Archives: Shelter

Every year, thousands of sweet, loyal hounds are obtained by hunters, sometimes kept near starving because the hunters believe a starving hound makes a better hunting dog. Then, when hunting season is over, most of these dogs are horribly tortured, mutilated, and killed (*hanging is one common method) or abandoned on the streets of Spain, suffering further abuses, injuries, and/or painful deaths. This vicious cycle is repeated every year, with new dogs, followed by new abuses, neglect, abandonment, and/or killings.

Because these dogs are not only devoted but also highly intelligent, some of their hunter-owners will take extreme measures to keep them from applying their wit and devotion to finding their way back home after abandonment.  For example, Podencos and Galgos have been found with their legs broken so that they can’t get back home, or their eyes gouged out so they can’t see to get back home. Some have been set on fire as a means of free euthanasia, many are hanged from trees, some have their mouths pried permanently open so that they cannot eat, and one recently had its throat slit in front of a rescue worker, apparently out of spite. They are often hit by cars and left in the road to suffer until dead.

Hound Sanctuary is a rescue sanctuary that offers foster, safe haven, behavior modification, training, outreach & education, and adoption–to exceptional homes and adopters, to whom we also provide long-term guidance, support, affiliation, and follow up for the dogs lucky enough to be rescued.  Located in Oregon, U.S., they serve needy sighthounds, with a focus on the Galgo Espanol (Spanish greyhounds), the Podenco Ibicenco (Spanish Ibizan hound) and American Ibizan, Podenco Canario, and other sighthounds including borzoi, wolfhounds, deerhounds, Salukis, Afghan hounds, and similar. Their rescue missions are enacted locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.

SPCA International has been working on the plight of the Galgos and Podencos for a number of years now and is honored to support their efforts.

http://sighthoundsanctuary.org/

Founded in 2008 by Lynn and Ron Stone, Chats du Quercy aims to protect and enhance the quality of life for the cats of France.

In 2014 alone Chats du Quercy was responsible for helping 1316 cats and kittens. They have become a lifeline for the nations abandoned cats and have been providing education and advice to aid in responsible cat ownership. They are advocates for spay/neuter programs implementing versatile strategies to curb the increase in the feral cat population.

SPCA International is proud to support Chats du Quercy by providing a grant to help build a new Rescue Centre, which will provide more space for their ever-growing number of rescues in addition to an outdoor space.

www.chatsduquercy.fr

Operation Git-Meow was founded in January 2017 by Erica Kelly to bring much-needed care to the stray and abandoned cats at the US Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay.

Operating out of both Guantanamo Bay and Virginia with the help of 15 volunteers, Operation Git-Meow has been able to sterilize and find adoptive homes for 50 cats. In addition to rescue Operation Git-Meow is micro chipping, vaccinating, and providing essential medical care to the community cats located on the base.

SPCA International is proud to assist Operation Git-Meow through our Shelter Support Fund to help establish a foster facility and to secure more vaccinations for the feline population.

www.operationgitmeow.com

Founded in 2007 in Athens, Greece, the Pan-Hellenic Animal Welfare Federation (PFO) serves as an umbrella organization for 30 animal welfare organizations all over Greece.

PFO focuses on combating animal cruelty through humane education, establishing procedures for reporting animal abuse and collaboration with law enforcement to ensure prosecution of animal abuse offenders. PFO’s associated shelters and rescue groups sterilize 4,000-8,000 animals each year and find adoptive homes for 2,000-3,000 animals locally and internationally annually.

SPCA International is proud to support the Pan-Hellenic Animal Welfare Foundation and their associated shelter Animal Protection Aegina & Agistri and assist them in expanding their facilities and continue their spay and neuter efforts. 

www.pfo.gr 

Founded in 2012, Paws R Us brings essential care and support to the abandoned animals in their region of South Africa.

Paws R Us cares for over 70 animals with the help of 2 employees and 25 volunteers. All animals that come into their care are properly sterilized and received any additional medical treatment they may need. Each month Paws R Us adopts out roughly 10 animals locally and internationally.

SPCA International is proud to support Paws R Us and their tireless efforts to improve the lives of the stray and abandoned animals of South Africa.

www.pawsrus.co.za

www.facebook.com/PAWSRUSSA

Founded in 2016, the Clean Futures Fund (CFF) was established to support communities impacted by industrial accidents. Through their humanitarian efforts with the workers at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, CFF noticed a definite need for medical care amongst the stray dog population.

 In 1986 when families were evacuated they were prohibited from taking their pets with them. The surviving animals lived and reproduced within the exclusion zone, there are an estimated 1,000 stray dogs currently living in and around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. These dogs have formed a strong bond with the workers at the plant who feed and care for them. However, the dogs are vulnerable to car accidents, machinery accidents, wolves, and wolf traps. Most recently, out of fear for Rabies, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant has hired a worker to cull the stray dog population. This is where CFF has stepped in and developed the Dogs of Chernobyl program by negotiating a contract to sterilize, vaccinate and provide medical care to the stray dog population over the next 3 years and set up long-term rescue and veterinary care within the exclusion zone. Their efforts will stop senseless killing, humanely decrease the stray dog population, and provide essential medical care to these companions.

 SPCA International is incredibly proud to be jumping in on the ground floor by partnering with Clean Futures fund to support their Dogs of Chernobyl program. In August of 2017 our Executive Director, Meredith Ayan, and Program Manager, Lori Kalef, will join the Dogs of Chernobyl team in Ukraine and work hands on with them as they start to improve the lives of the stray dogs at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

http://cleanfutures.org

https://facebook.com/cleanfutures

Founded 14 years ago in Shabramont, Giza, The Egyptian Society of Animal Friends (ESAF) has been bringing not only essential care to the stray and abandoned animals in their area but also much need awareness to animal welfare issues.

ESAF provides spay and neuter services to roughly 3,000 animals and adopts out 150 animals every year. With the help of 6 volunteers and 17 employees, ESAF has been able to bring humane education to local citizens, push animal welfare legislation, and serve as an essential resource for local animal owners and non-profits.

SPCA International is proud to support The Egyptian Society of Animal Friends and their continuous work through our Shabramont, as well as help fund their trap-neuter-release program.

www.facebook.com/esaf.egypt 

Founded in 2015 in Ardea, Italy, SPCA Italia Protezione Animali has been bringing much need care and support to the abandoned and abused animals in their area. 

With the help of 10 volunteers, SPCA Italia Protezione Animali rescues and cares for roughly 120 animals every year.  From pigeons to livestock every animal is under their protection. In addition to their tireless rescue work, SPCA Italia Protezione Animali also provides humane education to promote the ethical treatment of animals and combat cruelty.

SPCA International is proud to support SPCA Italia Protezione Animali as they bring medical care to the animals affected by the earthquake. 

https://spcaitalia.jimdo.com/

https://www.facebook.com/spcaitalia.protezioneanimali/

Sneha’s Care is located in the city of Lalitpur in Nepal and has been bringing essential medical care and shelter to the animals of Bagmati for 2 and a half years.

The mission of Sneha’s Care is to increase awareness of animal welfare issues, provide humane education, and improve the standards of care for all animals. With the help of 12 employees, Sneha’s Care provides medical care, rescue, rehabilitation, and adoption services to over 3000 animals every year. The animals that come to Sneha’s Care are dogs, cats, cattle, monkeys, and birds.

SPCA International is proud to support this wonderful organization as they work tirelessly to provide emergency medical care to 15 cows that were caught in a terrible fire.

http://www.snehacare.org

www.facebook.com/snehazcare

http://www.snehacare.com

Founded over 4 years ago in Queensland, Australia, the Australian Pet Welfare Foundation aims to cut down on the 60,000+ cats that are euthanized every year, that’s 85-95% percent of cats brought into municipal pounds annually.

 With the help of 20 volunteers and 3 part-time employees, the Australian Pet Welfare Foundation is working tirelessly to implement a trap-neuter-vaccinate-release program to humanely decrease the estimated 1-2 million stray cat population. This program will in-turn decrease the amount of stray cats brought into shelters who will ultimately be euthanized. The Australian Pet Welfare Foundation hopes that through execution and thorough research of this program in a local area that they will be able to implement this program on a national scale.

 SPCA International is proud to stand with the Australian Pet Welfare Foundation as they work to improve the lives of community cats and decrease their overwhelming euthanasia rate. 

www.petwelfare.org.au

 www.facebook.com/PetWelfareFoundation