Richi Animal Village - Draft
Richi Animal Village is a sanctuary founded by the NNLE Georgian Society for the Protection and Safety of Animals (GSPSA) in 2020. It is located 20 kilometers from Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia.
Our Vision
We believe every animal deserves a second chance at a happy and fulfilling life. We strive to create a place where animals can thrive, heal, and find their forever homes.
What Does Animal Village Mean?
An animal village means a sanctuary where dogs can live their entire lives if there is no one willing to adopt them or if adoption or return is not a viable option for them. Unlike a standard shelter, the animal village provides a permanent and loving home for these dogs, ensuring they receive the care and support they need for the rest of their lives.
Our Facilities
Situated on a beautiful agrarian territory, our animal village is surrounded by tree lines and water channels, providing a tranquil and natural setting for our furry residents. Currently, about 25% of the territory is employed, with carefully designed living areas for our dogs.
Our dog living areas are built with the utmost care and consideration. Each area is isolated by a fence and provides a warm and comfortable wooden dog house for every dog. Our spacious playing areas allow the dogs to run, play, and enjoy their time outdoors during the day.
How Dogs Arrive at Our Sanctuary
At Richi Animal Village, we welcome dogs through various means. Most of the dogs that come to our sanctuary are stray dogs with severe traumas and injuries, who are in dire need of care. After receiving the necessary treatment, dogs that cannot return to their original location find their way to our village. However, it is important to note that many of these dogs have psychological traumas or exhibit visible artifacts caused by past traumas, such as amputated legs or deformed bones and joints. This presents a challenge when it comes to finding new families for them, as people in Georgia often prefer to purchase healthy dogs with pure breeds.
Furthermore, GSPSA has operated a traumatized animal shelter in Tbilisi since 2006 that was eventually closed in 2021, and the 50 dogs were transferred to Richi Animal Village.
We are dedicated to providing a safe and loving environment for these dogs to spend the rest of their lives, even if adoption is not always possible.
Quality of Life
We are proud to say that our dogs experience a high quality of life here at Richi Animal Village. With access to large natural spaces, proper care, nutritious meals, and warm shelters, our furry friends are happy and content. Our team works tirelessly to ensure that these dogs receive the care, attention, and love they deserve. In fact, they may even be happier than many dogs with owners!
Rest assured, all our dogs are vaccinated and sterilized to ensure their health and well-being.
Our Dedicated Team
The care and well-being of our animals are of utmost importance to us. However, due to limited financial resources, we currently have a small team of only three dedicated employees who work tirelessly to provide daily care routines. We are grateful for their commitment and hard work, but we acknowledge the need for more personnel.
Teimuraz Tsikoridze, the chairman of GSPSA plays a crucial role in the care and management of Richi Animal Village. Due to a lack of personnel, Teimuraz takes on a significant amount of work and dedicates long hours to ensure the well-being of the animals. He works tirelessly, often for 14-16 hours a day, 365 days a year. Teimuraz not only manages the animal village and personally cares for the animals, but oversees the daily operations of the organization, advocates for legislative changes, organizes various animal welfare activities, conducts GSPSA member meetings. His unwavering dedication and commitment are essential in providing a safe and loving environment for the animals at Richi Animal Village.
Our Goals
Our main objective at the moment is to stabilize our financial income in order to cover the basic expenses necessary for the animal village. Our organization relies solely on donations, which currently are unfortunately at a very low level.
Additionally, our goal is to encourage donations beyond the minimum requirement. This will enable us to hire additional personnel to help alleviate some of the daily care responsibilities from Teimuraz Tsikoridze and other organization members. By doing so, they can focus on advocating for legislative changes that will have a greater impact on animal welfare in Georgia.
Looking ahead, we have ambitious plans for the future of Richi Animal Village. We aim to expand our facilities to include additional spaces for dogs and cats, as well as a veterinary station. These developments will enable us to provide care and support for more animals.
How You Can Help
If you are passionate about animal welfare and want to make a difference, there are several ways you can contribute:
- Consider making a financial donation to support our ongoing efforts;
- Consider being a Guardian From a Distance;
- Adopt one of our amazing animals and give them a forever home;
- You can also volunteer your time.
Together, we can create a better world for animals in need!