Home and Abroad Animal Welfare is a small group run by volunteers.Janice Down set up the organisation, and has dedicated most of her life to caring for animals of all shapes and sizes, in many countries across the World.She first visited a place called Negombo, which is off the west coast of Sri Lanka, in 1999. That is where our project began.
Janice met a wonderful vet named Dr Rohan Perera, and it was agreed that he would work for us, which he still does to this day. He is a good friend to us, and an even better friend to the countless suffering animals in .
H.A.A.W helps ALL animals in need, and is passionate about stopping ALL cruelty to animals.We have come a long way in since 1999, and aim to achieve much, much more.
Our Team in England
We have a small but dedicated team of volunteers in England.
Janice Down
Janice Down is 42 years old, and has spent most of those years helping animals in any way that she can. Janice has traveled all over the World, but found Sri Lanka to be one of the worst places where animals suffer.
She is outspoken against all forms of cruelty. Janice has one son, whom she has brought up to care about the World, and its inhabitants. She works in a nursing home, so that she can afford to go to Sri Lanka, and do the work that she is passionate about. Janice is a strict vegetarian, and has campained for animals most of her life.
During 2005 Janice won an IFAW award for her ‘International Dedication’ to animal welfare.Janice attends car boot sales every weekend to raise money for HAAAW, and travels to Sri Lanka 3 times every year as well as all the day to day jobs that is involved in running a group.
Liz Mackenzie
Liz Mackenzie is 30 years old and works as a child care assistant.She has been vegan for over 15 years, and has been involved in many campaigns to stop animals suffering. Liz has been helping HAAAW since the year 2000, and has been to Sri Lanka many times. She writes the newsletter, runs the animal sponsorship scheme, designs the leaflets and helps with the general running of HAAAW
Nicola Collins
Nicola is 23 years old and works as a Legal Secretary. She was desperate to return to Sri Lanka after working with HAAAW during April 2006. She is a great asset to the group, helping with the weekly fundraising and even organising her own events. Nicola also provides much needed admin assistance.
Kim Warmington
Kim Warmington is 42 yrs old and works as a Helpdesk Administrator. She's been Vegan for nearly 25 years. She became involved with HAAAW in April 2005 and says it's one of the best decisions she's ever made. She helps out with fundraising stalls, designing leaflets and posters and printing.
Our Sri Lanka Team
DR Rohan Perera
Dr Rohan Perera is our dedicated Sri Lankan vet that works tirelessly all year round to help animals in need.Rohan trained as a vet in , then returned to his country to practice.His clinic is extremely basic, but Rohan does a fantastic job with the limited resources that he has.HAAW has supplied Rohan with some equipment, this is an ongoing project and we will continue to supply items.We also have the use of a back room in the clinic for volunteer English vets to use, and for us to keep convalescing animals.To show how caring he is, he only charges local people very low rates so that they will bring their animals to him to be treated and not leave them to suffer.
Our Drivers
Gamini Fernando
Gamini has worker for HAAAW for many years now, he has learnt English during this time and also a lot about animal welfare. He is a good driver and is the best at finding homes for unwanted animals. He is always happy and smiling and ready for a joke. Gamini looks after 4 dogs at his home, as well as fostering many other dogs before they are homed on.
Ishan
Ishan joined the team in 2006. He has learnt the job very quickly and has been very grateful of the work. Ishan is a strict vegetarian and Catholic, he is a very serious but compassionate young man. He is a good driver in his flassy 'boy racer' tuc tuc, and is always ready to leand a hand. He has picked up English very well, but we are all still struggling with Sinhala!
Lulu Perera
Lulu is Rohan’s wife, and she does a fantastic job running a small compound at their home.She has taken in many of our rescued dogs, and rescued dogs herself and they are all now in perfect condition.She has litters of puppies dumped at the compound every week, and she does her very best to home them.Lulu’s family also look after 3 of our cows rescued from slaughter houses.
Rupa Fernando
Rupa runs a small compound set up July 2005.The compound holds 10 dogs that were all rescued from the streets of Negombo. Rupa does a fantastic job feeding, bathing and caring for the dogs.
Ralph Slemmermann
Ralph has run a small compound at his house for many years now. He looks after our rescued dogs and monkey Indiana. He takes in the dogs in the worst conditions and turns their little lives around. He does many other jobs like homing animals and organising school talks etc.
Andrea Slemmerman
Andrea is Ralph's daughter. She volunteers with HAAAW on each trip. Andrea gets stuck in with the hands on work and is great at translating. She is a very sweet and compassionate young lady.
We have many other people that have taken in rescued dogs, cats and cows, far too many to mention them all. Below are some pictures showing some of them.
