Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Its purpose is to celebrate and encourage giving. It is a new holiday tradition and a movement defined by a crusade of philanthropists all giving to charity on the same day.
This year, you don’t have to start the holiday season by spending hours in line and being elbowed by your neighbors for the best deal. Instead, start your holiday season off with an act of generosity.
Join us to celebrate #GivingTuesday on December 3, 2019 by planning to include SPCA International in the gifts you make on that day. (We recommend you mark your calendar with a reminder to donate on SPCAI.org.) We hope you will plan to make donations to many of your favorite charities. By starting your holiday season with acts of generosity, you might just find this is the best holiday season yet.
Since 2004, BETA has been working to create a cruelty-free
city through education and activism. 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.
SPCA International has been partnering with BETA since 2016
in support of the over 800 homeless dogs and cats that BETA cares for.
In September 2018, BETA received an eviction notice from
their current shelter site; putting all the animals in their care at risk once
again. In early 2019, BETA received permitting approval for a new shelter
location but the land is entirely undeveloped. BETA has until December 2019 to
build a new facility and move their animal population.
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.
“We are proud to give BETA $100,000 for their innovative new
shelter. Their task ahead is difficult and their timeline is tight. We hope
this grant will help propel them toward the finish line and inspire others to
give generously,” explains Meredith Ayan, Executive Director, SPCA
International.
The funding is distributed through SPCAI’s Shelter Support Fund which supports and partners with underfunded animal welfare organizations in the U.S. and worldwide to increase their impact. Since 2007, SPCAI has assisted animal shelters and rescue groups in every U.S. state and over 60 countries around the world.
SPCA International provides Operation Military Pets grants to help military families transport pets to new duty stations.
Victoria is a U.S. Army soldier, a single mother of two, and an animal lover. Her orders recently took her from North Carolina to South Korea!
The Army paid for most of Victoria’s moving expenses, but none of the thousands of dollars it cost to move her pets. She reached out to SPCA International for help transporting her five-year-old German Shepherd mix, A.J. and SPCA International was able to provide her with a grant to help cover the unexpectedly high transportation costs.
Victoria and her children simply couldn’t imagine leaving A.J. behind. They have been through a lot together. A.J. came down with Parvo when she was a puppy and Victoria nursed her through it. The entire family takes walks together, and A.J. is part of a pet family that includes another dog, a cat, and two bearded dragons!
Now, settled in South Korea but still adjusting to their new life, the entire family looks forward to coming home to see A.J. and their other pets at the end of the day. Victoria shares that her pets are part of their family, and they help teach her children responsibility, love and care. They couldn’t imagine living in a new place without their pets.
Victoria is so grateful for the support provided by SPCA International and is happy that her entire family was able to stay together and make it to South Korea.
While visiting our partners AMA in Guatemala a dog was in urgent need of rescue. Watch Ofelia’s amazing transformation from a scared stray to a happy pup. You won’t want to miss this!
This video will warm your heart! U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Morgan didn’t hesitate when Dani needed someone to care for her. They have come a long way from Eastern Europe, but they are together again in Pennsylvania. We wonder, will Dani’s tail will ever stop wagging?
Nothing says summer like a pool party. Watch as shelter dogs in Argentina are let loose at the pool. We can all identify with their rush to the cool water. Forget the sunscreen, these dogs are ready for a swim with their pals.
The Campaign Against Cruelty to Animals Sierra Leone is an incredible grassroots partner. It was formed in 2005 by concerned animal lovers who are committed to animal safety and health. Founder, Tom Sandi, recently shared the catalyst for this organization.
A dog in Tom’s community had eaten her own pups due to starvation. The owner ordered her killed and she was tied up so local youths could throw rocks at her and beat her with sticks. She escaped the rope and ran into Tom’s home to hide. He protected the dog, fed her, and knew he had to do something to protect other animals like her.
Protecting dogs and cats was a novel concept at the time, but Tom was able to find a few community members who supported his idea. Today, the organization is managed by a five-member board of directors and has a group of dedicated volunteers.
The volunteers distribute food and medical supplies, but also focus on education. They have reached over 5,000 people through education and advocacy and regularly visit local elementary schools to teach compassion and animal care. They also have 20 “Animal Kindness Clubs” across the country with approximately 1,000 members.
Recently, SPCA International sent medication and pet supplies to Sierra Leone. They were distributed throughout the entire Kenema District in Freetown. Medication reached almost every family dog in the district through a week-long effort.
Many families in Sierra Leone can’t afford medication and veterinary care. That is why outside help is so important. Without it, most animals wouldn’t receive even basic veterinary care.
With support from SPCA International, the campaign is able to increase their reach and save more lives.
Thanks to many generous sponsors, approximately 500 dogs of Chernobyl received critical medical treatment this month. Along with our partner organization, Clean Futures Fund, and many dedicated Ukrainian nationals we held a successful three-week event focused on increasing the health and well-being of the dogs of Chernobyl.
I continue to be grateful to everyone involved in making this work possible. From North American donors and volunteers, to local veterinarians and power plant workers, the humanity of this operation is evident.
Since everyone can’t make it to Chernobyl, I would like to share some of my impressions from this latest trip. I could go on for pages, but a few things stuck out that warmed my heart.
First, I saw Symona, one of the dogs featured recently for sponsorship. Though she was spayed last year, this year she received updated vaccines, antiparasitic medication, and we tested her radiation levels to make sure she was safe.
We’ll continue caring for Symona to ensure she remains healthy. She lives near the cooling tower, where two friendly guards make sure she gets something to eat most days.
Second, our catching team continues to amaze me. This group of about eight people is made up of North American volunteers, a local translator, and a local veterinarian. Though some dogs come right up to them, many dogs hide in the overgrown forests and abandoned houses in and around Chernobyl.
To protect themselves from radiation, the team has to be very careful. They can’t place supplies on the ground, and they all wear long sleeves and pants. They have handled the near 100-degree days of the past few weeks amazingly well. Without them, none of this would be possible. Now in our third year of sterilizing and providing medical care, over 1300 dogs of Chernobyl have received treatment.
Last, but not least, our efforts in Chernobyl are truly making a difference. Though a few dogs remain unsterilized, the vast majority of dogs in the area are no longer reproducing. With fewer puppies being born, fewer dogs suffer.
On this trip, I found myself right under the unit 4 reactor where about eight dogs were roaming. Just two years ago, there were dozens of dogs in this location. The power plant workers used to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of dogs and couldn’t care for them all. With the reduced numbers of dogs, the workers can care for them all without the constant threat of more mouths to feed. It is truly a testament to what can be accomplished through partnership and hard work on behalf of animals in need.
Check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for photo and video updates taken during the 2019 Dogs of Chernobyl clinic!
As you roll out the barbeque and fireworks, don’t forget your pet’s safety! July 5th is one of the busiest days for shelters across the country with a 30% increase in lost pets because many spooked pets flee their homes amidst explosions and smoke. This video rounds up some of the best 4th of July pet safety tips.
Are you hooked on the new HBO series Chernobyl? All of us at SPCA International are watching closely. Even though we have been working in the area for several years, the series is captivating.
When thousands of people were forced to evacuate Chernobyl in 1986, they were allowed to take only what they could carry. They were told they would be home soon, so most people left their pets behind with a little extra food and water. Unfortunately, these families were never allowed to return for their beloved cats and dogs.
Miraculously, many pets survived the disaster on their own. Today, hundreds of their descendants continue to live in the Nuclear Exclusion Zone. These animals live short and difficult lives. They forage for food in the forests or depend on current power plant workers to give them scraps. Dogs rarely live to seven years old.
Since 2017, SPCAI has partnered with Clean Futures Fund to care for these dogs and cats. Thanks to the support of local organizations and many volunteers from around the world, we have been able to provide food, medical care, vaccines, and sterilizations to over 800 of the dogs and cats living in Chernobyl.
Clean Futures Fund worked diligently to test radiation levels of these animals. They found that the majority of animals don’t pose a radiation threat to humans. Thanks to these very low radiation levels, Clean Futures Fund and SPCA International worked with the Ukrainian government to pave the way for 15 puppies to be removed from the Nuclear Exclusion Zone. These puppies were adopted into homes in the U.S. last year! No animal or object had ever been allowed to leave the Nuclear Exclusion Zone before, so this is groundbreaking.
Our team is heading back to the Nuclear Exclusion Zone next month to help more Chernobyl dogs and cats. Please join our email list to learn more about ways you can help or make a donation to help the dogs and cats of Chernobyl.
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