ABOUT US

(work in progress)

– History

– Our Mandate (What the BSPCA Can and Cannot Do)

– Sponsors: Thank you!

About Us

The Bahrain Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA) was established in 1979 by a small group of committed and passionate animal lovers. The Society was officially registered by the Bahrain Ministry of Labor as a humane, charitable, non-profit organisation dedicated to the welfare of animals.

The Society is run by a dedicated group of volunteers and receives no official funding whatsoever. The Society depends on the generosity of the public for its funds as well as monies generated by the Thrift Shop.

Operating as a charity, it is regulated by the Ministry of Social Development under the auspices of the Non-Government Organisations department. It does not receive funding from the government.

Watch the official BSPCA video below

Executive Committee:

The Executive Committee of the Society is elected at the General Meeting which is held every two years.

BSPCA Aims:

To prevent cruelty to animals and to treat them in a humane manner
To educate the public about the healthy relationship between man, environment and animals
To cooperate with the relevant authority to control the number of stray animals
To encourage people to neuter and spay their pets to avoid the increase of unwanted animals which are left unsupervised or abandoned and which continue to breed, creating a vicious circle
To lobby the government to enforce the law against cruelty to animals and to increase the penalty for those found guilty of such acts and ban them from owning an animal in the future
To lobby the government to cease permitting the import of so-called “pedigree” animals from certain countries which are sick and which can bring in disease
To educate school children to foster a love for all creatures and teach them how to treat animals in a caring and responsible way

We accept all animals into our care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and will make the appropriate decision as to its welfare and homeability. Call number on front gate and someone will assist you.

The shelter timings are Sundays to Thursdays 9am to 5pm, Fridays & Saturdays 9am to 1pm, HOLIDAYS 9am to 1pm

History

In 1979, six people from very different walks of life – a veterinary surgeon, a nurse, a gynaecologist, the owner of a stable, a travel agent and the wife of a Radio Bahrain DJ – came together for a common purpose. The goal? To create an organisation in Bahrain to promote animal welfare and prevent acts of cruelty. In December of that year the organisation was officially registered by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs as a voluntary, non-profit charitable organisation. The BSPCA was born, but this was only the beginning.

In January 1982 the first Executive Committee was elected. There were no funds and no meeting place. Sub-committees were established for fund raising, publicity and education and other endeavours. Rescuing injured and sick animals and taking them for treatment to the local vet was carried out by a very small number of volunteers – “the Flying Squad” – using their own vehicles and resources.

The BSPCA became an affiliated member of the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and also a member of WSPA (the World Society for the Protection of Animals).

Temporary arrangements were made in the spring of 1982 to house the rescued dogs and cats at the stables of a Committee member. Local companies and businesses came to the rescue to provide funds for the cost of feeding and caring for these animals and small fundraising events were held throughout the year to help with the costs.

During early 1983 there was a major outbreak of enteritis (parvo virus) and the animals had to be moved to prevent its further spread. The need for a permanent facility to house the animals was becoming critical.

On 13th July 1983 an area of land in Shakoora was leased from the Government and the animals were moved to the premises as soon as it was ready for use. The opening of the new Shelter was a monumental effort achieved by a handful of dedicated people.

But there was still no electricity or water …..

A water tower was painstakingly built and everyone waited for the arrival of the water tanker. But as the tanker was filling the tank, the tower collapsed and the water cascaded onto the assembled volunteers! Back to the drawing board! Later in the year the premises were wired up for electricity and a generator was purchased. At this time there were 30 kennels for dogs and puppies and later on a small cattery was laid out in a donated portacabin.

In February 1984, with funding and the help of the Rotary Club of Bahrain, the land was levelled and the perimeter fence erected, creating much needed space. The Shelter was at last on its way to becoming the place that we all know today.

In 2003 His Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman, the Prime Minister, donated an area of land at Askar for the Society’s use. From then on the impetus was to focus on holding as many fundraising events as possible to gather enough money together for the construction of a new purpose-built Shelter. The lease for the Shakoora land would not last forever as the area was no longer classified as agricultural and was now designated as a residential area.

During 2007 and 2008 many improvements almost changed the place beyond recognition. A new cat house was constructed, courtesy of a generous Bahraini donor, housing 40 cats. The dog pens were extended and the area which was formerly the Manager’s office refurbished as a small clinic. In addition, the kitchen facilities were upgraded and a small portacabin installed at the other end of the premises to house the administration office and serve as a reception area. A small courtyard area, complete with plants, tables and chairs, was laid out where visitors and volunteers could sit and view the puppies.

In 2008 plans for the new Animal Welfare Centre were drawn up and the land at Askar levelled off. It was not all plain sailing as obtaining the necessary permissions to even begin took two years but eventually in 2010 the boundary wall was erected and work began in March 2011 on the main buildings. Many commercial companies have rallied round and provided their support, expertise and materials free of charge for which the Society cannot thank them enough.

The Centre was finally finished in September 2012 and arrangements went underway immediately to transfer the animals and offices to Askar. Along with all the extra space for the animals including play areas, a duck pond and an aviary the Animal Welfare Centre now has a purpose built clinic, Administration offices and a classroom for school visits.

Two of the original founders of the BSPCA, Dr Khalil Rajab and his wife Betty, are still involved with the BSPCA and follow its progress with interest. They have seen many people come and go throughout its existence but both continue to provide the Executive Committee with valuable background information as well as guidance on constitutional matters to each Executive Committee when carrying out their two year tenure.

And so a new era starts … a far cry from its very humble beginnings 36 years ago and a very proud moment for all the dedicated volunteers who have worked towards this on the Society’s behalf.

Our Mandate (What the BSPCA Can and Cannot Do)

The Society will accept any animal that is handed in to the shelter and will make the appropriate decision as to its welfare and homeability.
The Society makes every effort to find a home for those animals that are suitable to adopt out.
The Society runs a Catch, Neuter, Vaccinate and Release programme for compound cats at a cost of BD15 for neutering a male cat and BD25 for the spaying of a female cat. The cat must be brought to the shelter and collected when it is ready to be returned to it’s area. The cat’s ear will be notched for identification purposes.
The Society does not board animals.
The Society regrettably does NOT have any authority to enforce the law against cruelty to animals.
The Society cannot confiscate an animal that is being mistreated; it can only speak to the owner and ask them if they will hand the animal over. In some cases, people do not realise that they are ill-treating an animal by not feeding it properly or providing it with plenty of water, or by neglecting to groom it and in those cases we can only explain to them why their actions are negligent. In clear cases of abuse, the BSPCA will report such cases to the police.
We do not treat sick pets and return them to their owner after treatment.
We cannot pick up an animal if it is not contained, unless in an emergency e.g. dog been hit by a car. If unsure call to check.
The society rents out cat and dog traps for a daily fee and a refundable deposit so that the public can catch them and bring them to us.
We do not give out any information on an animal once it has been handed over.
We will not return the animal to the person who handed it in.
We do accept all donations, including pet food, money, Thrift Shop items etc.
The Society does not accept animals dropped off at the Thrift Shop.