Animal Welfare is at the core of everything we do at Assisi. We strive to reduce and ultimately stop the current destruction of companion animals in Northern Ireland.

Assisi believes that every animal has a right to:
1 – a suitable, comfortable and happy environment
2 – a suitable and appropriate diet, exercise and socialisation regime
3 – be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
4 – the need to be housed with or apart from other animals and
5 – be protected from pain, suffering and disease.

We believe that, for most animals, these freedoms are best delivered in suitable, loving homes. Some of the animals we care for have, or develop, chronic medical conditions. Where we can, we aim to place our animals in private foster homes, provide emotional support for the foster family and practical veterinary care for the animal, in order that we sustain and optimise the quality of life for all.

If we cannot get a home for a particular animal, we will continue to provide sanctuary for their lifetime and continue to deliver the best quality care to the best of our ability for as long as they are with us.

In order to achieve these ideals:
• we aim to provide the very best in modern veterinary care to our animals;
• our staff and our vets assess every animal in our care for any illness or behavioural issue which impacts on their welfare or the safety of our staff, volunteers or the public; and
• we recognise that some animals may have medical conditions or behavioural issues which may raise specific concerns regarding public safety e.g. zoonotic disease or aggressive tendencies. We aim, in all cases, to deal with these issues as fully as possible: we recognise however that some problems may be intractable.

We recognise that there are circumstances wherein euthanasia may be the only kind option left.

Assisi will only consider euthanasia in cases of incurable illness causing ongoing suffering or where behavioural issues may put people or other animals at risk.

Any decision to euthanise an animal under our care will require a careful consultation between at least one veterinary surgeon, a member of our management team and the Chairperson, guided by those who work with the animal on a daily basis. These cases will always be rare and will be the exception to our normal practice.

*In circumstances where the veterinary surgeon judges the animal’s distress to be severe, and where seeking consent may cause undue delay, we recognise that they may be required to perform the euthanasia immediately in consultation with those working with the animal on a daily basis.

The Friends of Assisi Animal Sanctuary