Change Lives

Change Lives

Wednesday 3 May 2017

Leave Us A Legacy.....

YOU CAN HELP SAVE LIVES BY LEAVING SHAK A LEGACY

For SHAK to survive and continue our good work, we require funds to cover our daily running costs and to safeguard SHAK’s future.  Fundraising is often a tough task so Legacies form one of the largest proportions of charitable income; without these funds it is a constant struggle for charities like us to carry on.   

Leaving a legacy to our charity helps towards not only the day to day running costs, food, clean bedding, veterinary care, but also their safety and development.  You don’t have to leave a large amount to make a difference.  It really does add up.  There are also tax advantages as giving to charity can reduce any liabilities for Inheritance Tax.  As every charity has its own dedicated charity number it must be used on all legal documents to ensure that your gift is going to end up at the right place.  Always consult your legal adviser for specialist advice before making your Will or legacy.

Abandoned, homeless and mistreated animals totally rely on the love and care of sanctuaries like us to look after them in their time of need.   The extraordinary work of our charity can only be done with adequate funding which, sadly, is often lacking.  Leaving a Will is a wonderful way of helping to carry on with this caring and much needed work.

Why it’s important to make a Will and to keep it updated
With an up to date Will you have peace of mind that the people and causes which matter to you have been looked after the way you choose.  It is the only way to make sure your wishes are followed the way you intend.

A Will makes it easier for your family and friends to take care of your estate and be sure they are acting on your wishes.  Without a Will the process can be difficult, stressful and time consuming. 

Write a Will to keep control.

There are difference types of Legacies:

Residuary
After you have provided for your loved ones, you can leave a share of what remains to the charity.  This is known as a ‘residuary gift’.

Pecuniary
This is when you leave an exact sum of money to the charity.  It’s known as a ‘pecuniary gift’.

Specific
You might choose to leave an item to the charity, such as a car or a piece of jewellery, which can then be sold to raise funds.

What if you have already made a Will?

If you have already made a Will it’s simple to make changes to it.  You can either add a supplement to your existing Will called a codicil, or if the changes are quite substantial it may be better to make a new Will.  Either way, we would always recommend that you consult a solicitor or legal advisor.  

SHAK (Safe Homes and Kindness) receives no government funding and depends entirely on the generosity of the public.

What we do

Celebrating our 10th anniversary on June 19th 2016 SHAK has come a long way since its founder Stephen Wylie uttered those fateful words ‘never again…’ after the shock death of his dog and best friend Shak.

The hundreds of dogs whose lives have been changed because of that loss is a testament to a dog that had a lasting imprint on everyone he met…

Today the registered charity has approximately seventy-five dogs in its care, offering sanctuary to the ones that really need it or a place to simply become a dog again for others.

Working only with destruction cases from vets, strays and dogs from our trusted charity partners, SHAK does not take in dogs from members of the public.  Likewise we are not a rehoming centre, although we do offer the opportunity for people to apply for our Forever Foster scheme.

We concentrate all of our time, energy and resources directly into the wellbeing of our dogs, enriching lives that others had written off….

Axel when he was found.....

Axel today.....


Thank you for caring Stephen Wylie Founder of SHAK

Registered Charity No: 1125159

SHAK HQ
Greenwell Road
Alnwick
Northumberland
NE66 1HB