Founded by Nicky Stevens, IAPWA (International Aid for the Protection & Welfare of Animals) is a UK registered charity dedicated to creating a better future for animals in need. Their first project, established in 2009, is based in Sabah, Borneo, where they not only have a facility and team providing a lifeline to thousands of dogs and cats in need of veterinary care, but also support and work relentlessly on crucial campaigns.

After three years of campaigning the government in Borneo, IAPWA were awarded full management of the city dog pound through an MOU, resulting in the dogs no longer being culled, but instead neutered and given veterinary care and then either released back to where they live or rehomed. They have also changed the legislation to protect the street dogs further, which was a significant step forward and ensured the human consumption of dog and cat meat was prohibited. Animal fighting was also banned, and penalties for animal cruelty were greatly increased. OAT provides core funding for IAPWA’s domestic animal welfare work in Borneo.

IAPWA also develop partnerships and campaigns to help other species, including elephants, rhinos and lions. One of the initiatives they help in Zambia is the Elephant Orphanage Project, which is also supported by OAT.

OAT is a funding partner of their Claws Out campaign, the aim of which is to highlight the negative impact of voluntourism at so-called lion conservation programmes in Africa. Alongside other campaigns, this will hopefully help to bring an end to captive lion breeding for canned lion hunting and the trade in lion bones, skins and other body parts. Beth Jennings is the founder of this campaign, inspired by her own personal experience of being sold a bogus conservation experience. She paid a considerable sum of money to take care of and bottle feed lion cubs who she believed were being bred to return to the wild. She became suspicious about certain behind-the-scenes activities and discovered the ugly truth.  They could not be released back into the wild, as they had been denied the opportunity to learn the necessary survival skills from their mothers. Furthermore, they were bound for further exploitation including becoming fatal victims of canned lion hunting, props for “walking with lions” experiences, and slaughtered for the trade in their body parts, such as bones, skins and paws.