Contented pets: no more, no less!
Who are we?
We are here for all animals that have owners - and for those that don’t too. Hardly a day goes by here when we don’t see animals that are so sick, damaged or traumatised that it takes an almost superhuman effort to give them a second chance. We’ll continue channelling our efforts, dedication and trust to this end, but, of course, we’d prefer it not to be necessary at all. Ideally, we’d be happier if animals didn’t find their way to us in the first place. How cool would it be if there were only contented pets, throughout all Amsterdam!
How? Well, by pulling out all the stops in realising the following objectives.
Faster and more sustainable placement of animals
We are striving for the faster and more sustainable placement of animals. It often takes far too long to find a new owner for a dog, cat or rabbit, which is why we intend to do all we can to ensure that no animal has to stay in our shelter longer than 40 days.
Reduce our intake of animals
In our dream of there being only happy pets in the city, it stands to reason that it won’t be necessary to bring animals to a shelter. This is why we really want to reduce our intake of animals, starting with a reduction of at least 10%.
Enough talking, now let’s get on with it!
A noble ambition, but can it be realised? The answer to that, as far as we’re concerned, is a resounding “yes”! We’ve identified three areas in which we intend to carry out several projects, ultimately leading to a city with only happy pets.
Bespoke care
The way we see it, every animal is an individual in its own right. A dog, a cat or a rabbit; each has its own specific characteristics and needs. And that calls for a bespoke approach. That’s why, as soon as we welcome a new animal, we work collectively (vet, physiotherapist, behaviour expert and handler) to put together a bespoke care plan. A plan in which we consider everything that’s necessary to give the animal the second chance it deserves.Accommodation
Animal welfare and accommodation are two things that are inextricably linked. Animals should feel comfortable; they shouldn’t feel as if they are locked up. And dogs, cats and rabbits must feel as if they are as free to be themselves as possible. After all, a happy animal will be that much easier to rehome…Education
Every day, animals are brought to us because their owners are at their wits’ end and they no longer know what to do with them. While one animal just won’t be house-trained, for example, another is unable to stay at home unattended, while yet another might be so aggressive that it all but terrorises the neighbourhood. Sometimes, it’s simply because someone has seriously underestimated the responsibility and work that goes with having a pet, or it might just be that the lap cat that someone was hoping for turned out to be an unaffectionate loner. We want to help pet owners make the right choices, by putting more and better information at their disposal, in both words and images. Together with their four-legged friends, they’ll then have a much better chance of living happily ever after.Projects
These are some of our projects that show what we have already achieved or are still working on:
Misfits
Animals can arrive here carrying “baggage”, and for some, because they are old, sick or have behavioural problems for example, that baggage can be heavier than it is for others. It often means they’ll need to stay with us longer than might be good for them. This is why, some 18 months ago, we set up a special fund for our “misfits”, or animals that are, to a greater or lesser degree, disadvantaged.
New dog kennels
A while back, thanks to a generous donor, we were able to make changes to our dogs’ kennels. In search of inspiration, we paid a visit to our colleagues in the UK, where we saw only contented dogs. Following their example, we then converted 90 of our 180 dogs’ kennels into relaxing, cosy enclosures. It’s been a huge success, now for the remaining 90!
Cats Kennels
An extremely contagious fungal infection that affects cats forced us to evacuate all our cat kennels. And while it was certainly a shame to dispose of so much stuff, it was also an opportunity to make some improvements. So, in conjunction with the specialists, we are currently checking out what constitutes the best, most sustainable accommodation for our feline friends, and preferably infection-proof too!