Story of an Animal Lover
Manama : Hailing from an English family of adventurous, outgoing and especially animal-loving folks, Michelle Page nurtured her fondness for pets from a very young age.
Her father is said to be the first Englishman to hand-rear chipmunks. She and her brothers were raised along with 50 chickens, a goat, a cockatiel and numerous dogs and cats.
Following her equestrian dreams, Page left home at the age of 23 to work in a horse yard in Devon. Later she moved to the US to work in a dressage yard, where horses are trained. Unfortunately, Page met with a riding accident and had to cut her career short.
Shortly after returning to England, she soon moved to the Netherlands, where she spent seven years. After getting married, she moved to Bahrain in 2014.
Page’s experience in working and volunteering for England’s Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) in England came in handy when she came to the Kingdom.
Upon settling in the island, she immediately started volunteering for the Bahrain Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA) by taking photos of animals ready for adoption and helping out in the Thrift Shop. She then began working for the BSPCA as a full time Fund Raising and Events Coordinator since November 2014.
Welcomed by BSPCA
Page says she has felt welcomed and “completely in her element” ever since she started working for the shelter.
Speaking to DT News, Page said, “I’ve always been passionate about animals and I guess that this gave me the courage to step out of my comfort zone when I first arrived
in Bahrain without any acquaintance.
“The day I knocked on the door of the BSPCA Thrift Shop and met Joyce Graham was a life-changing one. The welcome I was accorded made me feel part of the team from day one. It has certainly helped me feel very comfortable while visiting companies, hotels and schools on behalf of the BSPCA.
“The Society is based on British RSPCA policies and has a similar structure, so I felt reassured that the commitment and integrity would be the same,” she added.
Passion for her work
Being a part of the team, Page discovered many strengths about herself through her experience in working for the BSCPA. She has successfully managed to channel this passion with hard work and devotion for the sake of the stray animals in the island.
Page says she is determined to contribute to the cause by spreading the word as well as fundraising for the animals through the Thrift Shop and the shelter.
“I’ve discovered that I love being in front of the crowd with a microphone! Fund-raising is so exciting when you have spent three months working on an event starting from its concept until it all comes together on the final day. Things never go 100 per cent though, but the feel-good factor is tremendous, knowing that you are fighting for innocent animals that need a helping hand.
“There is no other registered animal welfare charity in the Kingdom; and with an estimated 12,000 dogs alone on the island, something needs to be done to combat the evergrowing amount of strays. The BSPCA is constantly in touch with the government to sort this out.
Despite the overwhelming numbers of strays, Page finds inspiration in the contributions and efforts that the shelter does.
“We have also been funding a Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (CNVR) project for many years. Sometimes it may seem overwhelming, especially when you see the amount of stray dogs and cats on the island. But help out where you can and do whatever you can and it does make a difference,” she explained.
Page, who is working on BSPCA’s programme schedule, disclosed that the next event would be a tea party in September. The event will hold an auction with a beautiful pair of diamond earrings among the list of goodies.
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