What is AWARE?

AWARE (Animal Welfare Association - Rescue/Education) is a non-profit, non-governmental charitable organization, founded in Guatemala in 1998 by Xenii Nielsen (USA), Gina Illescas (Guatemala), and Pamela Hirst- Prins (England).

AWARE is financed solely through membership subscriptions and private donations - either financial or in-kind.

The principal activity of AWARE is rescue and rehabilitation of domestic animals. We have a permanent on-site spay/neuter clinic, and plan to build an education centre to provide free environmental education to local children, eventually including basic literacy and numeracy, and perhaps English language teaching.

At the moment our educational provision includes visits in schools and colleges - and even, on occasion, private homes - in and around Antigua and Guatemala City.

AWARE's policy

AWARE operates a No-Kill animal shelter. This means that we do not euthanize any animal brought to us, as long as we feel that it is still able to live a reasonably normal and enjoyable life. All animals that are not adopted are kept and provided for. They sometimes participate in our school visits, and all of them give Hound Heights its special character.