Do you love cats and dogs? Paradise Rentals is proud to sponsor Ocean Acres Animal Sanctuary. They are doing amazing work looking after abandoned and neglected cats and dogs in Barbados. The Sanctuary is in the parish of St John, on the beautiful and scenic East Coast. It’s well worth including a drive over there in your holiday itinerary, take a bag of dog or cat food or a small donation – you will get a warm welcome and lots of wagging tails!
When Ocean Acres took over the sanctuary in December 2019, it had fallen into disrepair. They have a huge task to renovate and restore everything and are asking if anyone can assist. To help them out, we have agreed to post their ‘wish list’ on our web site. If you think you can offer anything from the list, please get in touch.
Here’s the list of items urgently required right now, in no particular order. Some are small, incidental things, some are larger projects. We believe that everything can be achieved if we all give a little and all work together:
- Major chain link fence repairs
- Major repairs/rebuild of cattery – to include boarding cattery to raise funds
- Chairs, tables and umbrellas for ‘cat café/picnic’ area
- Top soil for garden and landscaping projects (they ultimately want the gardens to be opened to the public and be able to charge a small admission fee)
- Garden chipper – to effectively dispose of garden waste and create compost to use and sell
- Building materials to create a large multi sectional compost area
- Blocks and building materials for creation of boarding kennels
- Construction of a well to dispose of animal excrement
- Manpower and services to create a natural pond in an area that lends itself to it, next to what is becoming the memorial garden (another source of income)
- Trees to plant for shade in the dog gardens, hopefully partnering with other environment.
- Benches – can be donated in memorial, animal or person.
- Items for holiday rental flat renovation:
- 2 x single beds and bed linen
- Double kitchen sink
- Kitchen faucet
- Fridge/freezer
- Washing Machine
- Kitchen items and tableware
- Pillows
- Sofa (ideally sofa bed)
- Tiles
- Outdoor table and chairs
- BBQ
- Front door
- Kettle
- Toaster
- Items for Sanctuary Reception and learning/training/meeting Center
- Laminating machine
- Desk
- Filing cabinets
- Paper and office supplies
- New windows
- Staff work wear (gloves, t-shirts, overalls, boots)
- Collection boxes – available from New Age Plastics (approx. BBD$76 each)
- Business cards and marketing
- Car wrapping for sanctuary jeep, can include promotion of donor.
- Cat food
- Veterinary supplies – monthly flea/tick/worm medication for cats and dogs
- Entrance gates, ideally electric for ease of entry when transporting animals etc. – can include promotion of donor business
- Entrance sign
- An ultimate aim: to put a funded spay and neuter bus back on the road
- Ear tattooing kit to indicate which cats and dogs are spayed or neutered
- Cat trap(s)
- Cat catching net and other specialist equipment (gloves etc
- CCTV cameras – supply and installation
- Donate via the Ocean Acres GoFundMe page
- Like and follow the Ocean Acres Facebook page
- Follow Ocean Acres on Instagram
In return for any help or donations, Ocean Acres can offer endorsement and promotion via social media and are prepared to consider any mutually beneficial marketing initiatives. So, please, can everyone do what they can to support this worthwhile cause.
Cats and dogs give so much love back to us all. They just want to be cared for. If you are missing your canine or feline companion(s) while you’re on holiday, you can get your ‘fix’ and really help by paying a visit and maybe volunteering to walk some dogs or socialise with the cats. It will brighten your day and theirs too.
Please contact Ocean Acres with your offers of help and with any questions. I know we can make a difference.
