunately, World of Angels Foundation banded together with other local animal welfare groups to take in these pups. No single organization could have accepted 100 dogs on such short notice, so they worked together to shelter and care for them.  

SPCA International is proud to support World of Angels Foundation and their local counterparts in their work. With a modest amount of financial support from the SPCA International Shelter Support Fund, these dedicated organizations were able to save lives. They are a shining example of the amazing work that happens in animal welfare every day in China and beyond.

All the pups are now sheltered and being cared for by various rescue groups in China. Unfortunately, some were sick and needed medical attention, but they are receiving everything they need to get healthy and strong.

SPCA International is committed to supporting organizations on the ground working to stop the dog meat trade and rescue dogs at risk. We are proud to be providing $50,000 this month to support their efforts.

Follow World of Angels on social media for updates on when these pups become available for adoption.

For several years, Tanzania was exporting donkeys to Asia through unofficial channels. It drove the price of donkeys out of reach of the farmers and villagers who need them and created a situation where many donkeys were stolen.

Amidst COVID-19, the government put tighter restrictions on donkey exports, and the trade came to an abrupt halt. Many donkeys were stuck with middle men who no longer had an international market and no means for their long term care. These unfortunate donkeys started starving.

Thankfully, TAWESO (Tanzania Animal Welfare Society) has been rescuing sick and starving donkeys, treating them for ticks and other parasites, helping them get healthy once again, and making them available for low-cost adoption by farmers and villagers.

TAWESO works with donkey adopters to ensure they have the knowledge and tools to care for their donkeys. They provide regular clinics and vaccinations to help farmers and villagers keep their donkeys healthy and teach them not to overwork the donkeys that help them in their daily lives.

This spring, TAWESO has rescued 56 donkeys, 48 of whom have already been adopted by people who have signed agreements committing them to responsible donkey care.

SPCA International is proud to be a supporter of TAWESO and looks forward to seeing their accomplishments as they rescue even more donkeys from this difficult situation.

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Thanks to many generous SPCA International supporters, Max is doing great! Even though both his legs were broken by a brutal blow, he is still kind and loving. Max is receiving all the best care and plenty of rest while he heals.

His caretakers say Max is “wonderful, full of life, stunning and playful”. They tell us he doesn’t like going in his crate at night, so he is constantly trying to convince his caretakers to let him stay by their sides throughout the night.

He should be ready for a forever home soon. If you’re interested in adopting Max please contact us at [email protected].

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SPCA International is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Hello Ralphie! This virtual veterinary care provider will give a generous discount to soldiers rescuing pets through SPCA International’s Operation Baghdad Pups: Worldwide program, and to all of our supporters!

Hello Ralphie offers virtual veterinary appointments with U.S. licensed veterinarians and can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. It is a great option for pet parents and pets who can’t make it to a veterinary office for whatever reason.

Deployed soldiers who rescue dogs and cats are dedicated pet parents, but they are often unable to find local veterinary care. Hello Ralphie gives them a dependable and professional option for on-demand veterinary advice from wherever they are stationed.

Hello Ralphie’s team of veterinarians are trained to help pet parents address some of the most common pet health issues including, general pet care, worms, fleas & ticks, itching, rashes, minor scrapes, ear discharge, eye discharge, travel anxiety, motion sickness, nasal discharge, sneezing, diarrhea, behavioral changes, food & nutrition. They also know how to identify the signs of serious illness and will recommend an in-person veterinary visit when necessary.

Not only available to soldiers serving overseas, Hello Ralphie is a great option for pets that get anxious when they go to a veterinary office, for pet parents needing to avoid public places and for those with limited mobility or transportation options.

Use promo code SPCAI15 to get a discount on your next visit!

Here at SPCA International, we’re looking forward to all that Hello Ralphie is able to offer our community of soldiers and supporters.