What is Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary?
Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary is a newly formed non-profit organization whose
goal is to establish a facility unique to Silicon Valley.
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What is your vision and mission statement?
Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary was founded on the belief that no animal should
have to go hungry, be homeless or live in fear or pain. The sanctuary believes
that all animals deserve to be treated with dignity, kindness, and respect
and provided with care that increases their opportunity for a safe life.
Our mission is to offer care and a peaceful living environment for abused, physically handicapped, aged or homeless animals.
Our goal is to provide an open space facility where these "special needs" animals can be provided with medical care, love, and attention that will ultimately lead to adoption. If necessary, the sanctuary will provide a lifetime refuge for these animals.
The Sanctuary will also provide a relocation point for feral cats in an effort to reduce the growing population in Silicon Valley. Efforts will be made to reduce the population through spaying, neutering, vaccinating and releasing them into a natural and safe environment.
Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary is a newly formed non-profit organization whose goal is to establish a facility which is unique to Silicon valley. Currently, we are seeking to connect with individuals or businesses that are interested in investing in the vision and mission of the Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary.
Additionally, SHAS is working towards:
- Instilling humane principles into society via special educational programs.
- Educating the public regarding the overpopulation of animals.
- Aiding in the prevention of abuse and cruelty to animals.
- Providing awareness campaigns regarding animal welfare.
- Rehabilitating injured and abused animals.
- Promoting responsible pet ownership.
- Promoting the placement of animals into loving, responsible and permanent homes.
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There are so many animal rescue groups. What makes your organization different?
Each group has a different approach
toward the problem of abandoned and unwanted animals. Some just take
purebreds, some have size restrictions, some only take cats and some only
take the "easy to place animals." It is true that our sanctuary cannot
take aggressive animals in for safety reasons. Many of our foster families
have children and we cannot put them in any type of danger. We take in animals that are injured,
ill, abused and discarded and nurse them back to health with love, medical assistance and trust. That's what makes us so
special and we hope that this devotion merits your financial support.
Our sanctuary is a no-kill, "cageless facility" where animals will be
housed together in small groups to help relieve the stress of being isolated and abandoned. The dog section will house
approximately 60-75 dogs and is a new concept in care for animals. They will have a place to run and play in a special
fenced area and the volunteers will work with them on "doggie manners" and training. The cat section, which will house
approximately 55-60 cats, will be a wonderful place for our feline friends to gather, also in groups, to lay in the sun by the
window,
climb a tree and purr the day away or just sit in the lap of a volunteer and be petted. We will also have approximately
3-5 acres of open space devoted to the care and safety of feral cats.
We will have a veterinary clinic, visitation/play areas, area for incoming
animals in need of evaluation, and adoption area.
This facility would also have an educational center in which we would host
various programs for the community such as spay/neuter awareness, behavioral seminars and other programs of
interest to the community.
In addition to caring for the animals at the sanctuary, we would also like
to implement several animal protection and
education programs in the community. For instance, we would like to: Provide
safe, loving homes for the pets of elderly individuals who can no longer care for their pets; develop an adoption
exchange program with other animal care groups to reduce the number of euthanize animals, and establish a community outreach and
educational program through the local schools for animal rights' education.
The Sanctuary will also provide a relocation point for feral cats in an effort to reduce the growing population in Silicon
Valley. Efforts will be made to reduce the population through spaying, neutering, vaccinating and releasing them into a
natural and safe environment.
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If I donate to your sanctuary how will the money be spent?
We have no paid positions at SHAS so all the donations we receive
directly benefit the animals in our care. Donations are used for:
- Veterinary expenses. Some animals require more care than others. All
of our animals are spayed/neutered before placement, heartworm and FIV/FeLV negative, all vaccinations, wormed, microchipped and provided antibiotics if necessary.
- $50 guarantees a lifesaving vaccination for a dog or cat;
- $75 guarantees comprehensive medical care for one dog or cat;
- $50 supplies medical care and food for one animal and
- $100 helps rescue, rehabilitate and find homes for a litter of
puppies or kittens.
- Pet food and cat litter.
- Assisting in helping defray the costs of printing brochures, adoption
contracts, flyers, newsletters, advertising, etc.
- See our expenditures in 2003.
All donations can be sent to our mailing address at:
Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary
PO Box 9005
San Jose, CA 95157
If you have other questions, please contact us.
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How did SHAS begin?
The concept for SHAS began when a small group of individuals began
feeding stray cats. Eventually, it was clear that there was a real need to do something to help these
cats--not only with feeding, but providing them with shelter, as well. This concept grew as it was evident that the feral
cat population was huge in the Santa Clara Valley. Along with the need to help feral cats came the realization that there
were other "special needs" animals that could benefit from having a permanent home/shelter so that they may live out their
lives
in a safe and loving environment. That's when the idea for Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary was born.
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Where is the sanctuary and is it open to the public?
For the few years we have operated a small
sanctuary located in the Saratoga foothills to care for feral cats.
The Sanctuary currently resides on a quarter acre of loaned land. The
sanctuary is open to the public by appointment only. Within the next few
years, we hope to purchase a minimum of 30 acres of land and build a new
facility that could house up to 300 animals or more. We do not operate a
permanent facility at this time, but hope to build our permanent facility
in the Santa Cruz mountains.
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What is a "no-kill" (or life-long care) sanctuary?
"No-kill" means that animals are not destroyed except when compassion for
a suffering animal demands euthanasia, and no reasonable alternative exists.
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What happens to the animals who are brought to your sanctuary?
SHAS offers animals a refuge and a haven where they can find healing
and happiness and the chance for a new life.
Animals coming to us will be rehabilitated and placed good homes with permanent or foster families whenever possible to make
way for new arrivals.
Others who are too badly traumatized through ill treatment or are old, crippled or chronically ill find a permanent
refuge at SHAS, and a life that makes up for whatever went before.
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How is the sanctuary funded?
SHAS is funded primarily by the donations of members and
well wishers. Donations to SHAS are tax-deductible. A financial statement
is available upon request.
Since SHAS receives no city, state or federal funding we rely solely on
charitable donations, fundraisers and the good will of people who love
animals and want to help. Your support is crucial for us to
continue our mission for years to come.
We are beginning a capital campaign to purchase land and begin the
construction on a permanent facility. Fundraisers are being planned in
order to raise awareness about our organization and to bring in needed
funds and volunteers to help us realize our dream.
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We have a dog or cat that we can no longer keep and want to give it
to your sanctuary. What do we do?
Our facilities are currently filled to capacity. We are not currently accepting owner-surrendered animals unless the
animal is a "special needs" animal and is not likely to be adopted through other shelters or rescue groups. However, we
are accepting adoptable animals into our foster program. All of our
animals are evaluated before bringing into the sanctuary. Because we
utilize foster homes, many of which have young children, we cannot take
any type of aggressive animal into our program. We would be happy to counsel you regarding other options, if necessary.
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What is the adoption fee?
The adoption fee is $120 for any animal adopted through SHAS.
This includes shots, spay/neuter surgery, microchipping, heartworm test for dogs/FIV/FeLV test for cats, and de-worming. All animals are
thoroughly checked by our veterinarian. This donation helps defray the monumental expenses of caring for our animals. Usually
training has also begun. Our foster families work on housebreaking, if needed, sit, down and walking on a leash. (Our
animals are so lucky to have such wonderful people taking care of them!) If you would like to volunteer to be a foster family,
please contact us.
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I contacted you via e-mail or phone and have not heard back from you.
We receive numerous calls and e-mails
daily. All of our volunteers
have full-time jobs elsewhere and give unselfishly of their time to help the animals in our care. Each of your inquiries is
important to us and we take your questions, comments and suggestions very seriously. Please give us as much information as
you can when contacting us with a question. Our budget does not allow us to return many long distance phone calls so please use that option only in an emergency. E-mail is more cost effective. Once we have built our permanent facility, we hope to
have full-time volunteers staffing the phones and e-mails, so send in those tax-deductible donations!
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How do I sponsor an animal?
Information about this program can be found on our website at Sanctuary Pet Sponsorship.
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I'd like to be placed on your mailing
list. How do I go about getting
listed?
Just e-mail us at info@safehavenanimalsanctuary.org with your name and
address stating you would like to be placed on the mailing list. You will then receive periodic updates on the sanctuary
and a copy of our newsletter.
Outreach programs
No More Homeless Pets. Working with animal lovers and organizations across
the nation, SHAS has set the goal of bringing an end altogether to the killing of animals in shelters and pounds simply
because no home can be found for them.
SHAS Newsletter. This publication is a collection of "good news about animals, wildlife and the earth." It includes
tips on good relations with animals, interviews with animal lovers, and heartwarming stories from the sanctuary.
The SHAS Newsletter is an expression of the SHAS philosophy that kindness to
all living things builds a better world for all of us.
Website. Information and current news about the sanctuary is at
www.safehavenanimalsanctuary.org
Members and supporters
Membership categories include volunteers, contributors, supporting members
and people who sponsor animals at the sanctuary. Active members currently number about 3,000.
Affiliations
SHAS is not formally affiliated with other animal welfare groups, but works
with many groups and shelters for the benefit of the animals taking animals in when space permits, delivering food and
supplies when available, cooperating on spay/neuter and adoption programs, and participating in national events.
Staff and management
We are an all volunteer organization.
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