Animal-Kind International

AKI supports HHHH's animal sanctuary, the Nereida Montes de Oca Refuge in Tegucigalpa, which rescues and cares for dogs and cats that are dumped on the streets, that are hit by cars and left to die, and others in desperate need of rescue. HHHH helps the most difficult cases, those who no one else will, cares for them as long as needed, including providing spay/neuter once they're healthy. The Refuge typically has about 25 dogs and a few cats residing there. HHHH has a school humane ed iprogram, and trains young adults to rescue animals and to spread the concept, within their own communities, of kindness to animals.

AKI supports the Save the Animals shelter in Yerevan, Armenia, by providing funds for dog food, for renovations of shelter infrastructure, heating bills (so important during Armenia's cold winters), and for vet care, including spay/neuter. Save the Animals-Armenia also feeds and spays/neuters street dogs and cats to address the source of the problem--people who let their dogs and cats roam and who refuse to s/n. The SAA shelter has about 35 dogs, most of them very old, and at this point, essentially not adoptable. They can live their lives out, being care for, at the SA-Armenia shelter.

AKI supports the Uganda SPCA's shelter, The Haven. AKI financial support covers about 1/3 of the operating costs of The Haven, including staff salaries, cat and dog food, electricity, water, phone, bills, shelter rent, and other priority needs of The Haven. Our Land Fund has raised money so that the USPCA can expand the shelter and actually own the property rather than rent it. In 2021, the USPCA was able to purchase a 2.08 acre plot in Kajjansi (outside of Kampala, on the way to Entebbe). We are now raising money for the construction and moving phases.

We provide humane education support to Ghana SPCA, including field trips for Humane Ed students so they can get hands-on, in-person experience with animals and people who work with them. We also support their in-school Humane Ed Program by funding the reproduction of Humane Ed manuals for every student, transport for HE mentors who provide direction to the teachers and students, and small stipends for HE teachers.

AKI financial support provides funds for LAWCS's Humane Education and Community Animal Care Clinics in Lofa County. Our funds provide small stipends for LAWCS volunteers, Humane Ed material, vet supplies, fuel for motorbikes, and other priority needs for the LAWCS program. Our support for LAWCS Community Animal Care Clinics provides the only basic animal care available in Lofa County. At these community clinics, pet owners get their pets vaccinated, treated for internal and external parasites, and treated for wounds, skin, ear, and eye problems, all for free.

We support Bam's donkey welfare work, including training donkey owners to make and use humane saddles out of sisal sacks and community vet clinics, providing free treatment to donkeys in Bam's target districts and sub-counties in eastern Uganda. Most of the donkey owners helped by Bam are women who rely on their donkeys to carry produce to and from market and water to their homes. In the areas where Bam works, donkeys are the main source of transportation-the road network is so poor and the topography so steep. Even though people rely on donkeys for their livelihoods, they normally provide minimal, if any care. Bam is changing that.

We support the Sauvons nos Animaux animal shelter in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo, by providing funds for spay/neuter and other vet care, dog and cat food for the approximately 200 animals at the shelter, shelter infrastructure improvements, and other SnA priority needs. The Sauvons nos Animaux is the only animal shelter in the eastern DR Congo, and may be the only animal shelter in the entire expanse of the DRC. The shelter also has a Kids Club, where disadvantaged kids visit the shelter to learn about animals, animal care, and to help with shelter tasks. This is the only opportunity for them to learn about dogs and cats, dispel false and harmful beliefs about cats and dogs, and to take responsibility for other beings.

Our grant program provides support to existing (at least 3 years in operation) animal welfare organizations in Africa based on a proposal submitted during our open season. In both 2020 and 2021, we provided grants to nine organizations. These grants provide some of the only funding available for many animal welfare organizations in Africa.

Have a Heart is dedicated to providing spay/neuter services in remote communities in Namibia. We support an AKI-HaH Emergency Fund so that HaH clients who need help beyond s/n --specifically in emergency situations--can access vet care. We also support HaH's Lifetime Care Program, whereby all returning s/n clients are guaranteed booster shots and preventive parasite treatment for life. These are the two main budget shortfalls that HaH has identified, and that we are filling.