Dec 2025: Reflections on 2025 - Animal-Kind International, a safety net for animals
- Animal-Kind International
- Dec 27, 2025
- 5 min read
Kindness to Animals Has No Boundaries
AKI News: December 2025
While there’s been a lot of news about cuts to foreign assistance (dismantling of the US Agency for International Development and shrinking budgets worldwide for international support programs), very little has been said about the resulting impacts to domestic animals. But as always, when times are difficult, it’s animals who suffer most. In countries where we work, local jobs were lost, and expats, who volunteered, donated, and adopted, returned to their home countries. The thing is, these countries have no safety nets. ANIMAL-KIND INTERNATIONAL HAS BECOME THE SAFETY NET FOR AFRICAN AND LATIN AMERICAN/CARIBBEAN ANIMALS! To be an effective safety net during these difficult times, we had to be prepared to help more than ever before. And we did. Here’s a glimpse into how we’ve helped (of course all of it thanks to your support).
MONTHLY DONORS: I sent all end-of-year emails (with total donated and what your donations helped us accomplish) in mid-December. If you haven’t received yours, please get in touch and I’ll gladly re-send it.
Updates from the AKI Blog: Animal-Kind International, a safety net
Read AKI Blog posts and go a little deeper into what Animal-Kind International support means to our Partners, Grantees, and the animals:
Horse Rescue, Farrier Services, & 6 Freedoms’ Way Forward in Ghana: We created a Horse Rescue Fund for our Partner, the 6 Freedoms-Ghana (@thesixfreedoms), announced in our August newsletter. We’re committed to supporting 6F, the 1st and only organization in Ghana helping the many neglected and poorly treated horses. Using local talent and advocates and a range of methods, the 6F is changing the way people think about and treat horses. Thanks to the 6F Horse Rescue Fund, Arrowboy is now safe and Merlin will be the next horse to be rescued.
Cats and Dogs Rescued in Jamaica After Hurricane Melissa: This is an update about how your support helped our Partner, Kingston Community Animal Welfare, after the devastating hurricane. As soon as it was safe, Deborah headed out with supplies to deal with injuries and plenty of food for the street dogs and cats who weathered the hurricane. Here’s what she found, here’s who she rescued.
INADES-Kenya rescues, provides sanctuary, & re-homes donkeys: A grant from Animal-Kind International is helping INADES play a stronger role in their partnerships with the police and other animal rescue organizations in their efforts to rescue donkeys from, and put an end to, the skin and bush slaughter trade. This AKI Blog post is about how INADES is helping donkeys in Kenya.
Animal-Kind International Partner Updates
Old, superstitious beliefs die hard. Including those about cats in Liberia and across Africa. Our Partner Organization, Liberia Animal Welfare & Conservation Society, is changing that one child at a time. Wubu believed what her parents and their parents believed about cats, that they have supernatural powers, and those powers aren’t used for good; and cats are only useful for keeping rodents away. But in the LAWCS Humane Ed Program, Wubu learned the real facts about cats and her curiosity was piqued. Wubu asked her uncle for a cat, and these pictures tell the rest of the story.
LAWCS Director, Morris Darbo, told us: “In Zorzor District, Lofa County, AKI funding has helped LAWCS reach over 30 schools with over 8000 children learning about love, care, kindness, and compassion for animals. Our free outreach animal welfare clinics are also helping thousands of dogs and cats in Montserrado and Lofa Counties. We are hoping to extend the program in other counties of Liberia. We are grateful to you for making LAWCS recognized in Liberia as the most effective animal welfare organization.”
On each of our Partner Organization’s pages on our website, you’ll find pie charts that show how your donations to AKI were used in 2025. Here’s the pie chart for our long-time Partner, Helping Hands for Hounds of Honduras. (We fund ~80% of HHHH’s budget.)
The Nereida Montes de Oca Refuge (the HHHH sanctuary) has 7 dogs and 4 cats, all old, handicapped, ill, or all the above. The numbers are shrinking and Pilar isn’t taking in any more animals; instead she’s imparting her knowledge and experience to others, helping to prepare the next generation of animal advocates and rescuers in Honduras (and we plan to help them too).
During 2025, we’ve been THE safety net for Sauvons nos Animaux, our Partner in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Funding from AKI has covered the costs of cat and dog food for >100 shelter animals, the 6 salaries of SnA staff, medicines and vet supplies, and transport.
From Paterne, Director, SnA: “Even in the toughest times, a loyal partner can change everything. In the photo, the dog is holding a can of dog pate. We received this food thanks to you, Animal-Kind International our long time partner, who faithfully supports us. Feeding animals has become a real challenge in DRC, especially during the war in the East. When families lack everything, dogs are often forgotten. Many are wandering, hungry, vulnerable. Thanks to AKI’s regular support, we can continue to feed our shelter dogs and cats and ensure their wellbeing. We deeply thank AKI for their constant commitment by our side.”
In 2025, we’ve been the safety net for the animals who attend our Partner Twala Trust’s Doggy Tuesday. Twala’s Sarah told us that with AKI funding, “we have met the goal of keeping all the Doggy Tuesday dogs fed and used some funds for our elderly Waggley Tailers medications that keep them comfortable and healthy.” (AKI has also funded shelter supplies, construction and repairs, fuel, and utilities.)
Wishing you peace and happiness this holiday season. I hope this AKI update brings you many smiles during your holiday festivities. 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 2025 (8th annual) Animal Welfare Organization Grant Program grantees work in: Kenya, Tanzania (2 grantees), South Africa (2 grantees), Cameroon, Namibia, Israel, Haiti, Honduras, Colombia, Ecuador, and Chile. 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. |
Your support helps strengthen our Partner Organizations and Grantees in Africa and Latin America/Caribbean, in many cases, the only safety nets for animals, providing shelter, vet care, spay/neuter, and educating the next generation of animal advocates. |
