Local animal sanctuary awarded 2024 World Animal Day grant

Ocean Acres Animal Sanctuary has been awarded the 2024 World Animal Day grant which it says it will use to begin a programme of education, rescue and rehabilitation, and spay and neutering initiatives.

The £8 718 (BDS$23 114) grant funding is provided by Naturewatch Foundation, a UK-based animal welfare charity responsible for coordinating World Animal Day‘s global observance annually on October 4.

Head of the sanctuary, Karen Whittaker, expressed gratitude for the support.

“We are thrilled to have been awarded this grant from Naturewatch Foundation. It will enable us to launch a pilot project targeting a selected community with education, rescue and rehabilitation, and spay and neutering initiatives to bring the stray population under control,” she said. “We believe this initiative will set the foundation for broader outreach across Barbados, bringing about meaningful and lasting transformation in animal welfare.”

Whittaker said the pilot project, focused on a selected neighbourhood, is a scalable model that can be expanded island-wide.

“By addressing one critical area at a time, we aim to create a realistic and attainable solution. Additionally, we hope corporate Barbados and other entities will step up and collaborate on this initiative moving forward, allowing for greater reach and resources to address this issue at a national level.”

Naturewatch Foundation commended Ocean Acres for its “ambitious and exciting proposal,” which aims to improve animal welfare through proactive community engagement and direct intervention.

“In Barbados, we still have a long way to go to change mindsets and attitudes towards animal welfare. We hope this upcoming project will take us further on our journey to transforming Barbados into a society where compassion for the vulnerable encompasses people and animals,” Whittaker stated.

(PR/BT)