First Lady commits to working with animal welfare groups
Animal Rescue Adoption and Protection Society (ARAPS) and Paws for a Cause on Wednesday paid a courtesy call on First Lady Arya Ali.
In a Facebook post, the First Lady confirmed that she has made a commitment to both of the animal welfare groups to support their efforts to improve standards of care and well-being for animals.
First Lady Arya Ali in discussion with members of the animal welfare groups
Speaking with Guyana Times, Paws for a Cause member Karen Roopchand said that the discussion was fruitful and provided insights into a positive future for animal welfare.
Roopchand explained that discussions were held on the possibility of implementing a module at the primary education level to sensitise young children on the humane and ethical ways to care for pets and animals. She noted that in order to bring about public awareness, the Paws for a Cause Foundation would continue to use social media platforms YouTube and Facebook to sensitise the general public.
The Foundation’s representative revealed that the First Lady would also provide support with the establishment of the organisation’s first animal shelter. The shelter, which was proposed to be constructed in Paradise, East Coast Demerara (ECD), would tend to animals found within Georgetown and its environs.
The vision for the shelter entails on-site veterinarians and options for children to visit and play and care for animals. The shelter will also offer the adoption of animals.
The establishment of the shelter will help the organisation to widen its reach and help reduce the number of stray animals around Georgetown. At present, volunteers usually foster animals at their homes until the organisation finds persons to adopt the animals. As such, only a small number of animals can be tended to presently. In instances where all volunteers are at their maximum fostering capacity, the organisation picks up strays, nourishes them, and spays them before releasing them.
The Paws for a Cause Foundation was founded in 2019, with the aims of improving welfare for animals, preventing animal cruelty, and controlling the animal population. (G15)
