Amber and Kelly playing and cuddling with the cats….
On Saturdays it is easy to spot Amber and Kelly, both students and cat lovers, in the cats’ cage of the Shelter. As soon as the girls arrive, the cats gallop playfully toward them, and those who might have that special ear, are pretty sure they can hear a feline equivalent of ‘Yeah!! Play and Cuddle time!!’ Seriously though, cats are actually very social beings and need human company with which to interact, play and be loved. It certainly means a lot to them to spend some time with Amber and Kelly who also try to teach kittens that sharp little claws can hurt!
Students choose Shelter for trainee period…
Five students from the Vespucci College, a school for secondary education, chose the Shelter for their social trainee period. They learned of the Shelter’s main activities and other provisions to the community. They also spent a lot of time in ‘Zoë’s Puppy home’ where they could put their love for animals into practice. Naturally the puppies enjoyed being petted and cuddled. As an organization, the CSPA is a fervent supporter of schools which give their students the opportunity to seek information on animal welfare and students who demonstrate their love for animals. Such students invariably make better pet owners as their lives develop.
Committee of Reference established
Four well known persons with an impressive record of service and achievement, combined with a deep concern for the wellbeing of animals, have accepted an invitation from the Dierenbescherming to become members of the Committee of Reference.
To obtain support from official bodies, sponsors and individuals it is of vital importance that we are able to demonstrate that prominent members of the Curaçao and the Dutch community put their trust in the Dierenbescherming.
The committee consists of the following members: Prof. Jaime Saleh, former Governor of the Netherlands Antilles, Enith Brigitha, former Olympic swimming champion, L.L.M. Thom de Graaf, mayor of Nijmegen, the Netherlands and Patrick Kluivert, world famous football professional. We are grateful to each of them for their commitment to the Dierenbescherming.
Prof. Jaime Saleh visited the shelter during the Open House, and received information from Maaike Wermer (ex-board member)
Donation for the Animal Shelter
Before Sandra Beks, owner of the Dogs boutique 'Hippe Hond' (‘Trendy Dog’) in Eindhoven, Holland, departed on her vacation to Curaçao with husband and daughter, she visited the website of the Dierenbescherming. Thereafter, she emailed to Enquire whether the Shelter would have use for some articles from her boutique and naturally the answer was affirmative. Sandra arrived on Curacao with a very heavy box loaded with stainless steel food and water bowls, identification tags and beautiful trendy collars and leashes - a tremendous donation which will be put to good use in the shelter.
From left to right: Faisel Nocento, shelter manager Andrew Berry with shelter pet Canbou (wearing a ‘Trendy Dog’ collar), Sandra Beks and baby Troy.
ORANJE CASINO DONATES F 120,000
For the third consecutive year Oranje Casino, an internet casino that can be visited at www.oranjecasino.com, has supported the ‘Dierenbescherming’ with a substantial amount of money.
Thanks to the Casino players who themselves choose the good cause to which they donate their bonus points, the donation for 2008 is more than f 120,000. This gives the society the fantastic opportunity to organize various important projects. First of all the dog kennels at the Shelter which have been repaired many times, but remain in a very bad condition, will be completely renovated.
With this donation the OPSC project (Operation Pet and Stray Control), which could not be undertaken last year, can be continued. This project has as main objective the education of the local populace about the importance of animal sterilization, and the provision of subsidized operations to ensure that the poorest families may be able to take responsible care of their pets.
An extensive educational campaign will be launched with a new film for schoolchildren to inform them how to take care of pets. This film will be distributed in the schools on a DVD as the Animal’s Day project 2008.
To inform adults about responsible pet ownership, new broadcasts will appear on television.
All this is possible due to the incredible generosity of the Oranje Casino, for which the Dierenbescherming is very grateful.
On Friday March 7th, Anouk Reichert symbolically presented a cheque of f 120,000 to the Dierenbescherming on behalf of Oranje Casino
From left to right: Anouk Reichert (Oranje Casino), Desirée Muyden and Franklin Romond (shelter personnel), Lenie Beckers ( treasurer), Andrew Berry (shelter manager) and Ineke Cijntje (PR officer).
Are you interested in learning more about how Oranje Casino supports good causes? Click on the next link: www.oranjecasino.com
According to the owner this poor dog was wounded in a traffic accident. The owner did not seek medical assistance, resulting as a consequence in the severe infection of the wound. The flesh started to decompose and maggots were emerging from all over the poor animal’s face. The owner was booked, the dog was confiscated by the cruelty inspector and the shelter personnel put him to sleep to end his misery. Such lack of interest and compassion from a human being upon which an animal is completely dependent, is staggering.
Endless suffering …….
Helpless, depending on his owner …
On Friday afternoon and Saturday morning some students come to the shelter to play with the dogs on the field. They take the dogs from their kennels and allow them exercise on the field. Naturally there is a lot of playing, hugging and petting and the dogs love it. It is very positive that these youngsters spend some time with the homeless shelter dogs which certainly need some extra love and attention after being abandoned at the shelter.
Shelter dog Regie enjoys the company of Alejandro and Patrick
Timy loves Alejandro
Wash station for the shelter dogs
Nicky and Mike Chalmers had the lovely idea of establishing a memorial for Anya, their cherished dog, puppy of Chollie, a street dog, who died aged just 4 of bone cancer. They wanted this memorial to be of use to the shelter animals, and eventually decided on a washing station, to be built on the field where the dogs are daily exercised, groomed and freed from parasites. Nicky was a dedicated volunteer at the shelter for many years and returned to England in 2005 with her husband and three Curaçao dogs: Chollie, Toby and Silke. She is still involved in the activities of the ‘Dierenbescherming’ and weekly assists PR officer Ineke Cijntje with the website by correcting the English texts. Mike was in Curaçao for business and visited the shelter where he posed with the two shelter pets Tisha and Dilla that have been there for years, favorites of Nicky at the time she volunteered in the shelter.
Shelter manager Andrew Berry with Tisha and Mike Chalmers with Dilla posing especially for Nicky
Carwash for the shelter animals!
A group of eight students from the Peter Stuyvesant College had the lovely idea of organizing a carwash to raise funds for the shelter animals. Tickets were sold before the event and on Sunday February 17 ticket holders arrived for their car wash. The students did an excellent job and cleaned the cars to perfection and the many animal lovers who had supported this fund raiser turned the event into a great success!
The organizing committee
The cars were cleaned thoroughly
Many hands make light work
On Monday the group presented f 1,000 to shelter manager Andrew Berry.
Painting for the animals
Gerhard and Mieke Berendsen love animals and they also love Curaçao. For many years they have spent their vacation on the island, always paying a visit to the Animal Shelter. Gerhard creates the most beautiful paintings on driftwood, roof tiles and on walls, which are then sold and a large part of the profits are donated to the Shelter. Animal and art lovers can buy these works at Bar Restaurant Skaloko next to The Movies in Punda.
Gerhard and Mieke thank you so much for your fantastic support!
Beautiful paintings on driftwood, made by Gerhard
Painting on a roof tile.
A beautiful impression of Curaçao
Renovation of Activity Center
The Activity Center at the Animal Shelter has been well overdue some considerable maintenance and renovation, but in a few months will accommodate the official office of the Animal Protection Society, which was domiciled for years at the home of PR officer Ineke Cijntje. This will make execution of various projects more efficient, and Board and Committee meetings as well as other activities will also take place in the building. Schoolchildren and youth organizations use the building too, to receive information on responsible pet ownership as part of a guided tour of the Shelter.
'Reef book officially launched on thursday january 10
‘Our Coral Reef’,the fourth book in the series about the natural world of the Leeward Islands, published by the ‘Dierenbescherming’ was officially launched on Thursday January 10 at the Cultural Center Curaçao. This book is the fourth and final volume of the series on nature published by Stichting Dierenbescherming and aims to contribute to people’s awareness that the coral reefs in the Netherlands Antilles form a treasure of immeasurable value, which needs to be preserved.
Unfortunately the beautiful underwater world is threatened in its very existence due to environmental causes such as pollution and the global rise in seawater temperature. Humankind unfortunately also forms a severe threat to the reef as few of the rapidly increasing numbers of divers realize that just by touching a coral, or whirling up sand with flipper movement, can kill off entire colonies. More information on this matter can be found in the Reef Book, written by Dr. Bart de Boer and with magnificent photos by Gordon Cox. The book comprises 168 pages with text in Papiamento, Dutch and English and is available to the public at the Animal shelter, in bookstores and souvenir shops.
The book was officially inaugurated by Minister of Education, Culture, Public Health and Social Developmen,t Omayra Leeflang, assisted by Paul Hoetjes coordinator of the KNAP fund. This fund kindly granted a subsidy for the project. During the proceedings, seawater from the Caribbean was poured from a Queen Conch onto the book, symbolizing the unique habitat of the Coral Reef where, as Bart states in the Preface of his book, “corals, sea fans, sponges and fish are abundantly present in all colors of the rainbow and in an amazing variety of shapes and forms.”
Inauguration of ‘Our Coral Reef’. From left to right: coordinator of the project Ineke Cijntje, President of Dierenbescherming Olav de Haseth; Minister Omayra Leeflang, author Bart de Boer, Coordinator KNAP fonds Paul Hoetjes, photographer Gordon Cox. Photo: Edsel Sambo (Amigoe.)
Our Coral Reef’ soon available to the public at the Animal shelter, bookstores and souvenir shops.
The four volumes in the series of books on nature of the Dutch Leeward islands, published by Stichting Dierenbescherming.
Minister Omayra Leeflang happily displays her book.
Invited guests offer their books to Bart de Boer and Gordon Cox for autograph.
New opening hours for the shelter.
As from November 5 2007 the new opening hours of the shelter are as follows:
Monday – Friday
from 8.00 a.m. - 12.00 and from 1.00 p.m. - 4.30 p.m.
Tuesday
from 8.00 a.m. - 12.00
Saturday & Sunday
from 9.00 a.m. - 13.00 p.m.
Families interested in adopting a dog or cat now also have the opportunity to come to the shelter on Sundays, which is often more convenient. It is also important to see if the animal considered for adoption interacts happily with the whole family, particularly any children.
The Campaign
Help us achieve global recognition that animals matter, that they can feel pain and can suffer and that we have a responsibility to put an end to cruelty around the world. We seek 10 million signatures to let the governments of the world know we are serious about achieving a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare at the United Nations.
Read more>>> Click on: Sign the petition
Support the Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare!!!
April 16th, 2008: 1,388,449 signatures reached!
Up to now 1,388,449 signatures have been collected for WSPA’s campaign “Animals Matter To Me!” and the breakdown of the total is:
Americas: 689,589 – Africa: 156,369 – Asia & Pacific:166,719 – Middle East:1,695 – Europe: 373, 962
Help us reach our goal! Act now! Sign the petition!
Animal Welfare: Five Freedoms
Animal Welfare organizations all over the world will do their utmost to achieve the five freedoms for companion animals, wildlife and farm animals:
- Freedom from hunger and thrist
- Freedom from discomfort
- Freedom from pain, injury and disease
- Freedom from fear and distress
- Freedom to express normal behaviour
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