Pawever Pals : Supporting the underdog
When Shanuki de Alwis and André Perera created Pawever Pals, they wanted, in part, to support the underdog. An online portal for “all things related to animal welfare in Sri Lanka,” the site is designed to bring together animal welfare organizations, resources and suppliers under one umbrella. Many of these organisations are otherwise little known, and often crumple under the lack of support.
“You have so many smaller charities that are doing good work, giving up and shutting down because they don’t have enough funds or volunteers and it’s overwhelming to continue saving animals when they don’t have solutions,” says Shanuki, adding “I realized that if anyone in Sri Lanka or outside the country wanted to find out how they could help an animal, they wouldn’t know where to look, unless it was suggested by someone they knew.”
Pawever Pals was also designed to meet other needs.Shanuki wanted people to understand that even if they couldn’t adopt, they could still help out, even by simply signing a petition or sharing an appeal. Finally, the site would launch a challenge to the apathy she saw every where. “There are many huge and glaring issues of animal cruelty, captivity and abuse rampant in Sri Lanka, but people choose to look the other way or simply don’t realise what’s going on in front of their eyes.”
Shanuki has been passionate about animal rights for as long as she can remember. “From an early age I’ve either been rescuing strays off the street or getting into altercations with people who abused or neglected animals,” she tells the Mirror Magazine. “I found that my work in media and the arts gave me an easy outlet to speak up and be heard, and I started using my voice for animal welfare.”
In André she found the perfect collaborator. “André was never the vociferous vigilante that I am, being a quieter, gentler (nicer) sort, but in our 12 years of knowing each other, I’ve brought him over to the furry side too and now he also gets involved in whatever way he can.”André has certainly gone above and beyond – “He’s always had dogs, but after meeting me he adopted three cats that we rescued together and invariably two more have now found a home with him, so I’m happy to note he seems to be a complete convert,” says Shanuki.
She emphasises that they are not in this for fame or fortune. “It’s crazy how much negativity and criticism you are subjected to when you try to stand up for animal rights. I don’t think any of us do it for popularity, because animal welfare is one way of becoming very unpopular with people who think their comforts matter more than the life you’re trying to save. You’d be amazed at how many times I’ve been accused of “working for NGOs who want to destroy Sri Lankan culture” or being a “Colombo 7 housewife with nothing else to do.” Sometimes these accusations are even hurled by the police- the very people meant to deliver justice.”
All this can only be challenged, she believes, if activists work together. “Given the general apathy and negativity in society towards the cause, I think animal welfare activists are most effective when they work as a unified front.” Right now there is a dire need for the new animal welfare bill that was recently passed to actually be enforced as law, she explains, highlighting simple measures like holding pet owners accountable for abuse or closing down inhumane pet shops. Hopefully, Pawever Pals will help raise awareness around these issues.
The first phase of the site is being soft launched today at the TEDx Colombo conference.André who designed and developed the site on a volunteer basis, will continue to function as its administrator while Shanuki will provide content and coordinate with the welfare charities on the visitor databases.
The site will offer five different ways to get involved – adopt, foster, donate, volunteer and educate. Based on your choices and the information you provide, they pair you with the right organisation or guide you to relevant resources. For instance, if you would like to adopt, then it asks you to provide information about whether you are a new or experienced pet owner, and collects other critical details like if you have little children who will be interacting with the animals. “That allows animal charities to find the perfect match for you based on the rescued animal’s needs and yours,” says Shanuki.
Additionally, visitors can access a directory of different animal welfare charities, vets and shelters. Those seeking advice will find tips on how to raise rescue pets and guidance on responsible pet ownership. The ‘Educate’ section showcases info, awareness campaigns and petitions. “Any individual or animal welfare charity wanting to get their message out is welcome to send it to us via email and we will feature it on Pawever Pals,” says Shanuki, adding, “Fingers crossed, the general public will find all this useful and employ the site’s services to help make Sri Lanka a better and more compassionate place for animals.”
For more information log on to paweverpals.com