Our History

Laura Bierer-Nielsen found a puppy in very poor condition on the streets of Pudhukottai district in Tamil Nadu in April 2022. She called various organisations that referred to themselves as charities and asked them to come and collect the puppy. She offered to pay for the treatment etc. None responded except one exceptional young man, Raja Shahul Hameedh from Madurai.

Raja travelled 150 kms on a scooter and took back a puppy that he then cared for in his home. Laura only paid the expenses. Raja had already decided to dedicate his life to stray animals in his hometown of Madurai and had applied for non governmental (NGO) status for his small organisation, since granted in 2022.

This stimulated a desire to assist charities abroad to help them reduce the huge numbers of street roaming cats and dogs. Millions of animals are born to hungry, ill dogs and cats and AWI works to reduce these numbers.