Cape Verde Animal Shelter Receives Large Donation From Book Your Pet
Members of the Book Your Pet team recently visited the Associazione Nerina's animal shelter in Cape Verde to deliver supplies that would help to support the work of the association's team.
Alison Goodwin and Steve Fowles, who are based in Cheshire, UK, delivered the goods to the shelter in March on behalf of Book Your Pet and its partners.
The donation, which was worth more than $800, consisted of various items contributed by members of the Book Your Pet team, including founders Ralph and Anita, and friends of Book Your Pet.
The donation was made up of the following items:
- Dog treats
- Cat treats
- Needles and syringes for the shelter's veterinary team
- A Mud Daddy pump wash
- Lick matts
- Peanut butter
- Dog food
- Dog toys
- Cat food
- Medical supplies, including gauze
Speaking about the donation, Alison said: "A lot of people don't realise that a lot of airlines - if you're going to another country - will give you a per-person allowance of additional weight in your luggage to bring supplies to charities for free if you supply the charity details and some documentation.
"You don't have to pay for it and people don't realise that which means more people could be supporting charities overseas when travelling - which is what we did."
During their visit, Alison and Steve met with the team at Associazione Nerina to find out more about the work they do to help the island's cat and dog populations.
About Associazione Nerina's Animal Shelter
The association is geared towards the protection and defence of animals, in particular domestic animals, from mistreatment and abandonment, along with developing social solidarity between humans and animals.
The association's shelter in Cape Verde is named after a crossbreed who, at the age of two and a half, had already given birth to three litters on the island. She had given birth to the last of her litters, which consisted of five puppies, under a dumpster. Sadly, four of the puppies died, leaving just one female puppy alive.
After the association's team attended to and treated the little puppy (later named Puce), they realised the reality of the island's local veterinary situation.
Concerned by the situation, and almost a year after the premature death of Nerina, Associazione Nerina was formed. Its goals were to:
- Construct an animal shelter for all disadvantaged animals with a veterinary practice and large recovery areas.
- Provide care, behavioral assessments, and pathways towards rehousing and adoption (these services are offered in collaboration with AAB and offer the fundamental requirements necessary for moving stray dogs from the street to responsible adoption).
- To fund neutering campaigns with the help of foreign veterinarians.
The animal shelter is not seen as a detention centre, but as a temporary environment that provides opportunities to meet, connect, and grow for both the animals and their new owners.
The Association is supported through the contribution of its volunteers, the generosity of its supporters, and the availability of its veterinarians.
Veterinary Practice
Associazione Nerina provides free care and prevention campaigns to improve animal health as well as animal-human interactions. The veterinary practice delivers medicine and general surgery, prophylactic de-parasitation and vaccinations, and neutering campaigns.
Godparents
Associazione Nerina makes local animal adoption easier by offering support to help with costs.
The association's financial support makes giving a dog a home and taking care of its health easier without having to worry about the costs. As benefactors, the animal shelter team are also able to better track the situation of stray dogs and the health of these animals.
By reducing the number of strays as well as the associated diseases, people on the island also benefit.
Boarding Kennels
The shelter offers boarding kennels for domestic dogs and cats for temporary stays.
Guest animals staying at the shelter contribute in a fundamental way, helping their less fortunate friends by ensuring the sustainability of the project.
Find out more about Associzaiona Nerina here.
The Book Your Pet team hope to provide further donations to Associazione Nerina and other animal charities later in the year. If you would like to make a contribution, please contact Alison via email at alison@bookyourpet.com.