FROM MATAKANA TO THE PACIFIC

Fifteen years ago, Matakana local Karen Schade turned her passion for animals into action, founding South Pacific Animal Welfare (SPAW).

What began in her home office has grown into a grassroots charity delivering more than $1.3 million in veterinary aid annually to some of the Pacific’s most remote communities.

Karen’s journey started with volunteer missions in the Cook Islands and Marshall Islands, where she saw firsthand the lack of veterinary services. “I had no clinical background, but I knew how to build systems, tell stories and bring people together,” she says.

From Tonga to Samoa, Niue to Rarotonga, SPAW’s mobile clinics treat thousands of animals each year, focusing on desexing, parasite control, and education. In 2024 alone, more than 2,500 animals were treated, including 900 desexed, 1,000 veterinary consultations, and 500 telemedicine cases.

Education is central too, with SPAW introducing the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare in Pacific schools, helping children build compassion and responsibility toward animals.

What makes SPAW remarkable is its volunteer-led model: no salaries are paid, so every donation supports animals directly. “Our entire team contributes hundreds of hours freely and generously,” Karen says. “Their commitment is what keeps SPAW thriving.”

As SPAW celebrates 15 years, its legacy is seen not only in healthier animals, but in stronger communities built on compassion.

www.SPAW.org.nz | 027 527 3642