A Safe Home for my Senior Dog, 5 other Rescues and me – Kidney Disease Fund

A photo of me at Mompiche, Ecuador after delivering food and supplies for an animal refuge after the 2016 7.8 Earthquake.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for stopping by, I am an environmental conservationist from the UK. I have devoted twenty years of my life to working in Latin America for the Amazon rainforest; along with wildlife conservation, environmental education, wildlife journalism, animal rescue work and I am writing to you now from a moment of profound urgency.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Me teaching environmental education at a school in Guatemala. 2007. I ran these projects for a few years with several Mayan schools who continued environmental education as part of their curriculum thereafter.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the past sixteen months, I have moved fourteen times.

Each move has meant new landlords, new uncertainty, and new stress. That instability has taken a serious toll on my health. I am living with stage four kidney disease and heart complications, and the constant upheaval has made both significantly worse.

This is not a new struggle. In 2018, after only two years of marriage, I lost my husband in Ecuador under traumatic circumstances. Since then, I have lived with deep grief, compounded by the isolation of the pandemic and years of trying to find somewhere safe, stable, and affordable to live with my animals.

A year ago, while in Mexico, I was also robbed and abused by a landlord. That experience, along with everything that came before it, has left a lasting impact.

Me and Honita my senior dog from Ecuador in France, Honita is starting to lose strength in her back legs and now needs a dog wheelchair and has ongoing health challenges like me.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Through all of this, one thing has remained constant: my animals.

I have six rescue companions—my family. Among them is Honita, my senior dog from Ecuador, who is now losing strength in her back legs and urgently needs support, including a doggy wheelchair. The others each came from situations of abandonment or hardship. They are not separate from my life, they are the reason I keep going.

Over the years, alongside my conservation work, I have rescued and rehomed over a hundred cats and dogs across Latin America and beyond. I never ran an official refuge—I simply did what I could, alone, wherever I was. These six are the ones who stayed with me.

After having tumours out that crushed my kidneys in 2016 and two weeks in an Ecuadorian hospital 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The reality now is that I cannot continue living like this.

The repeated moves, the cost of relocation, and the stress of unstable housing are pushing my health to a critical point. I have already had multiple hospital visits related to stress and my underlying conditions. I need a stable place to live, not just for comfort, but for survival.

One of my hospital visits where I had a heart event due to severe stress because of lack of a proper home

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

What I am asking for:

I am raising funds to secure a modest, permanent home where I can live safely with my animals and focus on stabilising my health.

With £15,000–£20,000, it may be possible to secure a small, stable property in parts of France or Spain. With more, there may be options in the UK through shared ownership or other modest housing routes.

My goal is simple:

A permanent home with no stairs, a small outdoor space if possible, and the security of knowing we will not be forced to move again.

What your support will help provide-

*A deposit for a modest, permanent home

*Essential medical care for my kidney condition

*A wheelchair and support for my senior dog

*Moving and resettlement costs into a stable environment

At the moment, I am in France, trying to navigate visa challenges while living in accommodation that is no longer suitable—my dog cannot manage the stairs, and I do not have the funds to move again.

I have no family to fall back on for housing, and finding rental accommodation that accepts six rescue animals has become nearly impossible.

After everything that has happened, the loss of my husband, years of instability, and the decline of my health, I am simply trying to secure something many people take for granted --A safe, permanent place to live. A place where I can rest, recover, and keep my small family together.

Any contribution, no matter the size, would mean more than I can express. And if you are not in a position to donate, sharing this page could help it reach someone who is.

I will continue to share updates as this journey unfolds.

Thank you for reading, and for helping keep a small family of rescues together.

With gratitude,

Carlita Shaw