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Description
In this project, we will initiate to develop local policies on animal and environmental protection in cooperation with local governments, cooperatives, housing communities and residents. We will conduct a social campaign covering 5 topics: (1) ''How Friends of the Four Paws Work''–- we will present members of our team and their activities; (2) ''Community Cats in Towns and Villages'' – we will talk about cats living outdoors, their positive impact on pest control and ways to take care of them; (3) ''Birds and Insects – Therapeutic Helpers – we will show the benefits that birds and insects bring to the environment and to humans; (4) ''Animal in Need – we will tell you what to do if you find a lost dog, injured cat, etc.; (5) ''Wildlife Among Us'' – we will advise on how to deal with wild animals, e.g. foxes, beavers, hedgehogs. We will place posters and banners in public space and make them available online: in social media, local press and on Municipalities and Commune Council’s websites. We will invite the residents of partner municipalities and villages to develop the green space in their localities to make it more animal-friendly. We will install Cat Stops, i.e. wooden roofed boxes integrated into the space of the neighbourhoods, as well as Bird and Insect Stations. We will encourage residents to give them original names, and we will conduct outdoor workshops. We will review existing municipal, cooperative, and community documents on the aforementioned topics, and then present our comments and recommendations.
Summary of project results
Environmental protection and animal protection are marginalized topics in the communities of Barlinek, Bani, Choszczno, Goleniów, Mostków and Sulimierz. Decisions on these matters are made at the level of offices, without the participation and often even the knowledge of residents. Local authorities do not have the habit of informing and inviting people to joint planning and decision-making on environmental protection issues. The inhabitants of our communities are also not used to this. Members of non-governmental organizations are increasingly trying to participate in shaping local policies that are thematically consistent with their statutory activities. However, without the participation and support of the general public, this process will be much more difficult and less effective.
The Friends of the four paws Foundation specializes in animal protection and environmental protection. In this field, we have attempted to develop local policies with the participation of local government authorities, boards of cooperatives and housing communities, and members of our communities.
5 project partnerships, 5 social campaigns in public spaces, educational institutions in 5 towns and in virtual reality (5 films, 5 types of banners and posters), 5 open groups on Facebook - for individual communes with the participation of residents and representatives local authorities, developing recommendations and comments for 6 municipal programs for the care of homeless, free-living and wild animals and the prevention of animal homelessness; signing 3 cooperation agreements with municipalities, starting talks on formalizing cooperation with 3 municipalities.
67 marked places were created in real public spaces: 32 Cat Stops in Banie, Barlinek, Choszczno, Mostków and Sulimierz, 25 Insect Stations in Banie, Barlinek, Choszczno, Goleniów, Mostków and Sulimierz, 10 Hedgehog Houses in Goleniów. 13 trees in Goleniów on the Ina River were protected with a net against the harmful activity of beavers.
After consultations in Open Debate Groups, additional educational materials were created: posters and leaflets on sterilization of free-living cats, proper feeding of birds, help for animals hit in accidents, and extensive information boards for the Insect Station. We hung 30 nesting boxes for birds in Sulimierz, Mostków and Banie. We have set up 8 bird feeders in Barlinek and Choszczno.
Social campaigns and workshop meetings resulted in an increase in social awareness and a decrease in the feeling of helplessness among active participants of meetings and Open Debate Groups on Facebook. In both cases, we had the opportunity to exchange experiences, talk about the topics of our activities, and to explore and expand knowledge on particular topics. The competitions we proposed forced their participants to look for answers to the questions asked. People participating in the "Stations for Insects" classes expanded their knowledge about pollinating insects, how to help these animals, their importance for the entire ecosystem, and acquired the ability to create shelters and friendly places for these creatures. The participants of "Cat Stops" learned about the existence of this category of animals, explored their nature and learned how to care for them. They also had the opportunity to work creatively on a large spatial form, such as newly created places for feeding free cats.
Officials deepened their knowledge about municipalities'' obligations towards animals and the possibilities of implementing them.