The Foundation is funding emergency veterinary assistance, care, and rehabilitation for injured or sick homeless animals, as well as the sterilization program for the city’s colony of cats.
Every month, “The Animals’ Friend” finds new homes for approximately 15-20 dogs and 50-60 cats. The Foundation supports the sterilization program for colonies of cats in various places around Latvia, but primarily in Riga, using the “catch-sterilize-release” method, which has proven to be effective – not only has cats’ quality of life improved, but also that of people with the outcome that, instead of being a problem, street cats have become a normal part of the urban environment.
Since 2010, the animal shelter “The Animals' Friend” and, since 2013, the shelter “A Good Home”, which also receives support from the foundation, have provided assistance to more than 11 800 animals. Among them are dogs and cats from Ukraine. Most of the animals have found permanent homes.
In 2025 alone, the animal shelter “The Animals' Friend” took in 176 cats, 175 of which found new homes. The director of “The Animals' Friend”, Solvita Vība, shares: “The animals taken in have received the necessary veterinary care, have been treated for parasites, vaccinated, microchipped, and registered in the Agricultural Data Center database. Those who have reached the appropriate age have also been sterilized. With the support of the foundation, repairs have been carried out in the animal housing facilities, reception, examination, and surgical rooms. Support has also been provided for covering the shelter’s utility bills and for the purchase of veterinary medical equipment.”
