Archives: Shelter

Valley Wildlife Care is a non-profit, volunteer organization serving the San Fernando Valley and surrounding areas of Southern California.  It is dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating native wildlife species and releasing them back into their natural environment. 

Wildlife need rescue for a multitude of reasons, both natural and human caused.  They can be hit by cars, fall out of nests, or be injured by other animals, to name just a few of the misadventures that befall VWC patients.

Valley Wildlife Care volunteers are licensed, trained, and experienced in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.  They work closely with veterinarians to give the best emergency and ongoing care for every animal: this often requires around-the-clock feeding of baby birds and other animals.  The ultimate goal of this careful rehab is the release of all patients back into the wild.

VWC is in the midst of an ambitious expansion that will allow them to treat and save many more animals.  SPCA International is proud to honor this program for its important work on behalf of Southern California’s native wildlife, and pleased that the Shelter of the Week grant will help contribute hospital equipment for the clinic expansion.

You can donate to this organization by sending a check to:
Valley Wildlife Care
6520 Platt Ave. #203
West Hills, CA 91307

Web site
www.valleywildlifecare.org

Ever After Mustang Rescue has functioned since 2002 as a refuge for unwanted, neglected and abused mustangs. Wild horses removed from western rangelands by the Bureau of Land Management and transported to Eastern States for adoption sometimes face the threat of shipping to slaughter.  Ever After Mustang Rescue intervenes on behalf of these horses and provides rehabilitation and training so that the mustangs may be placed in loving, permanent homes.  About three horses are adopted out to carefully selected homes each year.  Horses that cannot be adopted due to age, health, or safety issues (three to five per year) are given a lifelong home on the 63-acre ranch.

The organization provides education about training and handling to potential adopters.  It also strives, through presentations to schools and other groups, to promote awareness of and interest in the unique value of the mustang to American culture and history.  Finally, Ever After offers special hands-on opportunities for at-risk youth to interact with gentled mustangs, which the organization’s founder believes offers restorative healing to both horse and human.

SPCA International is proud to honor this program for its innovative efforts to protect and serve America’s mustangs.   

Ever After Mustang Rescue
463 West St.
Biddeford, ME 04005

Web site
Ever After Mustang Rescue

The Best Little Cat House in PA is devoted to providing shelter and personal care to cats that would likely be euthanized otherwise due to age or terminal illness.  Many of the cats living out their lives in comfort and security thanks to this organization are FIV or Feline Leukemia positive.  These infectious diseases would be a death sentence at most other shelters, but at The Best Little Cat House in PA, the cats are housed in a separate, spacious area and cared for according to their medical – and social – needs.

The shelter also contains a Bunny Room and a Wildlife Room, where domestic rabbits and wild squirrels, rabbits, and possums are housed and cared for.  Domestic rabbits are adopted whenever possible.  Wild animals (many of them orphaned babies) are cared for until they can be released back into their natural environment. 

SPCA International is proud to honor this shelter for its innovative efforts to offer a wonderful quality of life to terminally ill cats and other vulnerable animals. 

The Best Little Cat House in PA
P.O. Box 6346
Harrisburg, PA 17112

Web site
The Best Little Cat House in PA

Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (BETA) has been working since 2004 toward an “animal cruelty-free Beirut” through education and activism.  BETA rescues abused and abandoned companion animals (primarily dogs and cats) and finds them lasting, loving homes.  The organization also conducts Trap, Neuter, Return programs to reduce the overpopulation of stray dogs and cats.

Other animals, victims of illegal wildlife trade (including baboons, vervets, macaques, a hyena, and a lion) have also been rescued as BETA works to combat this insidious business and the abusive pet shops that promote it.

SPCA International is proud to honor this program for its hard work to protect all animals in Lebanon.  The Shelter of the Week grant will be used to expand the Trap, Neuter, Return program that is the cornerstone of BETA’s work.

Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (BETA) 

The Stray Cat Alliance is dedicated to the care and protection of stray and feral cats in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. The organization is involved in public education about feral cats, and encourages residents to get involved with caring for feral cat colonies in their areas (including helping with TNR, or Trap, Neuter, Return, programs).  It also provides funds for medical care of injured or ill stray cats, and facilitates adoptions of treated stray cats.

The organization educates about the benefits of spaying and neutering, and conducts free spay/neuter clinics to encourage people to get their pets sterilized.  It is the vision of the Stray Cat Alliance to eventually achieve a "No Kill Nation,” where feral cats are cared for and prevented from breeding, and every healthy or treatable companion animal has a home.

SPCA International is proud to honor this program for its tireless efforts on behalf of stray and feral cats.   

The Stray Cat Alliance
P.O. Box 661277
Los Angeles, CA 90066

Web site
Stray Cat Alliance

SummerWinds Stables (SWS) is dedicated to providing sanctuary to homeless, abused, injured, abandoned, and retired horses.  They have rescued more than 150 horses since being founded in 2003.  Their rescues come from a variety of situations: private owner surrenders, animal abuse crimes, and racetracks.  After providing all necessary medical care, rehabilitation and training, SWS works to find permanent, loving homes each horse.  However, SWS is not only dedicated to providing for the needs of equines in its care, but additionally offers outreach programs in the local community.  Through their outreach they give community members both young and old an opportunity to help care for their horses and learn about horses.  They also run a special therapy program enabling emotionally and physically challenged children to receive the horse therapy.  SWS reports that interaction with the horses – many of whom have emotional and physical disabilities as well – has had a profound impact on many of the participating children.

SPCA International is honored to award this exceptional organization with a Shelter of the Week grant.

You can send direct financial contributions to:
Summerwinds Stables
148 Greystone Road
Hartly, DE 19953

Web site
www.summerwindsstables.com

The Sanctuary is home to over 300 animals of 40 different species ranging from native wildlife to exotic wildlife to domestic animals. Many of the wild residents were injured or orphaned at the hands of humans in their native habitat or have been rescued from illegal breeding operations, fur farms, irresponsible “pet” owners and the entertainment industry. The Sanctuary provides a lifelong home for these animals, free from further abuse and exploitation.  In addition, 20-30 “unadoptable” dogs and cats from area shelters and humane societies, as well as feral puppies and kittens, are taken in each year for extensive rehabilitation and socialization training so that permanent homes with loving families can be found.

Besides serving as an animal care facility and shelter, the Sanctuary offers vital community outreach and education. Walking tours led by volunteers tell the life stories of resident animals and educate on the plight of their wild brethren, many species of which are threatened or endangered. Each year nearly 3,000 local students participate in Spirit of the Hills’ Outdoor Learning Center, which integrates ecology, animal welfare and conservation in a unique hands-on learning experience.  Rural schoolchildren from South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska (who often don’t have access to a metropolitan zoo) get to experience wild animals up close. The Sanctuary also offers at-risk youth and juvenile offenders sentenced to community service the unique experience of working with and around animals, thus promoting the development of mutual understanding and respect between all human and animal life.

In light of the recent sanctioning of mountain lion sport hunting in South Dakota, the Sanctuary is dedicated to raising awareness about human and pet safety living in mountain lion country and the vital importance these great cats play in our ecosystem.

SPCA International is proud to honor Spirit of the Hills for its dedication to protecting animals of all kinds via lifelong care and shelter, rehabilitation, and public education.  We are pleased that the Shelter of the Week grant will be used to construct a nursery area for feral kittens and puppies needing extensive care and socialization.

You can donate to this organization by sending a check to:
Spirit of the Hills Wildlife Sanctuary
500 N. Tinton Road
Spearfish, SD 57783

Web site
Spirit of the Hills Wildlife Sanctuary

Soundwatch is a program of The Whale Museum, based in the San Juan Islands of Washington State.  The waters surrounding the San Juans (and Canada’s Gulf Islands), known as the Salish Sea, comprise one of the most popular,  and highly trafficked, whale watching areas in the world.  The Soundwatch Boater Education Program was created to help mitigate the potentially deleterious effects of boat traffic on marine species, especially the killer whales (orcas) that reside year-round in the Salish Sea.

Soundwatch educates commercial and private boaters (at boat shows, commercial tour operations, citizen stewardship groups, etc.) via presentations and distribution of guidelines on responsible vessel operation.  The program also sends volunteers into the water nearly every day of the whale watching season: they approach vessels to offer information on the best way to enjoy wildlife without disturbing it, they monitor and report incidences of irresponsible boater conduct around protected wildlife and habitat, and their presence encourages better compliance with regulations.  Furthermore, Soundwatch vessels act as scientific platforms to collect data which helps inform changing guidelines to better protect the endangered orcas and other species.

SPCA International is proud to honor this program for its innovative efforts to protect orcas.

You can donate to this organization by sending a check to:
The Whale Museum
P.O. Box 945
Friday Harbor, WA 98250-0945

Web site
www.whalemuseum.org

Tanzania Animal Welfare Society works to prevent all forms of animal cruelty. The Society addresses societal causes for poor animal welfare: they push for humane legislation, implement public awareness campaigns, provide humane animal education in schools, and provide veterinary care to pet and homeless animals.  Tanzania Animal Welfare Society will use the SPCA International grant funds to implement an emergency campaign to combat cruel extermination methods, including shooting and poisoning, currently being employed in their area against stray dogs and cats.  Their campaign will combine a trap, neuter and release program with humane education for the surrounding community.  SPCA International is proud to support their vital work.

http://www.taweso.blogspot.com/

SPCA Israel is committed to taking in every homeless animal, whether healthy or sick, young or old.  Animals are cared for in the shelter facility and given any medical assistance necessary.  No animal is euthanized if it can be treated.  The organization is also committed to educating the public towards greater compassion and tolerance, and to building bridges between humans and animals.  They have been successful in facilitating the adoptions of hundreds and hundreds of animals.

SPCA International is proud to honor this shelter for its tireless efforts for the welfare of Israel’s homeless and abandoned animals.

SPCA Israel Ramat Gan
4 Hafetz Haim St.
Tel Aviv
Israel 67441

Web site
SPCA Israel