Named after legendary animal welfare pioneer Brian Davies, The Brian Davies Award is a new annual award made to an animal welfare organisation that has managed to significantly help animals, in difficult and challenging circumstances. It carries a $10,000.00 prize.
Finalists came from Greece, Uruguay and South Africa. Network for Animals (NFA) organised the awards and asked supporters to vote for the most deserving. More than 10,000 people voted.
Fallen Angels is a group of women who venture into South Africa’s poverty-stricken and lawless townships to treat, rescue and rehome street dogs. Their Fallen Angels shelter in the Western Cape now cares for 328 dogs.
Gloria Davies, NFA’s chief executive and Brian’s wife congratulated Fallen Angels, saying the award is well-deserved. “They care for true fallen angels, who have known nothing but suffering all their lives and they do it selflessly, bravely and with the utmost love and compassion.”
Davies said the work Fallen Angels does is often dangerous. “They have been threatened and shot at by gangsters who use dogs both as bait and combatants in illegal dog fighting.
“Fallen Angels helps hundreds of dogs each year. They work in grindingly poor areas where people do not have the knowledge or means to care for dogs. But Fallen Angels provides love and hope to each one they can.”
Shireen Williams of Fallen Angels was overwhelmed by the award. “We are humbled to be acknowledged by Brian Davies and Network for Animals, an organisation we hold in high regard.
“The award will improve the lives of our fur angels currently in our care and that of the many animals that need our immediate help.”
Davies said that the other finalists, Greece’s Ghost Dogs of Aspropyrgos and Uruguay’s APA El Refugio, would each receive $2,500.00.
Brian Davies is best known for his decades long fight that brought to an end the Canadian slaughter of baby whitecoat seals and for playing a pivotal role in restricting fox hunting in the United Kingdom. NFA supports animal welfare organisations throughout the world.
