Liberia AnimalWelfare and

ConservationSociety

Annual Report

2016

Liberia Animal Welfare & Conservation Society

Annual Report - 2016 Voinjama City, Lofa County, Liberia Email: lawslofa001@yahoo.com

Contents

Contents ........................................................................................................................................................ 1

About LAWCS ................................................................................................................................................ 2

LAWCS` Achievements in 2016 ..................................................................................................................... 3

Educating children, families and communities about Animal Welfare in Liberia ......................................... 3

Student-Led Humane Education Programs ................................................................................................... 5

Responsible Pet Ownership Program ........................................................................................................... 7

World Animal Day Celebration In Liberia .................................................................................................... 11

Dog Bite Prevention/Rabies Awareness ..................................................................................................... 14

School Vegetable Garden Program ............................................................................................................. 15

LAWCS` Management ................................................................................................................................. 17

Working together for a better future for Animals and People Page 1

Dear Supporters and Donors, Another year has gone and we are again reporting on the tremendous work together with you, the Liberia Animal Welfare & Conservation Society accomplished in 2016 for animals and people. Together with you, we are creating happier and healthier lives for animals and people in Liberia. In 2016, you inspired and enabled so much good work for animals and people in Liberia. Thanks for your support and shared passion for animals. I hope you will share the pride and excitement over the accomplishments that you have made possible. Working at LAWCS, we see the impact of your support every day and how your support is making a real difference for animals and people in Liberia. Thank you for sharing our belief that compassion has no borders and that all animals and people deserve a chance to live happier and healthier lives. This annual report is our opportunity to paint a picture of our work in 2016 and we hope that you will enjoy reading about the work you supported. We remain grateful to all of you, our supporters, donors and friends and believe that with you, we can help many animals and make animal wellbeing a priority issue in Liberia. We look forward to your continued support and kindness to the animals and people we serve in Liberia. Best Regards,

Morris Darbo Executive Director Liberia Animal Welfare & Conservation Society

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About LAWCS Liberia Animal Welfare & Conservation Society (LAWCS) is the voice of animals in Liberia. LAWCS is people helping animals and people. It is legally registered and accredited by the government of Liberia as a Liberian-based non for profit organization promoting animal welfare and preventing cruelty to animals. At LAWCS, our ultimate goal is to realize a world where people and animals can live in harmony. We strongly believe that promoting kindness and respect for animals along with practical care for animals is a key step towards developing empathy for, and rejecting violence against, all beings, including human beings. LAWCS` programs primarily target the establishment of animal welfare as a community driven responsibility that must not only be owned and driven at grassroots level but seen as a priority issue in Liberia. LAWCS inspires a community where people and animals live together in harmony – with joy and compassion. Our Mission: To create a caring and socially responsible environment where PEOPLE and ANIMALS live in harmony Our Vision: A world where ANIMALS and PEOPLE are treated with compassion and respect Our Motto: Working Together For A Better Future For ANIMALS and HUMANS

LAWCS` Values

Trust

Transparency

Culture of Kindness for animals and people

Creativity and flexibility

Innovation

FUN and humor

Partner with people to improve conditions and welfare of animals and needy people

Lead responsibly with compassion

Communicate effectively

Approach work with an open mind

Respect each other

Be an ambassador

Speak out

LAWCS is involved in the following initiatives: A. In the schools

1 Humane Education program for schoolchildren 2. Dog bite prevention and rabies education 3. Train teachers and empower them with Humane Education materials 4. Provision of free plant based diets for schoolchildren/ school vegetable garden program

B. In the Community

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1. Basic Animal Health Education 2. Free veterinary services such as de-worming, mange treatment, sores treatment, hoof trimming,

and rabies vaccines 3. Rescue and re-homing animals 4. Animal welfare awareness, education and campaign 5. Responsible dog ownership program

LAWCS Achievements in 2016

Implemented Animal Welfare Programs in 32 schools and reached 18,284 schoolchildren

Facilitated and supported 22 various Students Led Animal Welfare Projects

Trained 2,301 pet owners on responsible pet ownership

Established school gardens in 14 schools

Established Animal Kindness Clubs in 22 schools

Responded to 60 animal abuse cases

Provided free basic animal healthcare to 2,108 companion animals mainly dogs and cats

Celebrated World Rabies Day Event in Liberia

Celebrated World Animal Day Program

Executive Director Morris Darbo attended the Humane Society International supported Animal Care Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Received two International Awards: a. Received a prestigious International Award from Global Alliance for Rabies Control in recognition

of its work done in Liberia towards its animal protection work and the elimination of rabies: https://rabiesalliance.org/nominees/view/liberia-animal-welfare-conservation-society

b. Recognized another International Award as the Best Society for Animal Rights Activism - Liberia in recognition of its work towards improving conditions for animals in Liberia. The award is by UK organization Global Health and Pharma: http://www.ghp-magazine.com/2016-liberia-animal-welfare-and-conservation-society-lawcs

Educating children, families and communities about Animal Welfare in Liberia There are no animal cruelty laws in Liberia so consequently in a country where life is cheap, animals suffer tremendous cruelty, often at the hands of children who mimic the cruelty practiced in front of them by their elders. The country's animal cruelty is a generational problem. It's also seen as acceptable behavior for young children to stone a dog or cat, or any other animal. Liberia Animal Welfare & Conservation Society (LAWCS), is currently the only registered and accredited animal

protection organization in the country, and is run by volunteers without any national or local financial support.

LAWCS is wholly dependent on outside animal lovers and donors to ensure we can continue our vital animal

protection work in Liberia.

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We have a proven record of groundbreaking and highly successful animal protection and animal education

programs, working with communities and schools over a long period of time. Our educational programs are

slowly bringing about long term change in attitude towards all animals.

In schools and communities, LAWCS teaches animal welfare where we help people of all ages learn empathy

and compassion for animals and fellow people, as a means to end cruelty. We also teach practical care and

responsible ownership and assistance for animals. We strongly believe all change for the better begins with

education! In 2016, LAWCS implemented Humane Education Programs in 32 schools and inspired 18,284

children.

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Student-Led Humane Education Programs It is important that children start to take the lead in their respective schools and communities promoting various programs that ensure the wellbeing of animals and people. As a result of these various programs, the children will start to associate their compassionate feelings with animals and people diminishing animal

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cruelty in the long run. In 2016, LAWCS facilitated and supported 22 various Students-Led projects ranging from community and classroom education, rabies awareness, radio education programs, dog washing program, etc.

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Responsible Pet Ownership Program

Dogs and Cats play an important role in the lives of many community people in Liberia but without regard to

their wellbeing and basic needs. LAWCS has adopted a new approach in order to improve conditions for dogs,

cats and their owners and stop the dog and cat meat eating. LAWCS is now using the ONE HEALTH approach to

ensure that communities take up the fullest responsibility of ensuring that their dogs and cats get the needed

attention and care.

Utilizing the ONE HEALTH approach, LAWCS has been able to facilitate and coordinate community and school

based education programs along with free basic dog and cat healthcare services. The ultimate goal of this

approach has been to ensure that dogs, cats and their owners (communities) are happy, healthy and friendly.

The initiative has helped to improve the bond between dogs, cats and their owners (communities), and

reduced the dog and cat meat eating.

In the communities, the people now understand that there is an inviolable link between the health and welfare of their pets and their own health. They realize that improving the health and welfare of their pets in their community can undoubtedly have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of the community members. The people are also prepared to challenge the traditional beliefs about dog and cat meat and improve the relationship between their pets and them. This approach led to LAWCS receiving two international awards in 2016. LAWCS reached 2,301 pet owners with training and 2,108 pets with free basic care and treatment.

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World Animal Day Celebration In Liberia LAWCS joined other organizations around the world to celebrate animals and improve conditions for animals. On October 4, LAWCS worked with 10 schools with over 2,000 children in various activities all geared toward bringing awareness about the plights of animals in Liberia.

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Dog Bite Prevention/Rabies Awareness Many people in Liberia own dogs but with little or no knowledge about dog body language and how to prevent dog bites. Children are the main victims of dog bites in Liberia. Children are being attacked by dogs due to a lack of knowledge about dog safety and dog behavior. For every child that is attacked, there are two victims; the child and the dog that pays the ultimate price when euthanized. Whenever there is a report of many dog bite incidents in any community, mass killing of dogs has been the common method used to try to reduce the number of dog bites. In fact, this approach has never helped to reduce dog bite incidence. To reduce the number of children harmed by dogs, LAWCS runs a program called ``Be a Tree Program``- a dog bite prevention education program that teaches children about dog safety awareness and bite prevention. Children who attend the program learn to respect dogs, and not force them into situations whereby they feel the need to retaliate and protect themselves. Children learn to recognize what dogs are telling them through

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their body language and how to react appropriately, allowing the dogs to live stress-free and comfortable lives. For children who love dogs, they know that it is risky to cuddle every dog they see. For children who are afraid, it equips them with knowledge to take control of situations without fear.

School Vegetable Garden Program At LAWCS, we also believe that the more kids know and feel connected to their food, the more curious they become about what they eat, and the more willing they are to protect other living creatures. LAWCS` plant based diet program and school garden program not only encourages healthy lifestyles in the kids but also improves the children`s behaviors and attitudes toward other creatures. It helps them appreciate the environment and other living creatures that share the Earth with us. The foods from the gardens were prepared for the kids during schooling and they were very happy for the food. LAWCS supported the establishment of school vegetable gardens in 14 schools.

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LAWCS Management

We remain very grateful to our donors, supporters and friends for their financial and material support toward our work in 2016:

Animal Kind International (AKI), Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA UK), A

Well Fed World, LUSH, Alice Morgan Wright-Edith J. Goode Trust/ Humane Society

International, The William and Charlotte Parks Foundation, Doggone Crazy Inc., World

Veterinary Service, Project Vets, Joan C. Orr, Elizabeth Shafiroff, Priscilla Carton, Anh Do,

Sally-Ann Kyatt, Linda Whyte, Grace Rosenkranz, Hazel Greenstiles, Tina Overgaard, Jenna

Bardroff, Jayrieper Funkhouser, Rita Narbutas, Linda Whyte, Zannah Mass, Jasmine Goode

and other anonymous supporters.