Who we are

Our mission and vision

BARS is a non-profit animal rescue organization registered in the Netherlands, dedicated to saving the lives of stray and neglected animals from Azerbaijan. We are animal lovers who cannot remain indifferent to the suffering of homeless animals starving on the streets and those facing abuse or harm. Our mission is to create a world where all lives are valued and respected, striving to end cruelty and foster compassion for animals by alleviating their suffering.

We run a dog shelter in Azerbaijan that houses over 130 rescued dogs and operates under a strict ‘no-kill’ philosophy, meaning we do not euthanize animals. Managing a no-kill shelter is a challenging mission. Our shelter receives no local or state funding and relies entirely on public contributions to cover its annual operating budget. Adoption remains a significant challenge, as adoption rates in Azerbaijan are low. For this reason, we actively seek loving adopters across Europe to help our animals find permanent, caring homes. Meanwhile, rescued cats are fostered by our dedicated volunteers.

We work tirelessly to give these animals the chance to live happy, safe lives, and we believe that, together, we can continue this noble mission and reach our goals.

Our goals:

• Find loving families in the Netherlands and other European countries for rescued animals.
• Improve the living conditions of neglected and abused animals.
• Raise awareness about the importance of protecting animals, promoting their welfare, and ensuring their health.

Our team:

BARS is a small, friendly team of people devoted to animal rescue. We have members in both the Netherlands and Azerbaijan. Our first charity was founded in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 2012. Later, in 2019, Stichting Baku Animal Rescue Society was formally registered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.