“PAWS! – FOR A GOOD CAUSE!” ON FRIDAY, MARCH 23RD
BACOLET – The Tobago Branch of the T&T Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (T&TSPCA) announces a Fundraiser/Cocktail Party for the Tobago Animal Shelter. The event will take place on Friday, March 23, 2007 from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM, and will be held at the seaside Blue Haven Hotel, Bacolet. Tickets, which are $125.00 each, must be purchased in advance, and, and include finger foods, beverages, and the opportunity to socialize with some of Tobago’s most dynamic personalities. All proceeds will go directly to assist the operations of The Tobago Animal Shelter.
All attendees must have advance tickets, which may be purchased during regular business hours, directly from Tobago’s Animal Shelter on Friendsfield Road (near the Dwight Yorke Stadium). The Shelter’s number is 639-2567. For further information for this event, please call 660-0610 or 639-0292. Volunteers or food and beverage donations to this event are welcome.
The Tobago Branch of the TTSPCA was founded in late 1968. It is a privately run, non-profit organization whose main aim is exactly what the name says - to prevent cruelty to animals. It attempts to locate owners of lost animals, attempts to re-home stray, rescued and unwanted animals, and endeavors to educate the public on caring for animals.
The Tobago Animal Shelter is Tobago’s only companion animal NGO, specializing in animal rescue, rehabilitation and adoption. The Shelter has regular hours, and always offers an excellent selection of healthy dogs and cats for adoption to good homes. Volunteers and donations are always welcome at the shelter.
Newsletter
Issue No.6 2007
Welcome to the first News Letter of 2007. My apologies for the lateness of this particular one but I have moved house (and islands!), had a computer ’problem’ and spent Christmas & New Year shivering back in the UK. Hopefully life has settled down for a short while allowing me time to put you all in the picture of what has been happening at the Shelter.
Firstly, our Chairman, Mrs. Pam Phillips wishes to thank all those who were kind enough to send her their condolences after the passing of her husband, David Phillips and also for the donations to the Society in his memory. ‘Thank you’ to all. Mrs. Phillips had 8 mahogany trees planted around the premises also in his memory at the end of last year.
THE SOCIETY NEWS
This year has succeeded in getting off to a positive start with numerous donations from many of our visitors to the island both monetary and in kind, for which we are very grateful.
Also we have received an amount of money from the Council in Trinidad as a result of a meeting which took place in November in Port of Spain. Present at this meeting were members of the Council, and representatives of all 3 Branches of the Society, namely, the North Branch, South Branch & Tobago Branch. Tobago made a request for assistance in 2 ways. Firstly, we requested help in acquiring a replacement vehicle and secondly, with monetary help in order to allow us to employ a Manager. The situation with the vehicle is ‘on-going’ and an amount of money has been received from the Council along with a generous offer from Mr. Mike Willis allowing us to employ a manager who started work at the beginning of February. Already we are seeing a difference at the shelter in both better care of the dogs and the staff working more efficiently.
As a result of my computer going down I have lost all email addresses. I am very sorry about this but could those who have an email address please re-send the information to support@TTSPCA.com. Also please remember that the newsletter is posted on the website www.ttspca.com. Our AGM is on the 28th of March 2007 in the Shelter’s Conference room.
Activities at the Shelter
Last September/October saw a total of 6 dogs leaving Tobago for Germany and they all arrived safely in their new homes. While here, one of the German couples fenced off an area surrounding the pup kennels so that the pups would have an outdoor area in which to play.
As mentioned previously, we have a manager who is enthusiastic and really making a difference both for the lives of the dogs & cats and also for the staff.
We have had a very generous offer of tiles from Mr D Knott & Mr Gremli which will allow us to tile the kennel floors. This will be much more hygienic and allow for easier cleaning as well as making the kennels lighter and generally more pleasing to the eye. Tiles have also been donated for the staff shower area. Hopefully the days of peeling blue paint and soap scum are destined for the past!
Fundraising
The money boxes at various outlets continue to raise money with the boxes at the airport raising the most.
How are all your personal ‘TSPCA money boxes’ doing? ( hopefully you are all still saving your loose change at the end of the day!) Every cent helps!!
Book Sales still continue to do well and they are now regularly held at Morshead Supermarket car park on the last Saturday of every month. A donation from Mr Pillippe Lafarge has been received to pay for the tent rental for which we are most grateful.
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News from the UK
“Carib” (an ex-Tobagonian beach dog) has now joined his family after spending his 6 months in quarantine. He seems to be settling in to his new life. More about Carib can be seen on the ‘myTobago’ web site along with a photo of Carib with his new ‘doggy’ companion.
Several people have been following this story on the web and are now themselves interested in trying to re-house dogs back in the UK. This is quite a complicated process and not cheap either so please consider things very carefully before embarking on this route.
A fraction of the amount incurred in this process would keep several of the dogs at the shelter for quite some time. A donation of £25 a month would support any of our lovely dogs who may well find perfectly loving homes here in Tobago.
We have also been receiving numerous emails from people who have been here on holiday and have become quite distressed at seeing the state of some of our stray (or not) dogs. However, while here on the island, the visitors have been unable to contact the shelter due to the various hotels not having our details. We only find out about the dogs they have seen once they return to the UK and find our email address on the internet. This situation really must be addressed.
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PLEASE think of the animals in need of OUR help!!!!
Send donations to: P.O. Box 373, Scarborough, Tobago
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