Elfes World – Heaven on Earth

Elfe is one of my favorite people.  If you met her, you would probably feel the same.  I have had the good fortune to meet her on two occasions when visiting her sanctuary.  I have also rehomed over 20 of her rescues into the US and into loving homes.  Elfe’s sole purpose and focus in life is to help dogs.  Plain and simple – she loves them and would do anything to help them.  She can’t say no to a dog in need and as a result, what started with a few dogs back in 2000 has blossomed to a large sanctuary with 670 dogs.  It is a beautiful thing to witness such loving devotion and it is evident when you walk through the shelter with Elfe – the communion between the dogs and Elfe is truly touching.  They all love her and she has a special bond with each and every one.  When Elfe brings a dog to her shelter it’s usually because they have no where else to go and in most cases Elfe is saving their lives by bringing them in.

This is all very utopic and refreshing in this fast paced world, cut throat world we live in.  But the reality is it’s a tough life and Elfe spends every waking moment caring for these dogs and worrying about their well-being and how to ensure she can provide food for them next month…  It takes a lot of effort and costs a lot to care for so many dogs.  While Elfe is happy with her path in life and wouldn’t change a thing… she needs our help to continue.  ElfesWorld is a private run shelter and she doesn’t have much time to spend raising money and so it’s a constant struggle to make ends meet.

There are many ways you can help.  One of the most effective and immediate ways you can help is to sponsor one of her dogs, which would cover the cost of that dog’s monthly food and medical.  The cost is just $23 USD a month.  You can click here to sponsor one of Elfe’s dogs.

Please read below an exert from the ElfesWorld Website to learn more about this remarkable woman and all the wonderful work she does.

Elisabeth Feigl founded the animal shelter ElfesWorld Thailand and still runs it today, looking after 670 animals rescued from the streets of Koh Samui or from the illegal dog meat trade.

In 2000, during her trip to Australia, Elfe (ELisabeth FEigl – Elfe stems from the first two letters of her first name and surname) made a stopover in Koh Samui where she planned to spend 2 months. She then intended to live in Australia and work there as a foreign language correspondent.

In Koh Samui, she found ad-hoc work and adopted the first dog: Madam. Thus Madam laid, so to speak, the founding brick for the shelter ElfesWorld Thailand, where today so many rescued dogs can live.  Madam also continues to live today at ElfesWorld.

Elfe accepted more and more animals in need. She rented a plot of land in the Southwest of the island and founded the rescue centre ElfesWorld Thailand for Dogs and Cats in Need.  Until 2005 she was able to care for the animals from her personal means.

She made contact with other animal protectors and, with the help of some of them, a Club was established in 2007 which helped her financially from then on.

Unfortunately, in 2013 this Club had to be dissolved due to illness; since then ElfesWorld Thailand has reverted to being a privately organised and led animal shelter.

The sanctuary today

During the years 2011 to 2014, we accepted several hundred dogs which had been rescued from the illegal dog meat trade and which had to live in huge holding camps under extremely bad conditions. Their chances of survival there were minimal.

To ensure that all animals are looked after and have everything they need, Elfe is there for them around the clock, seven days a week.  She knows every single animal personally and loves them all equally.  The daily care for the animals means a lot of hard work, no free time, no social activities, no holidays, and no free weekends. Elfe decided on this life and has never regretted it.  Her best reward for all the work, worries and hardships is to see her animals healthy and happy, either at her place or in their new homes in Europe or the USA, to be able to help new cases in need, and every day to be surrounded by animals.  She is grateful for what she has been able to achieve for the animals in all these years with the assistance of kind helpers, sponsors and donors.

The maintenance of the shelter as well as the care for the, currently, around 670 animals are totally financed by donations, not an easy task with so many hundreds of animals.  Vast sums are spent on food, accommodation, helpers and vets.  It is a huge challenge every month to fill all the tummies and to keep the animals healthy and the shelter intact. Without financial help it is not possible to care for the animals.

The animals live in groups of different sizes in nice compounds which are equipped with bamboo benches and covered resting places. Some live with Elfe near the house (mainly the very small, sick and weak animals).  Both dogs and cats are being lovingly cared for by Elfe and some helpers.

On the administrative side (Facebook, website, campaigns, search for sponsors, correspondence with supporters, etc.) we have a small support team of kind volunteers who have been active for some years now.

Some dogs have sponsors, which means that at least food, de-worming and tick protection is guaranteed. However, many of them are still looking for a kind sponsor. Part-sponsorships are also possible.

In our ’Animal Picture Book’ we show you some insights into our lives, and under the heading ’Before – After’ we introduce you to some of our dogs which have undergone a really wonderful transformation. They came to us more dead than alive, from the street or from the dog meat trade but they fought their way back into life. Many have lost this fight, and every one of them has torn out a piece of our heart… but the ones that made it confirm every day the value of our work; they show us why we are here. They are our ’reward’ and our motivation to continue our work for as long as we are able to.