Our community outreach program, Project SAFE, was launched in 2019 with a grant from the ASPCA. It was the first major step in a new direction for the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center towards bringing accessible pet care to the people of the Virgin Islands.
The goals of Project SAFE are to keep pets healthy, happy, and in their homes, improve the quality of life of owned pets on St. Croix and prevent unwanted litters. Ultimately, this program helps to prevent surrender and abandonment before it happens.
Project Safe initiatives included pop-up clinics in neighborhoods throughout the island, and going door to door in neighborhoods especially in need of assistance. Many of these pets had never seen a veterinarian before. We also provided follow-up care to as many of those pets as possible, including spay/neuter surgeries.
Unfortunately, the grant funding for this critical program ran out in 2021 and we have been seeking a funding source to continue this important work.
One of our goals for 2024 is to re-institute Project Safe. We are currently applying for grants and seeking to hire an additional veterinarian focused on community outreach.
