We are thoroughly delighted and excited to announce that SGAR have now united with GAWT (http://www.gawt.org/) I went back to South Goa Oct 2009 for 10 weeks and heard about GAWT (registered charity) after meeting with Janie (who run’s the Canacona branch near Palolem) and spending time at the shelter, we agreed it would be a fantastic idea to merge SGAR with GAWT as any funds raised through SGAR would go straight to where it’s really needed and exactly where I first intended when setting up SGAR. Any donations made through SGAR from now on will go straight to the Canacona branch of GAWT and every penny will go directly to the animals of South Goa. GAWT are now running an incredible ‘sponsor a dog’ programme. For £85.00 per annum (approx £1.63 per week) an animal (which the sponsor gets to name) receives total care at the shelter and the donation will cover their food, bed & medicine for the year. GAWT send out regular updates to all sponsors. This is such a fantastic programme as for such a small cost the animals are completely cared for as the shelter relies purely on the kindness of donations. So thank you to GAWT for the love and care you show to all animals in Goa.
About GAWT
GAWT (Goa Animal Welfare Trust) is a registered non-profit non-government animal welfare organisation based in Goa, India.
It was founded in 1999 in response to the barbaric method of randomly shooting stray dogs in the streets. A group of concerned animal lovers got together who wanted to alleviate the suffering of injured and sick animals in South Goa, and to help reduce the number of stray dogs in the state. Thus was born Goa Animal Welfare Trust.
We answer animal emergency calls for rabid dogs, accident victims and abandoned dogs as well as running a very successful Pet Adoption scheme which re-homes healthy pups and adult dogs.
We also collect and sterilise up to 2000 stray dogs annually under the Indian Government’s ABC (Animal Birth Control) programme. If you calculate that each of these dogs would have either fathered or given birth to a litter, and that they in turn would father or give birth to their own litters within 12 months, then you can understand why we are proud of our work in this area, which ensures a stable population of happy and healthy dogs.
The very successful Anti-Rabies Vaccination Programme started by us several years ago continues to be part of our dedication to social work in South Goa. This mobile unit organises visits between September and June to nearly 40 villages, with the cooperation of the local Church, to offer subsidized anti-rabies vaccinations to owners of pet dogs. We are always deeply grateful to the Priests, Panchayats and J.C.’s who help us by publicising these Camps as we strive to achieve a rabies-free Goa.
If you are in South Goa, you may have seen many of the dogs on the beaches have a ‘V’ cut in one of their ears, which indicates that they have been sterilised and vaccinated by GAWT.
As a registered charity, GAWT receives some financial help from government agencies; however, we do depend very heavily on voluntary donations.
A recent update on SGAR in Goa 09/10
While I’m in South Goa (I went back again in March for 6 weeks) I have many dogs up & down the beach I look out for and try and worm as many as possible while I’m there, while also educating the locals who have dogs about the importance of worming their pets monthly. I give all the dogs human worming tablets from the local pharmacy as it makes no difference but cost a little bit more approx 8 rupees a pill.
While I was there in 2009 a lovely dog who I named Skinny Bum (for obvious reasons!) showed up on my balcony in the middle of the night, my friends in Goa used to joke that all the dogs on the beach would talk about me to tell each other that I would always give out fresh water, food & medicine to any 4 legged creature! So I think Skinny Bum found me through his friends! He was very skinny and had a lame back leg he couldn’t walk on. I gave him milk everyday and fed him eggs & chicken and integrated him with the other dogs in the place I was staying by feeding them all together and when I went back in March he was incredible! So strong and a great guard dog for the beach huts/restaurant he now lived at and he even found himself a girlfriend! Skinny Bum remembered me even though I didn’t stay back in the same place but he would always sneak over to where I was staying for a cuddle.
There are so many dogs in South Goa I fell in love with and would make sure they had lots of love & cuddles. I feel it’s really important that tourists visiting Goa know about GAWT where they can call if they find an animal in distress or volunteer at the shelter and any donations big or small is so greatly appreciated. I’m so thrilled that SGAR can come together with GAWT and look forward to lots of fund raising and creating awareness in the future.
Join us on facebook
SGAR - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=14707046518&ref=search
GAWT - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Palolem-India/Goa-Animal-Welfare-Trust/10150102599660165
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