SOS Shelter
and Yoganity Dog Pension
We are building southern Nicaragua's first animal shelter! Here you find out all about this project and how you can get involved!
Overview
To be built
Big open air animal shelter, connected pet café and independent boarding facility / dog pension for financing the shelter
Costs
estimated 55.000 USD
Location
San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
In cooperation with
Step 1: SOS Shelter
The first step (after we've bought the land) is to build a shelter managed by us, owned by SOS animales Nicaragua.
Step 2: Dog Pension
Once the shelter is established, we will build a dog pension on the same land, but independently from the shelter. The profits of the dog pension will go to the shelter. There is a big demand for the services of a dog pension in the San Juan del Sur area.
Step 3: "Dog Deck" and "Catio" Pet Café
To create an integrated space where the San Juan community can interact with the shelter animals we will add a dog and cat café on the premises of the shelter (see plan further down). This doesn't only benefit the socialisation of the shelter animals, but also increases adoption chances.
(Step 4: Educational Facility and Retreat
In the long run we would like to establish an educational facility with retreat where locals as well as internationals can learn about animals, sustainable living and overall wellbeing. The profits of the retreat will sustain the animal shelter. This plan is not included in the cost estimate and will come from our own savings.)
What has happened so far?
August 2021:
We started our fundraiser at Givebutter. Go ahead and donate!
100 % of your donation to SOS Shelter goes into the realization of the action plan mentioned above!
No bureaucracy, no administrative costs! Paul and I do not take a penny from this!
We're in negotiations with the owner of a suitable piece of land about the price that he wants for it. It's about a 15 min drive from San Juan del Sur. The land has road access, is close enough to be well-connected with the city, but far enough away from any other neighbourhoods so potential barking doesn't unnerve anyone. The Rio Escondido river runs through it, providing a water source even in dry season.
Plans
SOS Shelter
Dog Pension
Important Note
SOS Shelter will be a "no kill" and "no abandonment" shelter. That means that even animals that are not getting adopted can live in the shelter for as long as it is needed. They will have – like all the other animals there – a safe, healthy and loving place to live, no matter for how long.
We are also straying from the "classic" shelter design that most US-american shelters have (lots of concrete and isolation). There will be large open spaces and fresh air, surrounded by nature.
The animals get plenty of chances to interact with visitors as well as with each other, while the shelter at the same time adheres to all necessary safety and health standards.
We have the ideas and willpower – now we only need your financial support!
Resources
Some of the many recourses that we found useful:
- The Humane Society of the United States: Shelter Design – https://humanepro.org/sites/default/files/documents/hsus-shelter-design-packet.pdf
- Association of Shelter Veterinarians: Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters (2010) – https://www.sheltervet.org/assets/docs/shelter-standards-oct2011-wforward.pdf
- ASPCA: Shelter Care Checklists | Putting ASV Guidelines Into Action – https://www.aspcapro.org/sites/default/files/aspca-asv-checklist-2014_0.pdf
- UCDavis Koret Shelter Medicine Program: Facility Design, Shelter Animal Housing and Shelter Population Management – https://www.sheltermedicine.com/library/resources/?r=facility-design-shelter-animal-housing-and-shelter-population-management
- The Humane Society of the United States: Not your mother's animal shelter – https://humanepro.org/magazine/articles/not-your-mothers-animal-shelter