User:Pedrorolim/Animalife

Animalife is a non-profit national social-animal support association, established in October 2011, with the aim of raising awareness on the problems of abandonment and mistreatment of pets, acting on its origins.

In 2015, it was distinguished as an Iniciativa de Elevado Potencial em Inovação e Empreendedorismo Social [Initiative of High Potential in Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship] by the IES - Instituto de Empreendedorismo Social.

History
Created in October 2011, Animalife combats animal abandonment, providing support to vulnerable families with pets, as well as to animal protection associations, groups and protectors.

Animalife is headquartered in Lisbon and has national coverage, thanks to the participation of teams of volunteers spread across the Country. It is organized into three main zones: Lisbon, Porto and Setúbal.

It has Centros de Atendimento [Service Centres] in: Lisbon, Porto, Sintra, Oeiras, Seixal, Póvoa de Varzim, Amadora and Loures.

The way we work the animal-social aspect, seeking to help not only the pets but also the families responsible for them, contributing to their empowerment and supporting their access to the social resources available, makes our approach a forerunner in Portugal.

Support programs
Over the years, Animalife has focused in three lines of action:


 * Supporting families in financial need
 * Accompanying of homeless individuals with pets in their care
 * Supporting pet protection associations and groups

VET na Rua is the latest project by Animalife.

The municipality of Lisbon and Animalife have created Vet na Rua (Vet on the Street) to protect animals.

This pioneering project in Portugal was launched in 2020 with the aim of helping families who are unable to comply with the legal provisions regarding the animals they care for.

Comprising a multidisciplinary team consisting of a social worker and a veterinarian provides social support and veterinary medical service to economically disadvantaged families at their homes, as identified by the Juntas de Freguesia [Parish Councils] and the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa [Lisbon City Council].

The main objective of Vet na Rua is to prevent the abandonment of animals due to economic hardship. In this regard, it aims to identify economically disadvantaged families with animals under their care and provide support for them. Additionally, it aims to raise awareness and educate the population regarding companion animals, prevent public health issues, improve the well-being of economically disadvantaged families and homeless individuals, as well as their companion animals.

BSA - Banco Solidário Animal
Animalife is both the creator and organiser of the BSA - Banco Solidário Animal [Animal Solidarity Bank], the largest appeal for donation of food and other essential items for pets. It takes place several times a year in supermarkets nationwide.

Campaigns
Animalife has regularly promoted public awareness campaigns against pet abandonment, focusing on responsible ownership and the importance of adoption.

The first television spot was launched by the occasion of the association's first anniversary. Created by Fuel and produced by Show Off, Motivos, calls for adoption.

With the video Sem-abrigo (2017), created by Havas Worldwide and produced by Playground, Animalife intended to draw attention to the reality of homeless people, many of them with pets in charge, who end up being their great and only company.

In April 2019, it was the turn of the video Karma, also created by Havas Worldwide and produced by Major West, to draw attention to the problem of pet abandonment.

In the summer of 2022, as a way of raising awareness of the increase in pet abandonment at this time of year, Animalife and Havas Worldwide teamed up again to create the video The Walk, which was produced by Casper.

2023 started with a new awareness campaign, created by FCB for Animalife. With photography by Daryan Dorneles, Paixões não Envelhecem sought to draw attention to a particularly sad reality: the abandonment of elderly pets.

Public recognition
Animalife was one of the 134 ES+ initiatives recognized by the 1st phase of the Mapa de Inovação em Empreendedorismo Social em Portugal (Norte, Centro e Alentejo) [Map of Innovation in Social Entrepreneurship in Portugal - North, Center and Alentejo], published in January 2015. Developed by IES – Social Business School and by IPAV – Instituto Padre António Vieira, MIES – Mapa de Inovação e Empreendedorismo Social, is a research project, which aims to map initiatives with high potential for social entrepreneurship in the North, Alentejo and Center of the Country using the ES+ methodology as a basis.

Several awareness campaigns created for Animalife, such as Karma or the more recent Paixões não Envelhecem, were, over the years, distinguished with awards both at national and international advertising festivals.