Animal-Kind International | Our History
Although Karen Menczer started Animal-Kind International in 2007, many of the relationships between AKI and our Partners go back much further. The seeds of AKI were planted when Karen lived in Uganda from 1997-2002 and volunteered with the Uganda Society for the Protection and Care of Animals.
Karen saw firsthand how USPCA’s dedicated volunteers and staff overcame many roadblocks and did so much with so little-they were able to spay, neuter, and rescue hundreds of animals, get the message across to so many people about kinder treatment towards animals, and they never gave up in the face of hardship or because of limited resources-and resources were always limited!
Karen had volunteered in the animal welfare field in the US for over 20 years before she moved to Uganda, so she was well aware of the difficulties faced by animal welfare activists in the States.
She also knew that if we in the US and elsewhere could share our experiences and knowledge with animal welfare advocates in resource poor/low income countries they could avoid some of the same mistakes that have been made in the past. And she knew that the dearth of supplies and funds in poor countries could be filled, in part, by caring individuals in wealthier countries.
After she left Uganda, Karen lived in Jamaica, Botswana, Ghana, and Namibia, and in each of these countries, she volunteered with animal welfare organizations. Because of her work in biodiversity conservation, she also traveled frequently, and made contacts with animal welfare advocates around the world, where ever she went.
When she moved back to the States, Karen realized that because of her firsthand experience with animal welfare groups in poor countries, she had a deep understanding of their progress and challenges, and she was well positioned to get the word out about the great work they do in the face of so much difficulty. She started Animal-Kind International to help get funds and supplies to AKI’s animal welfare Partners so they can continue to do the work that is so important to all of us—improving the treatment of animals around the world.
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