Who we are?

Asociacion Humanitaria Para la Proteccion Animal (AHPPA) is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1992 and is located in San Rafael de Heredia, Costa Rica. The main mission of AHPPA is to reduce the stray dog and populations of Costa Rica with massive spay and neuter programs mainly geared for those who can’t afford regular veterinary care. Approximately 12,000 animals are neutered annually under this program.

In 1991, Lilian Schnog bought this shelter and established Asociación Humanitaria Para la Proteccion Animal de Costa Rica (AHPPA), an HSI Animal Advocate. The board of directors was picked and the transition began.

At the time, there existed only a leaky surgical room and a few pet carriers to hold dogs for adoption. But with the help from HSI, Lilian had the support and the knowledge she needed.

In the early 1990’s, Costa Rican authorities were attempting to control the the stray dog population using poison. Lilian convinced officials to bring the stray dogs to the shelter where she could treat them and adopt them out, rather than kill them. It was a win-win situation and Lilian became well known by local officials. AHPPA is the only legal animal shelter operating in Costa Rica.

In 2005 AHPPA started the Environmental and Animal Welfare Educational School to teach the children of Costa Rica about the importance of caring for the planet and all of the creatures living in it. Education is the only way we can ensure that there is any serious hope for a happy and healthy future for these children. At this moment the AHPPA is going all through Costa Rica with our neuter program.This neuter program needs help, because we are visiting the poorest areas where people cannot afford to help with the costs.

There are four full time veterinarians who work in the clinic which is open 7 days a week. AHPPA recently started on Outreach Program in May 2009 which will send two of our vets out weekly to the rural areas of Costa Rica to sterilize dogs and cats in areas that mostly have no veterinary care available. The only way to reduce populations in rural areas is to return repeatedly to neuter as many animals as possible.

Besides the sterilization programs, AHPPA also has the only legal animal shelter in Costa Rica where homeless dogs and cats are housed until a suitable and loving home is found for them. AHPPA is now a No-Kill shelter which means no animal will be euthanized unless it is suffering and there is absolutely no hope for survival.

HSI present the Award for Extraordinary Commitment and Achievement 2009 to Lilian Schnog for her inspiring lifelong dedication to animal welfare.