Get Involved with Animal Welfare International

We support and promote the welfare of animals by humanely trapping free roaming cats and dogs, sterilising and vaccinating them, treating them for fleas and worms where appropriate and chipping them if in the UK. We promote Sterilise, Adopt, Vaccinate and Educate.

AWI was started by Sharon Bierer, a lifelong animal lover, with the support of her husband Henrik Overgaard-Nielsen. They have had rescue animals throughout their lives and wanted to dedicate their time in retirement to helping on a bigger scale. Soon joined by trustees and other animal-lovers, Dr Nivash Lalloo in Ireland and Raja Shahul Hameedh in India. 

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.

In January 2023 Laura’s parents, Sharon Bierer and Henrik Overgaard-Nielsen travelled to Madurai to meet Raja and his family. They meet the animals living in his home, all rescued. During the visit they visited potential land for purchase and discussed their mutual aims.

Sharon and Henrik started AWI (Animal Welfare International, formerly Animal Welfare India) as a vehicle that could work with Raja and his NGO by fundraising to provide a properly built and equipped sterilisation clinic in the outskirts of Madurai with a large plot of land for a shelter for unadoptable animals that have been sterilised.

We are registered as a charity in the UK but support animal welfare initiatives both locally and internationally. To date we have supported sterilisation, vaccination and education projects in Sri Lanka and Southern India. We hope to expand these. We also work with cat neutering in London.

We rely on donations and the generosity of supporters to fund our work. We also apply for private grants and hope to collaborate with local councils on specific projects.

Yes, we are a registered UK charity and are committed to transparency and good governance. You can find our charity commission page here. Our registration number is 1211164.

Donations go towards supporting sterilisation projects, educating the public, raising awareness of the over population of free roaming animals and cooperating with other charities with similar aims. No money is used for administration or wages. You can see more details of how our money is spent here.

Yes please! This is massively helpful to small charities like us, even if it is a small amount. You can set it up via our justgiving page. Please select ‘Give now’ and choose the ‘Monthly’ option. Thank you!

Absolutely, thank you! One-off donations are always welcome and make a real difference. We accept donations via Just Giving - please click here.

Yes, we follow recognised fundraising standards and best practice to ensure donations are handled responsibly. We are registered with the Fundraising Regulator. Our registration number is 292991.

Yes, we collaborate with partners and organisations that share our commitment to improving animal welfare. We prioritise registered charities. For example, we are funding regular sterilisation clinics in Sri Lanka through Tikiri Trust, a German charity. We provide funding for 25 animals to be sterilised a week.

We support initiatives that improve the welfare of dogs and cats.

You can contact us via email hello@animalwelfareinternational.co.uk or through the contact form on our website.

Yes, we would massively appreciate partnerships with businesses that want to make a positive impact on animal welfare. Please get in touch to discuss. As far as we know, all donations to UK registered charities are tax deductible.

You can follow us on our website and via social media to keep up with our latest news and campaigns.

It is trapping, neutering, releasing. This means cats are trapped in a humane trap, sterilised by a local vet after which they recuperate indoors at a foster home and then if unadoptable (ie wild and not socialised) they are released into its existing colony from where it was trapped. Usually, these cats have come to our attention because a kind person is feeding these cats so they continue to be given basic food and water. If we believe they are adoptable, we will endeavour to find them a loving home.

In India and Sri Lanka, we can sterilise an animal for £6-£12.00. In the UK it costs around £50-£100. But in the UK we also do a cat aids and leukemia test, chipping, vaccination and treatment for worms and fleas. This pushes the cost to more than £200.00 per animal. We do negotiate with local independent veterinary practices and usually receive a 20% discount off their normal prices.

Cats can have three pregnancies a year. Each pregnancy lasts just over 2 months and kittens are usually weaned within 8 weeks. Dogs have seasons so that means usually only two litters per year. A cat who produces just four kittens (upwards of 7 is quite common) can over one year produce a family tree of well over 120 cats and that is only if half her kittens are female. It does not allow for all the other females that her male offspring might have impregnated.

Tom (male) cats that are not sterilised fight for territory and mating rights. Sterilisation makes this far less likely so far fewer injuries, noise at night in local neighbourhoods and the horrid smell of a spraying tom cat in gardens!

Cats are hormone driven and once their kittens are weaned they show very little interest in them at all. In fact, they often are annoyed with their kittens and show no distress when kittens are removed from them.

Of course. Cats have the “roaming commission” meaning they are allowed by law to roam and they must for their healthy development. They need fresh air, to explore, to chase and to have mental stimulation. That then supports their 18 hours a day sleep habit!

An average dog needs approximately two one hour walks a day, preferably off lead in a place where they and other people and animals are safe. They need freedom to sniff, communicate with other friendly dogs and explore off lead. That means they must have been trained to have excellent recall - when you call them, they come back to you immediately. If you cannot achieve this then sadly, your dog needs to be on a long lead as a minimum so you can bring your dog to heel when needed.

No. They do not need it and it can cause diarrhoea.

Yes, clean fresh water should be supplied 24 hours a day.

At least twice a day on wet food and a few dry biscuits. We use branded, good quality food. Depending on the age and health of the animal, we might well feed them every few hours or on a specialised food such as gastrointestinal food or kitten food. If you adopt from us we will advise you.

Yes, to protect them from common diseases such as cat flu/parvovirus/leukaemia

And dogs against kennel cough/leptospirosis/distemper/parvovirus and hepatitis. The cost can range massively but it will cost £50.00 upwards per annum.

Yes, by law in England, cats and dogs must be chipped. Puppies by 8 weeks old and kittens by 20 weeks old.

Yes it is the law that a dog has a collar that can identify its ownership by name, address and postcode. It is advised that your telephone number and email also be on the tag. Cats are not required to have a collar but they are recommended by us. They must be a proper cat collar (that can come off if it is caught on a branch or equivalent) and have the owner’s identification on it. NEVER PUT YOUR PET’S NAME ON THE TAG TO PREVENT THEFT.