As you will all know our dear friend and mentor Tony Waters, founder of “The Dogfather Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre” lost his courageous battle with cancer on April 20th this year. Throughout Tony’s treatment he tirelessly carried on running the shelter and never complained.
The mammoth task of caring for 365+ animals fell into our hands. Under the guidance of the centres patron, Musician Sandi Thom, the day to day routine has continued as normal the only difference being that Tony is not there to advise and chip in with a joke or witticism! Tony’s motto being “I will always find a way”
As Tony’s 3 children live abroad an executive committee was formed to oversee the seamless transition. Along with full time workers Chula Amin & the rest of the team the work begins at 4am and carries on until the evening. Their passion and devotion for the animals is amazing. Feeding time is like a military operation with both staff and animals all knowing where they should be!
The care & maintenance for both animal and the centre is an enormous operation. We are not funded and rely solely on the generosity of the public both in Bahrain & abroad. To boost our income our Second Hand Shop is run by dedicated volunteers.
The average monthly cost of running the shelter is BD5,000, including: animal food, rent, Ewa, centre workers’ salaries, vets bills & maintenance. Currently we are home to dogs, cats, birds, baboons and even a sheep & goat! Some of the animals are sponsored monthly by members of the public which is ideal for those unable to adopt.
We have managed to rehome some of our furbabies! As per Tony’s wishes, strict policies are in place to implement this. Each animal is like a family member and whilst sad to see them leave we are grateful they are given the chance of a new life. With the generous support of Bahrain Confidential we will be bringing you monthly updates from “The Dogfather”n
