TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) September 30 – October 4 at 205 Housing

Event Planner
(board)

Event Planner (Board position)

Position summary
Do you love bringing people together, organizing fun events, and using your creativity to make a real difference for animals? Join our dynamic team at Sigonella Animal Welfare Society, Inc. (SAWS Inc.) as our Volunteer Event Planner! In this exciting role, you’ll help design, coordinate, and execute events that raise awareness, build community, and support our mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome animals across Sicily.

Location
We would prefer this role to be a local community member, but you don't need to live just around the corner. It's a given, that you know how the community ticks, how the local area looks and what opportunities this gives SAWS. Many planning tasks can be done remotely, but the magic happens when strong collaboration meets community spirit.

Position summary
The Event Planner is responsible for conceptualizing, planning, and executing engaging, mission-driven events such as fundraisers, awareness campaigns, and adoption drives. This volunteer role requires strong organizational and communication skills, creativity, and teamwork. You’ll collaborate closely with the Volunteer Coordinator and Communications team to ensure every event is well-staffed, well-promoted, and aligned with the SAWS mission.

Key responsibilities
✨ Plan and execute quarterly events including adoption fairs, car washes, community drives, galas, and educational Q&A sessions.
✨ Ensure event dates do not conflict with major base or local community events to maximize attendance.
✨ Maintain event materials such as decorations, posters, and promotional supplies.
✨ Work with the Volunteer Coordinator to ensure adequate staffing for each event, assigning roles and responsibilities as needed.
✨ Collaborate with the Communications team to promote events across social media, newsletters, and flyers.
✨ Develop and manage event budgets, track expenses, and monitor cost-effectiveness.
✨ Coordinate vendors, sponsors, and community partners for events.
✨ Oversee on-site event setup, registration, and smooth execution from start to finish.
✨ Collect post-event feedback, track donations, and prepare short event reports for the Board.
✨ Assist with planning and organizing special fundraising campaigns and awareness activities to increase community engagement.

Qualificatins & skills
✔️ Creative thinker with strong organizational and multitasking abilities.
✔️ Excellent communication and teamwork skills for coordinating with staff, volunteers, and vendors.
✔️ Experience in event planning, logistics, or public relations is an asset (but not required).
✔️ Ability to manage budgets, timelines, and competing priorities effectively.
✔️ A mission-driven attitude and passion for animal welfare.

What we offer
🌟 The opportunity to create memorable community events that directly support animal rescue efforts.
🌟 A fun, creative, and multicultural volunteer team that values compassion and collaboration.
🌟 Opportunities to develop event management, leadership, and communication skills.
🌟 Recognition and letters of reference for dedicated volunteers.

Join us!
If you’re full of ideas, love teamwork, and want to make a difference - join SAWS Inc. as our Volunteer Event Planner! Help us create events that inspire compassion, build community, and make tails wag across Sicily.
👉 Apply by filling out the VOLUNTEER APPLICATION.

The Brambilla Law

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐰

(Law No. 82/2025) came into effect in Italy on July 1. This landmark legislation recognizes animals as sentient legal subjects! An important step for all animals 🫶🏽

It started with the brutal killing of Bruno, a 7-year-old police bloodhound in Taranto, Italy. It has literally sparked national outrage.

Known for his heroic work locating nine missing persons, Bruno died after ingesting food laced with nails – an act believed to be a revenge attack tied to his trainer’s animal rescue work. The incident drew strong condemnation from political leaders and animal rights advocates, highlighting the need for stronger animal protection laws.

In response to such cruelty, Italy recently enacted the 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐰 (Law No. 82/2025), which came into effect on July 1 2025. This landmark legislation recognizes animals as 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 rather than mere property and significantly increases penalties for abuse, killing, abandonment, and illegal trafficking.

Offenders now face up to 4 years in prison and fines up to €60,000, with harsher consequences when crimes involve minors, multiple animals, or are posted online. The law also bans chaining dogs, mandates microchipping for more species, and includes anti-mafia measures for repeat offenders.

Read the whole story about Bruno

This reform represents a cultural and legal shift aimed at protecting animals in Italy as beings worthy of dignity and care.

Bruno’s death could have been prevented – but his sacrifice will not go in vain. His tragic death has led to the new legislation, and we are looking forward to seeing the results of this new law.

The Brambilla law 👇🏼 (click the picture to see the Brambilla Law as a PDF)
.

SAWS Board as of October 1, 2025 (including consultants)

Easter pet photo contest 2025

Who will be the winner of the SAWS Inc. Easter pet photo contest 2025?

SEND IN PHOTOS of your Easter animal: email them to us at info@pawsofsaws.org from Sunday 13th till Friday 18th of April 2025.
VOTINGS ARE ON: April 19th – 20th 2025

WHO can vote: Everybody can vote.

HOW MANY votes: as many times as you want.

PRICE per vote: 1 vote is €3.50 / $3.50 – we celebrate our 35th Anniversary, so 3.50 it is.

PAYMENT: See under the text for payment options (REMEMBER TO WRITE WHO YOU VOTE FOR).

YOUR VOTES COUNT, as soon as we see your payment 💶
HOW to vote: Send us an e-mail (info@pawsofsaws.org) or Facebook message with the number and name of your favourite pet. Vote is on, when we see your payment.

PRICES: 1st €25 Amazon gift card; 2nd – SAWS cold cup; 3rd – Animal rescue T-shirt.

All funds that come in, go to the rescues. This fundraising is for Daisy. She has been with us for the longest time, and we are now working on sending her to a boarding facility up north to have better chances to find a home. Please help Daisy

PAYMENT:

PayPal: @pawsofsaws – use “friends & family”
Venmo: pawsofsaws@gmail.com
Cash App: $Saws Sigonella
Zelle: pawsofsaws@gmail.com

All photos will be here: 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

No. 0. – this is just an example of a Easter photo of your animals 😍

Looking for our new board members and consultants 🔊

Everything changes, people come and go - and we are right now in need of more passionate people who wants to make a difference. SAWS needs YOU to volunteer for a good cause 🐾

At this point SAWS - Sigonella Animal Welfare Society, Inc. is looking for :
✳️ EVENT PLANNER
✳️ VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
✳️ ASSISTANT TREASURER
🌀 COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
🌀 CAT CONSULTANTS
🌀 DOG CONSULTANTS

✳️ About the Event Planner (board position)
The Event Planner coordinates all the events that bring in revenue, schedules dates and locations for events; collaborates with team members and stakeholders to ensure seamless event coordination, from concept to implementation. Strategize and implement fundraising initiatives, event budgets, timelines and recourses to maximize impact and fundraising potential.

✳️ About the Volunteer Coordinator (board position)
The Volunteer Coordinator ensures all new volunteers (including fosters) are oriented to SAWS policies, receive SAWS instructional guides. Responsible for updating and keeping a record of the volunteer database . Requires excellent people skills (dealing with volunteers’ concerns and more), including the ability to educate and mentor, communicate, and follow through on individual volunteer concerns.

✳️ About the Assistant Treasurer (board position)
The Assistant Treasurer performs duties in absence of the treasurer. Keeps financial records and provide current numbers for each board meeting.

🌀 About the Communications Officer (consultant position)
(we always need this type of volunteer to help us move forward on the Social Media)
The Communications Officer shall be responsible for social media postings, posting available dog/cat, answering messages, outlining upcoming events on social media, promoting community events, and the preparation/distribution of all urgent pleas. Also actively promote positive community relations, make courtesy posts requested from the public and take marketable photos at events.

🌀 About the Cat Consultant (consultant position)
The Cat Consultant shall oversee all matters relating to the intake, housing, health, and marketing of our current adoptive cats. Research topics related to the safe and humane care of cats. Works with the Comms. Team to disseminate this information to the community in order to encourage responsible pet ownership. Must be able to arrange pick-ups and drop offs with the foster families, be present at vet appointments when required, keep a record of any and all medications prescribed while the cat(s) is in SAWS care, report progress and problems to the Board, and responds to email and phone messages from the public, as needed.

🌀 About the Dog Consultant (consultant position)
The Dog Consultant shall oversee all matters relating to the intake, housing, health, and marketing of our current adoptive dogs. Research topics related to the safe and humane care of dogs, works with the Communications Team to disseminate this information to the community to encourage responsible pet ownership. The Dog Specialist must be able to arrange pick-ups and drop-offs with the foster families, be present at vet appointments when required, keep a record of all medications prescribed while the dog(s) is in SAWS care, reporting progress and problems to the Board. Perform other duties as assigned.

🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

You will of course get volunteer hours for helping.

Please send us a message telling a bit about yourself and which position you can see yourself in – and why. We are looking forward to hearing from you.

At SAWS we stand shoulder to shoulder, giving our very best and helping to aid the homeless animals in the community and rescuing as many as we can – with the fosters we have on hand, sharing pet-related knowledge, and acting as a liaison network for those who rescue, foster, and adopt stray animals. If you'd like to help the community, meet likeminded people and be part of a dedicated team that help the strays, this is your chance to do so!!

READY? SET – GO… write us a PM or send us a mail on info@pawsofsaws.org 📬

35 years and still going strong

A new year is a chance to start fresh, a chance to let go of the past and embrace the future.

As we step into another year, we ask for your continued support as we remain steadfast on our mission to rescue the animals in the Sigonella community.

The history of Sigonella Animal Welfare Society, Inc. is uncertain, and our research revealed that our first bank account was opened in October 1990 and that date is what we use as our unofficial birthday.

We couldn’t do it without you

There have been many board members and volunteers over the years, but our mission has not changed as every day we strive to find homes for the helpless rescues of the Sigonella community.

The dedicated Board of Directors could not continue to do the hard work we do without our donors, foster homes, and event volunteers – selflessly pouring their hearts into the organization. No matter how challenging the tasks have been, you have been by our side for approximately 35 years.

We are here for the animals

This year is a milestone year, and our hope is to continue saving as many animals as possible and finding the best homes for them. Has it been smooth sailing – no. Have we faced some challenges – yes. Have we taken some missteps – yes. Do we strive to do better and work harder – yes. At the end of the day, we are here for the animals! The animals that are voiceless and do not have a home or food to put in their bellies. We try to help families go through difficult dynamic changes by re-homing their fur family members. We work diligently to find homes for the rescued animals.

We do not think that a simple “thank you” will ever truly express our gratitude to the Sigonella community and our countless supporters across the globe but we will continue to say it and show it.

This year as we celebrate 35 years, we have a few fundraising events planned, and we look forward to seeing you at these events. Thank you in advance for your support. Please stay with us as we journey through this 35th year together!

Volunteer sign-up for SAWS events

📢 WE WELCOME YOU TO VOLUNTEER AT OUR SAWS EVENTS 📢

This page is for volunteers assisting with specific SAWS events.
If you are new to volunteering, please complete the general Volunteer Application first.

We need volunteers for our events throughout the year, for example at our Pet Registrations, Pet food drives, Car washes. We also attend the bigger events on base, like for example the Autumn Fest and the Christmas Market.
👇🏼 For more info on the TNR volunteer positions, please go to the bottom of this page 👇🏼

Here is where you sign up!
You sign up very easily right here 👉🏼 Track it Forward.

WHY volunteer?
We believe this is a cause, most people understand the importance of and we always enjoy to see new faces at our volunteer team. Here you help us help the rescues, you make new friends and can share a passion for helping animals.

You will of course get volunteer hours – AND you will be part of a pawsome community 🐾

If you do not already know us
We are SAWS – Sigonella Animal Welfare Society. We are an entirely volunteer-run organization that rely on community support.

We help and aid the animals around Naval Air Station Sigonella, animals that are on the street, dumped or thrown away like trash or born without a loving home.

Thank you from the
SAWS-team
If you have questions, please contact us.

TNR Program – Volunteer Positions

Certified Trapper

- Volunteers must complete the required 8-hour online TNR trapping class offered through Neighborhood Cats and receive a certified copy of their passing the course.
- Volunteers will also attend an on-hands refresher class prior to the trapping event.
- Volunteers will be provided protective gear prior to trapping to include at a minimum. arm gloves and protective eye wear. Volunteers will be required to wear long sleeved shirts, long pants and closed toed shoes for trapping.
- Certified trappers will be assigned a specific trapping location and will work under the guidance of a team lead at each site.
  Only certified trappers will release the cats in their respective locations.

Transport volunteers

- Transport volunteers will attend a pre-event meeting whereas they will be provided a safety briefing on transporting the cats. Not only will the safe handling of the cats be discussed but also the addresses/locations of each of the network vets that will be sterilizing the cats.
- Approximately 2-3 transport volunteers will be assigned to each of the two designated trapping locations. Each volunteer will transport approximately 4-6 cats in holding cages (depending on the size of one’s car) The cats will have been transferred into the holding cage and covered by the certified trapper and placed into the transport volunteer’s auto.
- All transport volunteers will be provided safety gloves and eyewear. All transport volunteers are required to wear long sleeved and long pant clothing with closed toed shoes.

Holding/Recovery volunteers

- Holding/Recovery Volunteers will be required to attend an informational and safety meeting prior to the trapping event.
- Volunteers will prepare the recovery location to receive the cats. Volunteers must wear long sleeves, long pants, and closed toed shoes. Protective gear will be required to be worn at all times to include safety glasses and long-sleeved gloves (will be provided).
- Preparation of the recovery location will include the setting up of tables, covering such tables with plastic.
- Cats will be brought to the holding/recovery location on the evening they are trapped and are held overnight so they do not eat prior to surgery. They are monitored at all times.
- Volunteers will monitor the recovery time period in 12-hour shifts during the entire recovery time periods.
- The holding/recovery volunteers will clean area.

Cat Caregiver

- Food will be provided through fund raising and/or request out to Sig Community.
- Cats will be feed and water provided once daily but no later than every other day at the discretion of the caregiver.
- The caregiver will monitor the feeding station area to ensure it is kept orderly and clean.
- Caregiver will alert the TNR team if any cat is observed in need of medical attention.
- Once assigned it will be the responsibility of the Cat Caregiver to find a substitute in the event the primary caregiver is out of the area.

You sign up very easily right here 👉🏼 Track it Forward.

TNR – Trap-Neuter-Return

TNR will be conducted at the 205 Housing area from January 12th until January 19th 2025.

We have partnered with TSV Streunerhilfe Frankfurter Katz e.V. (formerly known as Felina Sicily) to embark on our first TNR Campaign in January 2025. Our aim is to trap, neuter and return 50 cats, but we cannot achieve this goal without your help. We need funds to pay the veterinarians as well as all medications and vaccinations needed. We are reaching out to you once again to assist us as we take care of the animals in the Sigonella community. We need to meet a total of $10,000 for this.

We realize, that this is a very inconvenient time to ask for monetary donations, but we need to get started with the project. It is crucial to trap and neuter the cats before they start mating season, to avoid yet another great amount of stray kittens in the area.

Why this is a good idea to support:

Trap-Neuter-Return provides a life-saving, effective solution for these beautiful, independent cats, that live in our neighbourhood. There are so many reasons to embrace and promote TNR, including:
- Stabilizing feral cat colonies
- Improving the lives of cats
- Meeting community needs
- Protecting the lives of cats

We also need volunteers, that would like to help and assist to make this happen.

You can make monetary donations at our 👉🏼 TNR GoFundMe 👈🏼 This GoFundMe is entirely for the TNR program.
We also created an 👉🏼 Amazon wishlist 👈🏼 with additional needs, also for the TNR, including the feeding stations. For this we need feeding bowls, food, pee pads, protective gloves, first aid kit, and so on.

We also appreciate old sheets and shower curtains to protect the vehicles and cover the traps.

Thank you in advance for your selfless donations!

Trap-Neuter-Return – and why we should do it

Trap-Neuter-Return, or “TNR,” is the most humane and effective method known for managing feral and stray cats and reducing their numbers.

Scientific studies show that Trap-Neuter-Return improves the lives of feral cats, improves their relationships with the people who live near them, and decreases the size of colonies over time.

The cats, who typically live together in a group called a colony, are trapped and brought to a veterinary clinic. They’re then spayed or neutered, vaccinated for rabies where appropriate and ear tipped. After they’ve recovered from their surgeries, the cats are returned back to their original territory where a caretaker provides regular food and shelter. When foster or permanent homes are available, young kittens and friendly adults are removed and placed for adoption.

Halloween pet photo contest 2024

Who is the winner of our Hallloween pet photo contest 2024?

The votes has been calculated – and the 1st price 🏆 goes to:
LAYLA (who by the way really needs to find her forever home ❤️) – CONGRATULATIONS 🎉
Congratulations to all 3 winners – please contact us (check your e-mail), so you can get your prices 🥇🥈🥉
Thank you all for voting – you guys have been AMAZING! All the funds will go to help our rescues, who doesn’t have a foster at this point.

Layla: 139 votes
Harley: 92 votes
Lola: 33 votes
Nala: 32 votes
Lady & Bug: 12 votes
Angel the Diva: 12 votes
Nero: 12 votes
Luca: 2 votes

VOTING IS OVER: October 25th – 31st 2024

WHO can vote: Everybody can vote.

HOW MANY votes: as many times as you want.

PRICE per vote: 1 vote is €1 / $1.

PAYMENT: Se under the text for payment options (REMEMBER TO WRITE WHO YOU VOTE FOR).

YOUR VOTES COUNT, when we see your payment 💶
HOW to vote: Send us an e-mail (info@pawsofsaws.org) or Facebook message with the number and name of your favourite pet. Vote is on, when we see your payment.

PRICES: 1st €25 Amazon gift card; 2nd – SAWS cold cup; 3rd – Animal rescue T-shirt.

All funds that come in, go to the rescues. Right now we have rescues, that don’t have a foster family – we need funds to keep them at a boarding facility.

The goal is to raise funds for our fosters in boarding. Help us help