Millions of Friends The first NGO for animal protection in Romania www.ampbears.ro We're rescuing animals since 1997 AMP Page 1
History & Mission Millions of friends Association (AMP) was founded in 1997 by Cristina Lapis, a former journalist from Brasov who dedicated her life to serving animals. With the support of her husband, Roger Lapis, the French Honorary Councilor, they developed one of the first animal welfare NGO s in Romania. During this time, they gathered a strong team of specialists in veterinary medicine, animal transportation and animal care. They managed to save thousands of animals, from cats, street dogs, to horses, foxes and bears. AMP Page 2 "We are Milioane de Prieteni (Millions of Friends) the oldest animal protection association in Romania. During the last 17 years, we have rescued from suffering and death, over 20,000 animals, most of them stray dogs, cats, horses, but also bears, wolves, foxes and deers.
Location & facilities Brasov Public Dog Shelter from Stupini AMP has worked with Brasovs Municipality since its begginings, but only in 2011 the association signed a partnership for administrating the Public Dog Shelter, situated in the neighberhood of Stupini, in North of Brasov. This ment putting an end to cruelty and euthanasia and a beggining for promoting volunteering and adoptions. The shelter is located in Stupini neighbourhood of Brasov, on Merilor Street nr.6. AMP Page 3
Location & facilities Victory Dog Shelter Established in 1999 in the West Side of Brasov, Victory is one of the first dog shelters from Romania. Key facility for stray dog management, the shelter has the merit of treating, guesting, caring and rehoming more than 15.000 dogs în the last 15 years. More, this is the only social center that hospitalize injured stray dog and also permits sterilizations of pets from low income families. The shelter is located in Triaj neighbourhood of Brasov, on 10 Fundatura Harmanului Street. AMP Page 4 Specs: 100 kennels 1 vet clinic 1 puppy nursery 3 walking gardens
Victory Dog Shelter With 100 kennels and more than 400 dogs, Victory is a medium size facility that offers complete services for stray animals and for community. The heart of this rescue center is the vet practice, attended by two permanent vets and a vet assistant. The center attends more than 500 dogs/year, from rescue, to treatment, caring and accomodation, and finalizing with transportation and adoption. Over 500 dogs and cats are transported to Germany, Uk and France each year. Most common intervention (more than 1000/ year) are pet sterilization and stray dog injuries. Nr of interventions/year Open wounds treatment Hernia Amputations Mamry tumour removal Ocular ball removal Uretrostomy Enteroanactomosis - 300/year - 200/year - 15/year - 50/year - 5/year - 5/year - 3/year Walking garden at Victory AMP Page 5
Location & facilities Libearty Bear Sanctuary Created in the memory of Maya, today the Libearty Sanctuary is home to 82 European brown bears, all of them have been rescued from a cruel life of abuses in captivity. Recognised by many captive bear specialists as probably the best bear sanctuary in the world, it consists of 69 hectares of lush forests, streams and pools, graciously provided by the City of Zărnești, located at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains near Brașov, Romania. Most of the bears were rescued from a miserable life in tiny cages providing entertainment to restaurants, hotels, factories, petrol stations, circuses, and even monasteries. Several bears also came to the sanctuary after Romania s EU accession led to the permanent phasing out of some of the worst zoos in the country. Libearty is the biggest animal welfare project in Romania and the largest bear sanctuary in Europe. The sanctuary is located near Zarnesti, at 200 km from Bucharest, on an oak tree forest hill. AMP Page 6
Europe's largest bear sanctuary The reservation represents the results of a partnership between WAP charity organization, Millions of friends Association (AMP) from Brasov and Zarnesti Municipality, signed in 2005. This sanctuary was the only solution to ensure the effective application of The Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats in Romania. In 9 years, Libearty achieved the rescue of 80 bears, mostly kept behind restaurants, tourist guest houses, circus, bad managed zoos. They enjoy the freedom of a natural environment on 69 hectars, being the largest space anybody had dispose for bears. The sanctuary has 11 enclosure, 13 swiming pools, 3 large enclosures for long therm care for bears. 1 enclosure for long therm care for wolves 3 training areas 1 post-trainig area 5 enclosures for bears with special needs 1 administrative building 1 info center for visitors 1 chapel 1 underground observation point 1 Wild Photography platform 1 conference room AMP Page 7
Stupini 2011 Between 2000 and 2011 more than 30000 dogs were killed AMP Page 8
Ending cruelty and stopping euthanasia The sinister echo of 35.000 dogs killed from 2000 to 2011 has forced AMP to take action. În 2011, the shelter was cleaned and 360 dogs were relocated to AMP shelter. Since 2013, the shelter has been coadministrated by AMP. The medical services were improved, the kennels where modernized, while adoptions and sterilizations level has visibly rised. AMP managed to stop legal euthanasia and provided food, medicine, employees and volunteers. The medium number of dogs accommodated is between 250 and 300 dogs. AMP Page 9
Stray dogs. Adoption AMP focused on rising the number of indigen adoptions for puppies and dogs. Creating awareness on the problem of stray animals and organising events in the facilities had been boosting the number of indigen adopted animals to 500/year in 2014. This number is larger than the stray dog population of Brasov. The adoption process is strictly controlled, the attendants being passed trough a routine check for optimal welfare condition. The dogs are vaccinated and receive an health certificate, and the new owners are conciliated to ease the insertion into their home. A program of virtual adoption alows animal lovers to care for a dog in the shelter without taking it home. AMP Page 10
AMP Page 11
Stray dogs. Sterilization Sterilization is a key factor in stray animal management and for more than 10 years, we have practice it. Cats and dogs neutering is processed on daily bases up to 15 animals/day, in both shelters. Each year, with support from local administration and foreign NGOs, AMP is organizing mass sterilization campaigns în Brasov and nearby towns, alowing pet owners to neuter their companions în a convenient way. Our efforts have been repayed as the stray dog number has been settled to a minimum of 400 dogs one of the lowest in Romania. Sterilization campaign in Sacele 2014 AMP Page 12
Stray dogs Volunteering We have involve the community in solving the problem of stray dogs. Brasov became a role model and a good practice example on the private public colaboration. Stupini Public dog shelter became one of the few in Romania that alows local volunteers to walk and pet the dogs each weekend. The Victory dog shelter has a regular flow of foreign volunteers who helps also with food preparation and cleaning. In 2014, AMP has runned an pillot voluntering project for testing children s skills on caring and peting stray dogs in the public dog shelter. Also, the World Animal Day was celebrated in 2014 with a contest for constructing dog houses, that have been attanded by 15 volunters. AMP Page 13
Wild animal protection AMP has stand for protecting wild animals since its begginings. Over the years, we had an simnifiquant role in managing human-bear conflicts by a multi-role aproach: bear rescues, lobbing against abusive killing and offering expertise and creating awareness. Collaboration with Romanian National Environment Guard, the Environment Protection Agency, forestry departaments and the Institute for Forest Research has been essential for this activity. We are offering the only Emergency Vet Service in Brasov County, as an integrated service of 112 National Emergency Service. Wilst the most common interventions are car accidents, the service also rescued deers, storks, owls, bats and all kind of wild animals. AMP Page 14
EDUCATION For more than 20 years, stray dogs, human-bear conflicts, captive bears, poorly managed zoos, and abuses against farm animals were fairly common in Romania and were neglected by public opinion. The lack of education postponed the initiation of mass action in the field of animal rights and welfare. AMP believes it s important to educate children so they can understand why these actions are needed. During the 2013/2014 school year, AMP conducted the first study on animal welfare in the Romanian schools. The level of interest was enormous! In the sanctuary, all the tours are guided and the visitors can understand the mistakes that humans make regarding wildlife. Seeing bears playing, eating, listening to their stories, watching documentaries about the rescue missions, is changing something in the way children think about bears! In 2014, Libearty Bear Sanctuary was awarded with the certificate of excelance by TripAdvisor. AMP Page 15
Education During the 2013/2014 school year, AMP conducted the first study on animal welfare in the Romanian schools. The main objective was to establish the level of knowledge and interest in the 10- to 14-year-old school population, considered to be the age that provides the highest interest for animal welfare. After 7 month of studies, we have registered that over 80% of the children are interested to study the welfare and protection of animals in school. For the 2015 school year, AMP is preparing to launch a pilot course, Animal welfare and protection, in at least two schools in Brasov. The pilot course will follow the curriculum of 22 lessons and will also include some extracurricular activities visits to the sanctuary, zoos, farms, etc. The experience will allow us to test some other instruments for teaching questionnaires, video lessons, and meetings with a vet. Over 60% of the children own a pet! Improve your future! Invest in AMP education projects! AMP Page 16
Why should you help animals? There are many advantages to redirecting 20%: you don t spend anything extra, it sa simple procedure, and it doesn t take any of your time. We ll send you the completed sponsorship form, and all you have to do is to hand it over to your accountant. He ll know what to do with it! You ll also benefit from your connection with the Millions of Friends Association, showing the world that your company is socially responsible. We ll promote you on www.ampbears.ro (over 4.000 unique visitors/month) and at the Libearty sanctuary in Zarnesti (over 15.000 visitors/year). If you don t direct up to 20% of your profit taxes, the money will go directly to the government, and you won t be able to track it. But if you direct the money to AMP, you ll know that your money will really change the world - for the animals. The Romanian governmental lows businesses to support NGO swithout having to spend extra money. Under the updated Tax Code 571/2003, Title 2, Ch. II, Article 21 (4), point p), taxpayers who make sponsorships, according to Law no. 32/1994 regarding the sponsorship, can subtract from their payable income tax the relatedamounts, if the total of these expenses meet the following conditions: - It is within the limit of 3 the turnover; - It does not exceed more than 20% of the payable tax. AMP Page 17
Save the captive bears project AMP has cared for bears fom the late 90 s, but the official fight was intensified in 2005, once the construction of the sanctuary has started. Saving the captive bears has turned into a succes in less than 8 years, saving more than 90% of the Romanian captive bears contained in inhuman and/or ilegal conditions.we re running 5 rescue mission/year, based on continuos zoo welfare monitorisation, field visits on private properties, complains and notifications received from animal lovers, requests from authorities or zoo administrations, etc. To get the bears in our bear ambulance, we make lobby and jump trough beurocratic steps which can take years. AMP Page 18 Rescue missions Restaurants: 12 Zoo : 34 Individuals : 8 Forestry departments: 5 Foreign countries: 4
Before 2006 After 2006 Circuses: 3 Gas stations: 2 Factories: 3 Monasteries: 1 Museums: 2 Reservations: 1 Max held by his owner for tourist attraction Max in his enclousure at Libearty AMP Page 19
http://www.ampbears.ro/en/adopt-a-bear ADOPT A BEAR Who`s my daddy? AMP Page 20
Campaigns No pet without a tag! Main objectives, important for the community - implementation and enforcement of the law 258/2014 - facilitate the identification and microchipping of dogs and cats - creating an unitary database Secondary objectives important for the community - reducing the abandonment by identifying the dog and the owner - reducing the multiplication of stray dogs - less stray dogs, more civilized streets - provide guidance to sterilize dog We put «normality» in society. Support our campaigns! AMP Page 21
ONLINE We keep in touch with animal lovers trough our monthly newsletter that you can subscribe by accesing www.ampbears.ro. Join our thousands of fans from the online community by searching Libearty and Milioane de Prieteni on Facebook! AMP Page 22
Our activity is reaching over 70.000 persons from all around the world, each month. www.ampbears.ro is the most visited virtual animal welfare site from Romania with over 7 million hits in 2014. Our database has more than 3.000 contacts from all around the world, and its doubling its size every two years. AMP Page 23
Celebrities Many stars love animals and during last couple of years, some of them visited this sanctuary. Celebrities like Natalie Imbruglia, Jaqueline Bisset, Peter Maffay, Alesha Dixon, Asher Keddie, and Pierre Brice have visited the sanctuary and some of them even helped rescue some bears and raise money for them. In fact, Pierre Brice is the godfather of the sanctuary! Pierre Brice (Winnetou) and Cristina Lapis AMP Page 24
Jacqueline Bisset and Cristina Lapis Alesha Dixon Brigitte Bardot and Cristina Lapis Peter Maffay and Cristina Lapis Alain Delon and Cristina Lapis AMP Page 25 Natalie Imbruglia
Community Awareness With over 100 media news and articles each year, AMP is the animal welfare NGO with the highest visibility from Romania. Most of the media follows the rescue actions performed by the staff from the sanctuary. For raising awareness, we develop and run campaigns, events and action trough the entire year, in all 3 locations of the asociation. AMP Page 26
AMP Page 27
It s not easy to help animals in Romania, but everyone can give a hand. Keeping all the facilities and the servicies running requires food, gas, electricity and salaries for the employees. Any support will be appreciated! Banca Transilvania / Sucursala Brașov RON: RO95BTRLRONCRT0V16889401 EURO: RO80BTRLEURCRT0V16889401 GBP: RO48BTRLGBPCRT0V16889401 Count Owner : Asociația de protecție a Animalelor Milioane de Prieteni Brașov AMP Page 28 Anima means soul. Animals and humans have souls!