y DAISY SAMPSON [email protected]
Animal welfare in the Algarve has taken a step forward with the merging of two high profile animal charities in the region to create one all inclusive organisation to facilitate the rescuing, housing, feeding, spaying and neutering of animals in the Algarve.
After 15 years, the Animal Protection Association of the Algarve (APAA) and the Donkey Sanctuary will be merging to form a single charity once again.
Peter Lander and Nan Richardson, the owners of the land where the Donkey Sanctuary is located in Estombar, are to give their land to the APAA who will then fully support the rescue centre.
The APAA has agreed that the Donkey Sanctuary will keep its name and the merged charity will be known as APAA (incorporating the Donkey Sanctuary) and will use the Donkey Sanctuary logo along with the APAA logo.
The executors of the Inez Soares da Rosa Estate have agreed that the legacy left to the APAA last year should be used to refurbish and equip the clinic within the Donkey Sanctuary and this clinic will then bear the name of Inez Soares da Rosa.
Former Algarve resident Inez Soares da Rosa passed away in September 2007 and bequeathed a legacy of 100,000 Euros to be given to an Algarve animal charity and the APAA was named as the beneficiary of this generous donation.
To keep both charities equally involved in the merger, three new members, drawn from the Donkey Sanctuary, will be joining the APAA management board and Nan Richardson has accepted an invitation to fill one of these places.
APAA president Alan Camplin-Smith said: “This is a very generous gesture and we are delighted that Peter and Nan believe APAA has the skills and organisation to carry on their work while we will be leaning heavily on their expertise.”
He added: “We have had a lack of success in finding land on which to build our own rescue centre and although the merger does not increase the number of rescue centres in the Algarve, it does mean that the merged organisation will be in a stronger position to continue and expand the animal welfare work for which both charities were originally set up.”
For further information about the APAA please visit www.apaaportugal.com (available in English)
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