Animal Welfare Activists of Guyana

Animal Welfare Activists of Guyana Animal Welfare Activists of Guyana is an animal Cause set up to raise awareness of animal abuse, educate the Nation and improve animal welfare in Guyana. rise!

Birthed on the 15th July 2017, the work of Animal Welfare Activists of Guyana covers the following areas:

- Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation (by kind individuals who chose to help voluntarily (unpaid) ie Animal Rescuers of Guyana who feed, rescue & look after local mistreated animals at their own homes, turning their homes into mini Local Animal Shelters. (Donations can be made directly to thes

e kind individuals & Rescue Groups or via AWAG).

- AWAG page does not have the resources to send volunteers out on Rescues, nor do we have a Shelter or official premises (that would cost a lot of money to run), so we do what we can to help voluntarily for FREE Online Only in the following ways:

- CONNECTING UP Animal Rescuers with each other across the country by the creation & maintenance of Guyana's first ever - ANIMAL RESCUERS OF GUYANA ONLINE GROUP & LIST and the creation & maintenance of linked Local AWAG Online Groups enabling Local Animal Lovers to share information & make connections with other local animal lovers, advertise their local animals for adoption, get help for Local Orphaned Animals, form Local Animal Welfare groups and put in their Lost Pet advert to help find lost local pets, all for free. Also reducing loneliness and isolation of Animal Rescuers by connecting them up with each other and connecting up all organisations involved in animal welfare in Guyana with each other, via sharing their information on the page, making everyone aware of each other. And connecting up Donators with Local Rescuers. A bit like creating roads through the jungle so that Animal Lovers can make connections with each other all over Guyana, creating a vast, live, online network along which the "rivers of living water" can flow to the Rescuers & the Animals.

- AWAKENING the Churches/Religious organisations of Guyana and the World to the special place animals have in the Heart of God - via SHARING THE SCRIPTURES ON ANIMALS of the different religions.

- STANDING UP FOR LOVE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, MORALITY & MERCY in our treatment of CREATION and reminding people of God's wishes to Save the Species (See the story of Noah's Ark - Genesis 6 - 8 v 15-17). This story is relevant to our planet and animals today.

- CONFRONTING ADVERSITY head on, and relentlessly pushing through it to establish my VISION OF TRANSFORMING GUYANA from the "animal hellhole" I found it was in 2017 to "ANIMAL HAVEN", through the Rise of the Champions! In the fires of adversity, heroes are born, warriors are formed, and Champions. . . . . rise!

- PROMOTING and encouraging Animal Rescue & Adoption by kind individuals/Good Samaritans & enabling the formation of local animal welfare Rescue Groups in every main town/county of Guyana using the facilities of AWAG'S Linked Online Groups to probe uncharted territory and make local connections.

- ENABLING the finding of Lost/Stolen & Missing Pets & connecting Pet Finders with Owners eg: via the creation & maintenance of Guyana's first ever REGISTER OF LOST/STOLEN & FOUND PETS and a system that works, and also created a first one for Berbice which is helping Police to prove animal ownership where it is disputed, eg: PAPA - Nina Ramdeen's constantly stolen stallion donkey of Auchlyne, Berbice. And enabling Animal Rescuers to get ORPHANED ANIMALS adopted and donations made for veterinary treatments for injured/traumatised animals by sharing their adverts/appeals to AWAG'S main page - seen by 10,000+ animal lovers.

- PROVIDING FREE ADVERTISING and system to Missing Pet owners, getting their Lost Pet advert seen by 10,000± Members nationally & by Members in Local AWAG groups who can search local areas and share.

- STARTED A WHOLE ANIMAL WELFARE MOVEMENT and pushed it out over the whole of Guyana by sharing information, local animal's life stories on AWAG page, online linked groups & by sharing what to do information with the Nation via social media and spoke several times on local TV.

- GOT ANIMAL ADOPTIONS GOING at a time when no one believed it was possible in Guyana, and euthanasia was the only thing being done at that time (in 2017). I changed the course of destiny of animal welfare in Guyana and headed the country in a new and more positive, life giving direction. I intentionally intervened in Guyana's animals destiny and changed the game, pushing back hard against Lucifer's evil oppression on the animals/Creation and blazed a new and positive trail across the country.

- PUT CATS ON THE MAP IN DOG COUNTRY showing the beauty, value and fun that cats bring to humanity, using videos and photos of my own pet cats and kittens to demonstrate, enlighten and educate.

- CREATED A FOUNDATION/PLATFORM for those who have the necessary resources and on-the-ground networks, to build on, to develop Animal Shelters, Sanctuaries & other animal welfare initiatives all over Guyana.

- RAISED AWARENESS of the plight of ALL animals, and especially the Strays & the ORPHANED ones and the WORKING HORSES & DONKEYS. Determined to change things for them.

- CHALLENGING Police, Governments, Schools and Religious Institutions - to play their part in creating positive change in animal welfare in Guyana.

- INITIATED ENQUIRIES of young Local Guyanese Lawyers regarding what the ANIMAL WELFARE LAWS OF GUYANA were and requested the information from them in "layman's terms" so that everyone would be able to understand the law eg: AWAG'S partnership with A LAW A DAY KEEPS THE IGNORANCE AWAY page. Made this priceless information readily available to the public via AWAG'S linked public facebook groups - ANIMAL WELFARE LAWS - DOMESTIC & LIVESTOCK and ANIMAL WELFARE LAWS - WILDLIFE and sharing them with the Nation via the page & other linked AWAG groups.

- SECURED A BAN FROM THE GWCMC ON THE HUNTING, CAPTURE & SALE OF ALL CAPUCHIN MONKEYS IN GUYANA IN JULY 2022. AWAG'S Capuchin monkey story and videos sent in to AWAG by Aneela Khan of Tuschen, EBE so captured the hearts of thousands of Guyanese and made everybody laugh, that the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission decided to ban all hunting, capture and sale of Capuchin monkeys in Guyana. Big, big win � �!

- BEING the Light in Darkness, shining a light on the wickedness, and a VOICE OF TRUTH, giving local concerned citizens, whistleblowers & rescuers a safe and confidential voice on the page.

- GIVING A VOICE, SUPPORT, BACK UP & A PLACE TO BE HEARD to Guyana's long suffering Animal Rescuers, Activists & Animal Lovers.

- MAKING PEOPLE THINK and challenging neglectful and ungrateful mindsets.

- IMPLEMENTING CREATIVE IDEAS to enable improvement in animal welfare for eg. initiating the creation of ANIMAL DONATIONS DAY on the 1st of every month & created a successful system to help Local Rescuers get the regular donations they need to do their life saving work and to impress upon Guyanese the necessity of donating regularly if they want to see positive change & have Local Animal Shelters.

- APPLIED positive practical WIN WIN SOLUTIONS to the issues of poverty and animal abuse eg. the CAGE WITH WATER, FOOD & SHADE FOR THE GREEN IGUANA rather than cruelly tied up in the sun, which had been an ongoing cruelty issue for decades. Successfully reduced suffering on a massive scale for the Green Iguana in 2018. And we successfully advocated for a CLOSED SEASON to enable sustainability of the species, which was introduced by the GWCMC in 2019. Also coming up with simple win win solutions to everyday enquiries as they come into the inbox.

- ADVISING enquirers to the inbox and page, on WHAT TO DO, and how to handle situations to get best results within the parameters of the current state of animal welfare in Guyana.

- BEING A SIGN POST enabling enquirers to get in touch with the right authority to handle their enquiry and providing relevant information.

- PROVIDING, promoting and encouraging the VISION & STRATEGY for SMALL LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTERS & HORSE & DONKEY SANCTUARIES to develop all over Guyana.

- ENCOURAGING & promoting LOCAL GUYANESE ANIMAL WELFARE INITIATIVES eg. Pet Lovers GY, and Emerging Animal Rescuers. In a nutshell, I bring Vision, Solutions & Strategy to the table, and the determination to see my vision of Guyana changing from animal hellhole to haven through to fulfillment. For, it is in the fires of adversity, that heroes are born, warriors are formed, and Champions. . . . . . Shanti Mathews
Founder of AWAG
Good Samaritan & Champion of Creation

MORE TERRIBLE & UNNECESSARY CRUELTY BY EVIL MEN - WHEN YOU SEE BEATINGS ALWAYS VIDEO RECORD IT FOR EVIDENCE, UPLOAD TO S...
30/10/2025

MORE TERRIBLE & UNNECESSARY CRUELTY BY EVIL MEN - WHEN YOU SEE BEATINGS ALWAYS VIDEO RECORD IT FOR EVIDENCE, UPLOAD TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEN INTERVENE TO STOP IT

CITIZENS COMPLAINTS ||

Good night mr. Critics
This horse have been wondering around in parafait harmony for about 3 days now, this morning it’s in my street an it seems to be very injured on the back foot , there was a guy in the street seen beating it mercilessly yesterday, was just wondering if the relevant authority can look into it.

30/10/2025

REMINDER
DONATE TO ANIMALS DAY COMING UP SOON ON 1ST NOV.
Please donate animal care items and/or cash to your Local Rescuer.

LIKE THIS BRAVE ITALIAN WOMAN - WHEN WE SAY NO TO INJUSTICE - THE SYSTEM MUST CHANGE
28/10/2025

LIKE THIS BRAVE ITALIAN WOMAN - WHEN WE SAY NO TO INJUSTICE - THE SYSTEM MUST CHANGE

She was 17, and the law said she had to marry her ra**st—or be dishonored forever.
She said no.
In 1965, Franca Viola was a teenager living in Alcamo, Sicily, when she made a decision that would change Italian history. But first, she had to survive.

Franca had ended a relationship with Filippo Melodia, a man with mafia connections who didn't accept rejection. On December 26, 1965, Melodia and a group of armed men stormed her family's home. They beat her mother. They abducted Franca and her eight-year-old brother Mariano, who tried desperately to protect his sister.

Mariano was released. Franca was not.
For eight days, she was held captive. R***d. Terrorized. And constantly pressured to agree to marry her attacker.

Because in 1965 Italy, that was the solution. That was the law.
Article 544 of the Italian Penal Code allowed a ra**st to escape all punishment if he married his victim. It was called "matrimonio riparatore"—rehabilitating marriage. The idea was that marriage would "restore" the woman's honor, which had been destroyed by the r**e.

Her honor. Not his crime.
This wasn't ancient history. This was 1965—the year the Beatles released "Yesterday," the year America sent troops to Vietnam. In modern Italy, r**e victims were expected to marry their ra**sts or live as damaged, unmarriageable outcasts.

When Franca was finally released after eight days, everyone—her community, society, even some in her own family—expected her to do what women always did: accept the marriage and move on with her ruined life.
Franca Viola said no.
With her father's support, she refused to marry Filippo Melodia. Instead, she did something unprecedented: she pressed charges. She took him to court.
The backlash was immediate and brutal. Her family was shunned. Their fields were set on fire. Their name became synonymous with dishonor. In Sicily, where honor codes ran deep and mafia influence was strong, defying this tradition was dangerous.

But Franca didn't back down.
The trial became a national sensation. For the first time, Italians across the country had to confront the horror of a law that protected ra**sts and punished victims. Newspapers covered every detail. The country divided between those who supported Franca's courage and those who condemned her for "shaming" herself and her family.

In 1966, Filippo Melodia was convicted and sentenced to eleven years in prison.
Franca Viola became the first woman in Italian history to publicly refuse "rehabilitating marriage" and successfully prosecute her ra**st.

The cultural shift was seismic. Italy's President Giuseppe Saragat received her. Pope Paul VI—the Pope himself—met with her, a quiet acknowledgment that the Church recognized something fundamental was changing.

In 1968, Franca married Giuseppe Ruisi, her childhood friend who loved her without prejudice, who saw her as a whole person rather than a "dishonored" woman. Their marriage was a statement: victims of violence deserved love, respect, and normal lives.
But the law didn't change immediately. Article 544 remained on the books.

It took fifteen more years. Fifteen years of activism, of cultural shifts, of other women finding courage in Franca's example. Finally, in 1981, the Italian Parliament abolished the "rehabilitating marriage" law.

Rapists could no longer escape justice by marrying their victims.
Franca Viola, a 17-year-old girl from Sicily who simply said "no," had helped change the law of an entire nation.

She never sought fame. She lives quietly with Giuseppe, their children and grandchildren. She rarely gives interviews. She was never interested in being a symbol—she just wanted justice for what happened to her.

But history made her a symbol anyway.
Because sometimes one person's refusal to accept injustice can crack open an entire system. Sometimes a teenage girl's courage can force a modern nation to confront laws built on ancient shame and patriarchal control.

Franca Viola proved that a woman's honor isn't defined by what's done to her—it's defined by how she responds.

She was 17 years old. The law, her community, tradition, and fear all told her to submit.
She said no.
And Italy changed forever.

28/10/2025

‼️DO YOU KNOW THIS PUP?‼️ This lovely baby was seen wandering around the Bel-Air Park playground. Please share to help reunite this cutie with their family ❤️

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN LUSIGNAN, EAST COAST DEMERARA ON 9TH NOVEMBER See if you can help out Genevieve Beepat at her Shelt...
26/10/2025

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN LUSIGNAN, EAST COAST DEMERARA ON 9TH NOVEMBER

See if you can help out Genevieve Beepat at her Shelter.

It’s bath time for our rescued furry friends! 🐾
Come experience love in it’s purest form as we treat our rescues to a spa day filled with love, wet noses and wagging tails. 🚿 🐶

We’re kindly seeking:
💧 Volunteers
🧴 Dog Shampoo
🍔 Food & Drinks
🍪 Treats for Dogs & Cats

Your support helps make this day pawsome for our animals! 🐕🐈

If you’d like to volunteer or donate supplies, please message our page or WhatsApp us at 629-9081.

LOW COST VACCINATION DRIVE HAPPENING NOW IN LUSIGNAN, EAST COAST DEMERARA TODAY
26/10/2025

LOW COST VACCINATION DRIVE HAPPENING NOW IN LUSIGNAN, EAST COAST DEMERARA TODAY

24/10/2025

ME ENGAGING IN DIALOGUE WITH HORSE CART OWNERS SPOTTED AT THE CORNER OF LALUNI & ORINOQUE STREETS, QUEENSTOWN

Spoke to John who did not want his face shown about the issues they face and gave him $5,000gy to pay for the shoe to be put on the front right side foot of the horse named Bingo. He said he is a father of 7 children so money is tight. I said I would be popping back in a few days to check that the foot had been done and suggested John use contraception from now on. Lol.

HORSE SHOES
It is painful for a horse to be on the hot road without proper shoes and damaging to the feet. All public spirited citizens and Rescuers/Activists need to be on the lookout for this. Check the feet when you see a horse, and if there is no shoe or its worn down, that is owner NEGLECT and they need to put it right. Costs $8,000gy each foot to shoe the horse.

WATERING
They said they give the horse water in the evening, not during the day. So all day the horse is in the hot sun without water until he gets home. Horses should be given water at least 3 times a day, especially in hot countries. There needs to be clear guidelines provided to cart owners.

FEEDING
He said the horse gets fed 2 times a day - morning and evening. I think working horses should be fed 3 times a day.

One of them asked me for Blue Spray to put on his horse's wounds. I don't think Blue Spray should be used indiscriminately.

The engagement showed that there is a complete lack of clear guidelines or standards on what is good practice in horse care. The Government has completely neglected these working animals for 60 years. It's unregulated slave labour. Some owners seem open to improvements if told or have support or are forced to do it.

We can start to solve this issue by everybody engaging with cart owners in their location about the above basic horse care issues. If you show that you care they will care.

SHARE TO RAISE AWARENESS

24/10/2025

ME ENGAGING IN DIALOGUE WITH HORSE CART OWNERS SPOTTED AT THE CORNER OF LALUNI & ORINOQUE STREETS, QUEENSTOWN

Spoke to John who did not want his face shown about the issues they face and gave him $5,000gy to pay for the shoe to be put on the right side foot of the horse. He said he is a father of 7 children so money is tight.

It's $8,000gy per foot to shoe the horse. So 4 x 8 = $32,000gy plus 11,000gy x 2 for molasses = 22,000gy. So 54,000gy a month plus horse feed which is not expensive. So say $100,000gy to keep the horse on the road in good condition.

So we need to know how.much they are making a month profit to live on. Does anybody know any horse cart owners to ask them?

The horse needs must come first as he is the breadwinner for the family. Its the horses blood, sweat and tears that is bringing in the money. So horsey must be looked after properly and not exploited.

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The Rise of the Champions!

In the Fires of Adversity, Heroes are born, Warriors are formed and Champions . . . . rise!

OUR VISION: The adversity faced by Eden/Earth and her Creatures have caused the Champion in us to rise. Together we will transform Guyana from animal hellhole, to animal haven!

Animal Welfare Activists of Guyana is a non profit, volunteer led animal Cause, set up with the intention of transforming Guyana from the animal “hellhole” it is in 2017 to an animal safe “haven”, where All animals are treated with compassion, love and mercy.

This Cause was created by myself - Shanti Mathews, upon seeing the hopelessness and despair written on the faces of stray animals everywhere in Guyana. In particular, on a trip back home from England to Guyana in July 2015, I had a personal encounter with a fatally injured abandoned cart horse who came limping slowly and painfully down my road with a broken leg. I got him off the road, gave him water and grass to eat, and made contact with the GSPCA who came the next day and put him down outside our house. The trauma and suffering experienced by this poor abandoned cart horse left me deeply affected and with a new awareness of the complete isolation and neglect faced by working horses & donkeys in Guyana. I gave him the name Prince in my mind and planted a young Flamboyant tree in his memory, which stands there today, marking the spot of his death in July 2015.