August 2026: When animals need help, we boldly go where few do
Kindness to Animals Has No Boundaries
AKI News: August 2026
When animals need help, we boldly go where few do (or can)
Every country where we work has at least one huge challenge, making animal welfare difficult—but far from impossible! Haiti is plagued by gangs and poverty; Congo is facing Ebola and continued unrest; South Sudan is teetering on war and Ebola threatens at its borders; Colombia is dealing with the after-effects of the earthquake; and the remaining 24 countries where we work have—at the least—high rates of poverty. Even so, over the last 19 years, we have found and developed trusted local Partners and Grantees, the keys to our successes and the reason that we can go where few do. When animals need help, we respond! These are some examples……
In Uganda, we’re continuing to fund the vet care for the 52 dogs and 6 cats rescued from Mityana scammers (one of our “Special Projects”). As part of the Animal Welfare Alliance of Uganda, Animal-Kind International was asked to help with two recent emergency cases. We had pledged our support for vet care for the lucky, but also traumatized animals, and of course, we renewed our pledge with an additional donation to cover these emergencies.
Uganda SPCA is a long-time AKI Partner—for 19 years (since the start of AKI), to be exact! Before there was an AKI, three of our Board members lived in Uganda and volunteered with the USPCA. Relationships like that ensure that your donations are used for the most urgent and vital needs. Read about how we support the USPCA (spay/neuter, staff salaries, cat and dog food, transport, and more).
In last month’s newsletter, we announced our new category of support, Special Projects. Fondation Alliance Verte in Haiti was one of our 2025 grantees and knowing Haiti like we know Haiti, we knew FAV needed a lot more help than our one-off grant project. So we created a Spay/Neuter & Emergency Vet Care Fund, one of our Special Projects, for the only operating animal shelter in the country.
If, after you read about the courage and determination of FAV, and how your donations are effectively helping so many cats and dogs, you are moved to donate, we welcome your support. At the bottom of the Special Projects page, you can select the Special Project of your choice, FAV Haiti, SPCA Grahamstown, and Uganda rescue scam-vet care (if it’s tough to choose, you can select all 3!)
In last month’s newsletter, we announced our 14 Animal Welfare Organization Grant Recipients, 7 in Africa, 7 in Latin America/Caribbean. All the grant projects have now started, and some have already progressed far.
At the COALA shelter in Senegal, the roof over the dog kennels and storage area was completed; the tiles were placed on the terrace for a cool and insect/parasite-free resting place for the dogs; and work on the horse stalls was started. |
RAWO in Rwanda has “successfully introduced the project to the local authorities, including Burera District officials, which approved the project and gave us the go-ahead for implementation. We also engaged dog owners and have identified 72 dogs for this project, 48 females for spaying and 24 males for castration.” |
The One & Only Animal Sanctuary in Ghana started building the new cattery for rescued kittens and kittens born at the sanctuary. |
Animal Love Rescue Center in Costa Rica started to build the dog park at their shelter. |
To be converted into stables 
RAWO included this puppy in their census of dogs to be vaccinated and sterilized 
Animal Love Rescue Center plans the playground
Huellas de Amor in Colombia, a 2nd time grantee, of course had to take a break from their grant project to deal with the earthquake (photos below). On August 11, they wrote, “It was a very strong earthquake, and we're located in one of the most affected cities, Pereira. All our animals are doing fine. The shelter sustained some damage — not too severe, but we did have some issues. Many pets got lost in the chaos, and we're using our channels to help owners find them.” We told Huellas de Amor that we are standing with them and are available to help.
We leave you on this upbeat note
Our Partner, Sauvons nos Animaux in the Democratic Republic of Congo, held their very popular Animal Friendly Kids Camp after missing last year’s due to the danger posed by fighting between the government and the M23 rebel group (among others who joined in). Although they had to shorten it from the usual 8 weeks to about 4 weeks, as always, the camp was a huge success. The children learned a lot about dogs and cats, how to care for them, what the shelter does, and what’s involved in rescue. They helped feed, shampoo, walk, pet, socialize the animals. And they learned from many of the AKI-provided Humane Ed materials, which reinforce the hands-on activities.
We support our Partner Sauvons nos Animaux by providing funds for dog and cat food for shelter pets, staff salaries, shelter improvements, Animal Friendly Kids Camp, and their new (used) SUV so SnA can help even more animals!
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to an animal-loving friend.
Our thoughts are with the people and animals of Nepal as they navigate the catastrophic flooding and landslides.
THANK YOU!
Thanks to your support, we’re helping effective animal advocates and 28 animal welfare organizations working in conflict areas and impoverished communities in 20 countries. Thanks to you, we can go where few have gone before.
Thank you SO much for helping!
We are gratefully yours,
Karen Menczer, Founder/Director
& the Animal-Kind International Board
Our Partner Organizations work in Uganda, Namibia, DR Congo, Ghana, South Sudan, Liberia, Zimbabwe, Honduras, and Jamaica. You can donate to AKI’s general fund or designate your donation to one or more of our Partner Organizations.
Our 2026 (9th annual) Animal Welfare Organization Grant Program grantees work in: Tanzania, Ghana, Senegal, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Zambia, South Africa, Haiti, Honduras (2 grantees), Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, and Peru.
AKI: Since 2007, helping animals and the people who care for them in resource-poor areas.
We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization; donations to AKI are tax deductible in the US to the extent the law allows. 100% of your donations are used to support our Partner Organizations & our Animal Welfare Organization Grant Program.
