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Dear SCAD supporter,
It has taken us some time to wrap things up for SCAD, but I now have a final update for you.
You certainly know the story up to now, so all that I would like to do today is to tell you how the story ends.
For our animals: a very emotional and trying time for all involved, but it did have a good ending. After an incredible outpouring of goodwill and support, numerous adoptions took place, ensuring forever homes for a good number of our beloved animals. We also had offers from a number of other welfare organizations in Thailand and around the world to take in the animals that would not have found their forever homes before we had to close. We will be forever thankful to them for their kindness. I would like to mention them by name and encourage you to look them up and offer them your support:
All of these wonderful organizations and supporters will continue with efforts to find forever homes for our animals.
A special thank you also to Katherine Zack - doing what she can for animals in Hua Hin, who took in 2 of our animals and promptly found homes for both. Care for Dogs Foundation in Chiang Mai, Soi Dog Foundation , Shirley Hartmann from SCAD Nederland , and the many other organizations that stood ready to take in animals despite their own over-capacity: thank you very much.
For our premises: our Cat Centre was happily taken over by PAWS Bangkok, an organization started by former SCAD volunteer, Amy Baron. Our facility in Bang Bo was returned to the landlady, who is currently using it for her own animal rescue efforts.
For our assets: what we didn’t manage to sell, we donated to other animal welfare organizations – specifically ENP Dog Sanctuary, Wildlife 1 and PAWS, all of whom were starting afresh.
For our website: our site will remain active as a source of valuable information about animal welfare, including a list of other animal welfare organizations actively involved in improving the lives of animals in Thailand.
For our Facebook page: our Facebook page will from now on serve as an alumni page where anyone can share updates on our beloved SCAD friends and their doings.
For our team: Our loyal kennel hands all found placements elsewhere. Khun Mot, who served SCAD for 6 years, has opened her own kenneling facility and grooming parlour in Bangkok. Khun Yu, cat expert and animal handler extraordinaire, as well as our amazing operations managers, Matt and Lindsay, have all moved north to Chiang Mai where they are working with wild life at the newly founded Wildlife 1. In their spare time, they swing around to ENP to help out where they can. Khun Wass, our accounts manager, is happy to be a freelancer again. Wendy Edney, our previous General Manager, has said a fond farewell to Bangkok and repatriated back to Melbourne where she is has again found great opportunities to serve animal welfare.
Claire Deacon, long-time SCAD volunteer and advisory member, has opened her own photography studio and continues to assist ENP with overseas adoptions logistics from Bangkok, as well as lending her photographic talents to all animals in need. Belinda Langman, also a long time SCAD volunteer and advisory member, has repatriated to New Zealand from where she has been expertly managing the final wrap up of SCAD’s finances.
SCAD’s founder, Sheridan Conisbee, is living on the island of Majorca where she is still heavily involved in animal welfare.
As for me, I repatriated to the USA 3 years ago where I have joined the business world and do what I can for animal welfare, usually with my faithful little SCAD alumni, Lambchop, by my side.
For our funds: the funds that our supporters so generously offered to help us through our crisis, were set aside for a special purpose. We have created “trust funds” for each of our animals to accompany them to the animal welfare organizations that kindly took them in. You can therefore rest assured that your donations are still working for the improvement of animal’s lives.
So, the story ends on a happy note, or at least, as happy as we could manage!
To our volunteers who stuck by us till the end and helped with everything from loading trucks to doing early morning airport runs: a huge thank you.
To our Advisory Board Members Fiona Woodhouse, Karthi Martelli, Sean Triner, John Dalley, Claire Deacon and Belinda Langman – thank you very much for your time and dedication over the past 3 years.
To our Board members Khun Sudhisak Bamrungtrakun, Khun Kumaree Chinawat, Khun Panjai Chiranuphab and Wilma Ratanaruka, thank you for your dedication and your time. Our legal advisor, Khun Jitlada Sirachadapong, also deserves a special thank you.
The biggest thank you, however, goes to you, as one of our supporters. None of the good memories that we hold of SCAD’s work over the past 10 years would have been possible without you. Thousands of animals were touched because of your support to SCAD. A heartfelt thank you, licks, purrs and wags from all of them to you.
Thank you for sharing this incredible journey with us.
Wishing you a blessed Festive Season.
Annelize Booysen
Chairperson SCAD Advisory Committee |
