Alaqua Animal Refuge Prepares for Expansion
We know that animal adoption saves lives. Destin is full of animal lovers and we see people around town all hours of the day walking with their pups. With some restaurants and Destin condos being dog-friendly, it’s not uncommon to see four-legged friends at select stops along the beach. Alaqua Animal Refuge was founded in 2007 and has helped find homes for over 11,000 animals. We say “animals” because it’s not just the usual cats and dogs like many shelters. Alaqua also rescues and rehabilitates others such as horses and pigs with over 200 animals on location.
Alaqua is a non-profit organization with the mission of giving neglected, lost, and abandoned animals a chance at life. The refuge will soon go from 10 acres to 100 in Freeport, Florida to support future growth. 85 acres of land was donated and an additional 15 were purchased by the refuge with access to Highway 20. The new facility will also include performance and event venues, a medical clinic, cottages and a restaurant. This venture will make Alaqua the first of its kind in the country aiming to be a self-sustaining refuge.
While Alaqua operates primarily on volunteer work and donations, there are many ways to contribute to the success of the facility. Volunteers are appreciated to spend time with the animals as well as assisting with phone calls or paperwork. Donations can be made in monetary amounts or refuge supplies, sponsoring an animal, or currently the “Emergency Fund for Louisiana Flooding Animals”.
As if this isn’t enough to tug at your heart, Alaqua is all about helping others. They opened a dog park in Walton County in 2011, they offer low cost spay/neuter procedures, and even started a “Partners Program” where they place senior citizens and special needs individuals with a companion animal. It’s refreshing to see people donating time and resources to make the world better for animals. Alaqua is doing just that with one animal at a time and we are excited for their new venture.
Published on Tuesday, October 25, 2016