Aanifeira – Associação dos Amigos dos Animais de Santa Maria da Feira Portugal

1. Aanifeira – Associação dos Amigos dos Animais de Santa Maria da FeiraPortugal May 2011 www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

2. Mission Provide clean and safe surroundings for stray and abandoned dogs and cats with the care and attention that each animal deserves together with the necessary follow-up attention after an adoption has been made. Provide the resident dogs (those that are not adopted) with a life of the best comfort available for as long as they live. Pledges to enhance the human-animal bond and to teach and ensure that neutering/spaying is the foremost in animal adoption. www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

3. BACKGROUND • Non-profit / no-kill animal welfare charity • Location: Santa Maria da Feira, northern Portugal • Founded on December 7th, 1999 • 25 year rental free lease agreement on land and buildings (old cattle pavilion) given by local council • Currently housing approx. 400 dogs and a small number of cats • 7 Committee/Managing team out of which 5 are volunteers • 6 full time employees • Monthly running cost Euros 8.000 www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

4. UP UNTIL 2006 VERY DIFFICULT TIMES WERE EXPERIENCED AT AANIFEIRA • Close to 800 animals were housed • Serious overcrowding • No population control • Lack of proper sanitation • Lack of daily veterinary care • Lack of staff • Lack of funding www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

5. TERRIBLE LIVING CONDITIONS Overcrowding Lack of sanitation www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

6. www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

7. 2006NEW VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT TEAM TAKES OVERChanges are implemented • No new dogs were accepted into shelter from the local community • Guidance and help given to people wanting to have their animals adopted without taking them into the shelter • Start of reduction of dog population • Membership campaign gets underway • Refurbishing kennels once used for cattle • Local schools’ education program is put into action • Formal adoption policy put into action • Fostering an animal became possible • Iniciative of ‘Cats & Dogs’ events started • Neutering program for resident animals got underway • Line of Aanifeira merchandising introduced - t-shirts, polos, caps www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

8. 2006NEW DEVELOPMENTS WERE SEEN • New block of 12 boxes was completed through donations of building materials and volunteer work • 70 dogs transferred from a dark enclosure to outside kennels each with small outside area for movement www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

9. 2007LANDSCAPING THE EXERCISE PARK • August 2007 work was completed on fencing in a large outdoor exercise area • Animals were finally released in sessions, some after several years of confinement www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

10. Fundraising Events • Partiesheldat local establishments • Gala dinnersin 2007 & 2008 • AdultandChildrens’ theatricalspectacles • Dinner ‘get-togethers’ for members, staff andvolunteers • Aanifeira 10th AnniversaryDinnerheldonDecember 5th, 2009 • Appearanceofpublic figures & celebritiesat some oftheaboveevents • ParticipationbythreenationallyknownPortuguesecelebritiesindrawingpublicawareness to Aanifeira’s cause and animal welfarein general: • Miguel Vieira – top fashion designer • Ricardo Azevedo – solo singer & guitarist • EZ Special – top national pop rock musicband www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

11. THIS WAS NOT ENOUGH HOWEVER • More work needed to be done: • Campaign for funding – nationally & internationally • Work on adoptions of resident animals • Start neutering/spaying campaign • Recruit new members (fee Euros 15 per annum) • Recruit more fosterers (fee Euros 5 per month) • Find more donations of building materials • Publisize for more donations of gifts for bazaars, local fairs, etc. • Recruit more Volunteers • Work on internet site, blog, newsletter • Ensure Aanifeira was known publicly and that its policies were respected. www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

12. MAJOR PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN GOT UNDERWAY • Regular appearances on the major Portuguese television station • Photographic exposition of Aanifeira’s animals (courtesy of a member) on view in public buildings – later made into a set of beautiful postcards put up for sale • Presence with volunteers at local schools, sporting clubs, cultural/recreational associations and senior community homes • Working closely with local Municipal Council in trying to solve the street dog situation • Annual presence on Aanifeira stand at local community fairs worked by volunteers • Presence on chat shows on local radio stations • Presence in local and national newspapers. www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

13. 2007 Aanifeira Veterinary Clinic opened • Work completed on building a Veterinary Clinic using some donations of building materials as well as basic hospital equipment • Clinic opens exclusively to Aanifeira’s members working with lower prices than those practised by other clinics • Today two full-time vets are employed giving full back-up to 1200 members’ animals as well as resident animals.

14. 2009FUNDING GRANT RECEIVED FROM BRIGITTE BARDOT FOUNDATION • New set of kennels constructed to house dogs kept in central corredor of main pavilion which had little access to sunlight • Capacity to hold 40 dogs www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

15. OCTOBER 4TH, WORLD ANIMAL DAY • Presence on October 4th, 2009 & 2010 to celebrate WORLD ANIMAL DAY • Open days to the members of the public to visit the shelter • Educational visit to local sports ground to explain animal welfare to junior soccer players www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

16. 2009/2010Educational Programs for staff and volunteers introduced • Shelter Care and Medicine, held at Aanifeira • Senior Animal Care, Aanifeira • ITP - International Training Programme, Dogs Trust, U.K. (shelter/animal management) – held in England • OEW – Overseas Education Workshop, Dog’s Trust, U.K. – Focusing on teaching children at schools about animal welfare, held in Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal and included a visit to local school for demonstration • Attendance by two Management Team members to ICAWC – International Companion Animal Welfare Conference held in Prague, Czech Republic in 9-11 Nov 2010 www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

17. International DonationsAanifeira is proud to be associated with other international animal welfare foundations AMCF – Animal MedicalCareFoundation Holland Veterinarymedicine StichtingDierennood Holland Veterinarymedicine Medicalequipment Internationalvolunteers SNIP International England Specialist equipment for use in trap-neuter-return www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

18. 2009 – 2011International Volunteer Internship Program • InternationalvolunteerscomingfromHolland, Belgium, England, ScotlandandAustralia are welcomed to workinthefollowingareas: • Veterinarians • Animal Care • Membersofthepublicwith a loveofanimals • WorkingundertheguidanceoftheAanifeiravetsand staff theylearnthebasicsanddifficultiesofrunning a non-profit/no-kill animal shelter • Registeredwiththe BVA – BritishVeterinaryAssociation as a shelterthatisequipped to receiveveterinaryvolunteers

19. FIRST BOOK RELEASE - DECEMBER 2010“PACO” • Written by Mafalda Damião and addressing all age groups • Recounts the many aspects that concern the treatment of animals in Portugal, covering this in an educational way • Sponsored by Zurich Insurance company www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

20. STATISTICS - MEMBERSAn important asset to a non-profit association www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

21. STATISTICSANIMALS NEUTERED / SPAYEDLAST 3 YEARS Today at Aanifeira, all bitches are spayed with 25% of males neutered www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

22. STATISTICSANIMALS ADOPTED Adoptionshavedecreasedovertheyearsdue to thefactthatpeople are mainlylooking for puppieswhichAanifeira does nothave. www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

23. WHAT WE FACE TODAY • An uphill battle to avoid overcrowding at the shelter • Handling an adult > senior dog population at the shelter • Difficulty in having people adopt an older animal • Stopping abandonment at the doors • Continued fundraising • Drawing public awareness to spay/neutering and vacination of animals • Continued follow-ups on adoptions www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

24. WHERE DO WE GO FOR THE FUTURE • Licensing and certification of Aanifeira Veterinary Clinic for opening to the general public • Renovations in main pavilion area to increase space allowing expansion on current kennel space for animals • Building cattery and boarding kennels to ensure a continued source of income • Renovation to Aanifeira Veterinary Clinic to increase clinic space and install sophisticated equipment i.e. X-Ray machine, Ultrasound whereby increasing customer service to clients. • Expanding the Aanifeira Pet Shop • Grassing the entire outside exercise area in couch grass • Work side by side with one other very small association and the main local pound in controlling the abandoned animal population in the five major districts in the area (Terras de Santa Maria). • Creating responsible dog/cat ownership: matching animal to owner, background checks, home checks, follow-up • Build a sanctuary for unadoptable dogs to live the rest of their lives in freedom • Become an exemplary shelter in Portugal and have the opportunity in helping and giving guidance to other shelters around the country www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

25. OUR THANKS The staff and volunteers that work with Aanifeira give their own time devotely to helping the many unwanted animals that come into the shelter, sometimes in incredible circumstances and situations. They work tirelessly, often facing long hours but all is done with dedication and with one thought in mind to save animals. Animals are special to them and over the years their dedication and work has not gone unnoticed. Aanifeira’s story over the past 11 ½ years has only improved and we believe this is only the beginning. We look forward to a better future and to achieving even greater heights. www.aanifeira.pt http://aanifeira.wordpress.com

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