100% of your donation goes directly to our partner organizations; we have 0% overhead. Read below to find out how your donations are appreciated and put to good use by our partners. To donate to AKI, please go to http://www.animal-kind.org/supportus.html or send a check or money order made out to Animal-Kind International, and mail to PO Box 300, Jemez Springs, New Mexico 87025 USA. If you'd like, you can choose which AKI partner organization(s) you would like your donation to be sent to (Uganda, Ghana, Namibia, Botswana, Sudan, Jamaica, Honduras, Armenia, Bosnia).
Thank you for forwarding this newsletter on to friends and family!
Dear Friends of AKI,
With so much sad news coming from the Gulf of Mexico about the BP oil spill, it's easy to feel helpless. Is there anything we can do to effect change? This newsletter brings you stories of hope--our partners continue to amaze us, they accomplish so much with so little. If you are looking for a way to strengthen your sense of hopefulness, please read below and consider becoming part of the AKI community by donating to one or more of our partners' efforts:
http://www.animal-kind.org/advocates.html
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Please take a minute to look at this new addition to the AKI website about our supporters and the fun things they are doing to help raise funds and visibility for AKI and AKI partner organizations. Our supporters' page can be reached by going to the AKI home page, and clicking the link by the story about Boysie in Jamaica:
http://www.animal-kind.org/index.html
Hot off the presses: Victoria, tells us she is in training for a marathon in April 2011 for which she will raise money to support AKI partner organizations! Victoria is going to set up a Facebook page so we can all track her progress and send our encouragement. Also, we'll make sure to update our AKI supporters' page with information on Victoria's marathon training.
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Dogs seem to dominate news stories about animals. Too often, cats take a back seat to dogs. Not in this edition of the AKI newsletter! Below we bring you cat stories from our AKI partner organizations.
Deborah with Kingston Community Animal Welfare sent this picture and story about a kitty family she is helping.
This is a family of cats that were thrown over the walls of a prison near the bank where I work in Kingston. One of the boys who helps me with the dogs picked them up. He says they throw them all the time! I didn't know! By the time you read this, the mama kitty will be spayed, and I’ll get those kittens soon too. And now that I know people dump cats here, I hope to be able to help many more--I'll be able to get them food, spay/neuter them, and find them permanent homes. Thanks AKI for helping me buy food for mama and those kitties--they sure are looking healthy.
And yes! that is Deborah behind those dark sunglasses.
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Pilar with Helping Hands for Hounds of Honduras told us about the 4 cats she currently has at her sanctuary. They are all males, all have been neutered, and AKI has helped with their care.
Tiger is a gray-striped tabby who was abandoned in a cardboard box at the university when about a month old. A student heard a noise and rescued the kittens. All were adopted except Tiger since he had a collapsed intestine with part of his large intestine outside, flies and messy and smelly! Finally after several trips to the vet, reintroducing little by little the intestine, he is fine and has been here about 4 years.
Polito was thrown down a storm drain and was extremely thin and full of fleas when I pulled him out. He is now beautiful with big yellow eyes. He looks like he is half asleep most of the time and is best buddies with Tommy. He spends most of his time with my neighbor, Letty, and follows her everywhere she goes like a puppy. In fact her two daughters look for Polito to figure out where their mom is.
Tommy is a black and white cat who is extremely friendly and laid back. He was left as a tiny kitten, thin and full of fleas in a parking lot for taxis, where he was meowing and meowing while I was rescuing a very sick dog. I asked the taxi drivers and they said someone had dumped him there so I picked him up. He loves everybody and plays constantly with Polito and Barack, a rescued puppy, who lives with Letty right now. He lets anyone pick him up and then flops on his back to have his tummy rubbed. Both he and Polito have been here about 3 years.
Midnight is pitch-black and has beautiful yellow-green eyes. He is a sweetheart and has been here about 5 years. I rescued him after he and his brother were orphaned at 5 or 6 days old when their mother was poisoned along with lots of other dogs and cats at the university. They were both covered in maggots and very sick and weak. The brother died the next day, but I bought a baby bottle and gave it to Medianoche (Midnight) every two or three hours until he could eat on his own. He is sweet and lovable with me but standoffish with others.
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A young volunteer at the Uganda Society for the Protection & Care of Animals shelter, Elvis, is a budding photographer. He’s trying his hand at animal photos and sent us some beautiful kitty photos from the USPCA shelter, The Haven. To see more of Elvis’s photos, go to
http://www.animal-kind.org/ugandaadvocate.html
And we thank Elvis’s sister, Suzanna, for the information about the kitties and for all the great work she does at The Haven to socialize the dogs and cats, and make them feel safe and loved! AKI sends the USPCA financial support and supplies to help care for the cats and dogs at The Haven.
 This is Blackie- she was abandoned by her Italian owners at the Haven. She is a very loving cat and likes to play with anything that can make a sound. She will only do this when she feels like it and when she thinks she is alone.
Kittie cat- She is sweet and bouncy. She gets on with any kitten that is put in the cattery.
Momi is the mother to five kittens (she was pregnant when she arrived at The Haven) that she has raised well and even has taken on four from another cat. She is a sweetheart. A little shy at first but than she will start to rub up on you within minutes.
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Suze from Bosnia Animal Foundation sent us Fritz's Story. AKI sends financial support, sutures for spay/neuter and other surgeries, and supplies to use at BAF-supported animal shelters and during BAF spay/neuter clinics.
In Orasje, where we have our home-base shelter, a young woman lives there and cares for the street cats in town. Most of the time she has a few around the house and some inside who need extra care. She is called Vedrana, and she is a very sweet and devoted girl.
Vedrana told Svjetlana from the shelter about Fritz (photo above), an older male cat who had lived in front of the barbershop downtown for years. He lived there together with his little white girlfriend. We sterilized them before, so they would not have children anymore. The barber took care of them, and Svjetlana brought them food on a regular basis. We knew Fritz and his ladyfriend for some time, and he cuddled us when we passed all the time. The lady-cat was shy, and did not want any attention. The barber retired and asked the new owner to take over the care for the cute cats, which were also inside the shop when the weather would turn. The new owner said he would, so there would be no problems for the two cats.
After a few days the cats were removed from the shop, of course the new owner was not taking care of them, and chased them away. The new owner hit the little lady with his car on purpose and she died. Fritz was in danger. Vedrana and Svjetlana were in horror. The new owner threatened to poison Fritz, and he warned them to take the cat or he would kill it.
Vedrana took Fritz home, but being a cat that is used to live in the streets, he did not like staying inside. And when he could go outside to get some fresh air, he would immediately go back to the shop because that had been his home for years!
Unfortunately Fritz tested positive for cat-aids. We were very sad. But we knew we had to do something quick to make sure Fritz could be safe and happy for his remaining years. Fritz is now living with an older lady in Bosnia, she has many cats and dogs who will never be able to find a home because they are disabled or sick. He is very lucky. It is somewhere far from the barbershop, so no walking back for him!
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As always, we are so grateful for your support. Please feel free to contact me at karen@animal-kind.org with any questions or comments about AKI. We are happy to update you about how our partner organizations use your contributions.
Very Sincerely Yours,
Karen Menczer, Director
&
the AKI Board
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