Help Animals: Dog Shelter Cage Replacements

Funds Needed: Dog Shelter Doors

Shelter Improvements

You may have visited our animal shelter or seen photos posted on our Facebook page or within this website and noticed the deteriorated cage doors of our dog shelter facility.  Over the years, the climate and exposure to the elements have rusted the metal wire cages and its time to update them.

Our primary concern is for the safety of the dogs because as metal rusts, the strength factor is weakened. The last thing we want to happen is that of a dog either badly scratching his or herself on rough, rusted metal or have the containment of the dogs compromised.

To remove the old and have new metal doors outfitted, this cage door project is not cheap, even here in Costa Rica.  There are 28 metal cage doors in need of replacement and the lowest price we have been given to change them out is equivalent to $2,500 USD.  Our hope is that people who want to help animals in Costa Rica will participate in our Friends of Refugio Fundraiser for 2012. Your one time donation or a monthly gift will greatly assist in attending to the quality of the dog’s shelter.

When the animal shelter of Costa Rica in San Rafael de Heredia began 20 years ago, it was nothing close to what it is now. In fact, its name was simply: Animal Shelter of Costa Rica. It was a sad state, not really a shelter but rather a small wooden hovel where people who loved animals and found them suffering could bring them somehwere. The owner at that time, Valery Burger Spiess, was an animal lover herself, but simply not equipped to handle the growing number of homeless or unwanted animals. She did her best, and because of her caring, at least there was somewhere these animals could be basically tended to with care and food.

In 1991 a volunteer of that humble facility, Lilian Schnog, decided she could help the animals with a much-improved facility. Upon purchasing the property from WSPA, she went to work to get the proper permits and raised funds to build a better dog shelter.  Over the past twenty years, Lilian has been instrumental in working to build a full-fledged animal clinic at the shelter.

Thanks to supporters and other organizations outside of the country, the A.H.P.P.A. as it is legally known, became the first true animal shelter in Costa Rica. And more recently has acquired its 501-c3 non-profit status as an animal shelter, making donations for US taxpayers, deductible.

“Nothing happens, however, without the support of people,” insists Lilian. She and her team know that without the support through donations and grants offered, the Refugio wouldn’t be where it is today. And the animals have benefited over the past twenty years under her watchful and caring eye as director.

Today, the need to help animals is about the metal cage door replacements for our dog shelter. If you want to help, please do consider a donation to our Friends of Refugio 2012 fundraiser.  With your support and our continual work, together we make a huge difference…for the animals!