History
International Animal Rescue was founded in 1989 and for the first ten years was based in south west England, where all kinds of wild and domestic animals were given short or long-term care at its sanctuary, Animal Tracks.
In 1999 Sussex businessman Alan Knight was appointed as Chief Executive and set up a head office in Uckfield, East Sussex. This enabled IAR founder John Hicks to move with his wife Jo to Goa in India and establish a new project to help stray dogs and cats.
The charity was established as a result of a generous legacy left to John by a friend and passionate animal lover. Although officially retired now, he continues to oversee the running of the Goa centre and is chairman of International Animal Rescue in Goa. A second clinic and rescue centre was opened in Tamil Nadu in 2004. These two projects have radically reduced the number of stray dogs in these areas. All animals treated at the clinics are vaccinated against rabies, a disease which still kills thousands of people a year in India and is transmitted mainly by stray dogs.
International Animal Rescue has treated more than 100,000 animals in India since 1999. Nowadays our centres run busy outpatients departments to raise funds for the clinics which treat not only dogs and cats, but also wildlife and livestock, including the sacred cows that wander the streets and beaches.
Thanks to support from the public, volunteers and staff, International Animal Rescue has continued to grow and take on new projects, including
- the rescue, rehabilitation and long term care of all the dancing bears in India
- the campaign against illegal bird hunting in Malta
- the rescue, rehabilitation and release of captive primates in Indonesia.