SPANA

What SPANA does

SPANA, now operating as Working Animals International, is a registered charity (Charity No: 209015) and company limited by guarantee headquartered in England, United Kingdom. The organization's mission is to improve the welfare of working animals — primarily horses, donkeys, camels, and oxen — in developing communities where these animals are essential to household livelihoods but veterinary care is scarce. Programs are delivered through mobile veterinary clinics, stable facilities that serve as havens for sick and injured animals, owner training, community education (including 7,500 lessons delivered annually to children), and policy advocacy.

The organization reports supporting more than 500,000 working animals each year through its projects, against an estimated global population of more than 200 million working animals. Its core delivery model is partnership-driven: SPANA works alongside local veterinary teams and community organizations in developing regions to deliver care, develop local expertise, and build sustainable welfare capacity, rather than imposing external solutions.

SPANA's revenue model is donation-based and distributed across four streams: individual one-time and recurring monthly donations, stable sponsorship (donors fund specific stables), merchandise sales through an online gift shop with international shipping, and challenge events. Donations are accepted in GBP and AUD across localized country portals serving the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States, and Rest of World. The organization is registered with the UK Fundraising Regulator and operates as a nonprofit governed by trustees, with no parent company, private equity, or venture capital ownership. The recent rebrand from SPANA to Working Animals International reflects a positioning refresh aimed at broadening the organization's global appeal while preserving its core mission.

Name

SPANA

Legal name

The Society for the Protection of Animals (SPANA)

Website

https://spana.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SPANA, rebranded as Working Animals International, is a UK-registered charity that provides veterinary care, owner training, and education for working horses, donkeys, camels, and oxen in developing communities, funded by individual donations, stable sponsorships, merchandise, and challenge events across multiple countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and monthly recurring donations from individual supporters worldwide. Donors can contribute in GBP, AUD currencies through the organization's website.
2. Stable Sponsorship: Donors can sponsor specific stables providing havens for sick and injured working animals (donkeys, horses, mules).
3. Merchandise/Gifts: Online gift shop selling merchandise to supporters, with international shipping to countries including UK.
4. Challenge Events: Fundraising events where participants raise money for the organization through physical challenges.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SPANA delivers free and subsidized veterinary treatment, emergency care, and preventive health services to working animals (horses, donkeys, camels, oxen) in low-income communities through a fleet of mobile veterinary clinics. The organization complements clinical work with structured training for animal owners on welfare topics and delivers school-based animal welfare education to children in the same communities. The charity is funded primarily through individual donations, stable sponsorship schemes, fundraising events, and merchandise sales.

Product overview

Working Animals International is a single-purpose nonprofit organization focused on improving the welfare of working animals globally. The organization (previously known as SPANA) offers charitable programs including mobile veterinary clinics, stable sponsorship, educational initiatives for children, and fundraising campaigns such as the Marigold Appeal. The organization operates across multiple countries including the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States with its main presence in the UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mobile Veterinary Clinics Field-based veterinary treatment service delivered through mobile clinic vehicles, providing free or subsidized care to working animals (horses, donkeys, camels, oxen) in low-income rural communities. Designed for working animal owners who lack access to private veterinary services.
• Owner Training Programs Educational programs for working animal owners, teaching animal handling, nutrition, disease prevention, and welfare best practices. Targeted at working animal owners in developing communities served by SPANA clinics.
• School-Based Animal Welfare Education Classroom-based animal welfare lesson plans delivered to children in communities served by SPANA, covering humane treatment and respect for working animals. Delivered to local school children in program areas.
• Stable Sponsorship Scheme Recurring donation program where individual donors sponsor specific stables to fund the welfare, veterinary care, and nutrition of the working animals housed within them. Targeted at individual charitable donors seeking a tangible connection to a beneficiary animal.
• Branded Merchandise and Gift Shop Online gift shop selling branded merchandise, gifts, and apparel with proceeds going to support SPANA's working animal welfare programs. Targeted at supporters and individual donors.
• Challenge and Fundraising Events Organized fundraising challenge events such as sponsored runs, walks, and treks that supporters join to raise sponsorship funds for SPANA's programs. Targeted at individual supporters and community fundraising groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500,000+ working animals supported annually
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Local PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking Animals International works alongside local partners in communities to change animal welfare outcomes. These partnerships enable the organization to deliver veterinary care, develop local expertise, share practical skills with owners, and build sustainable welfare programs in developing regions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• RSPCA: The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is the UK's largest generalist animal welfare charity. Comparable as a UK-registered animal welfare nonprofit that competes for the same UK donor audience, though its mission is broader (companion and farmed animals) rather than focused on working animals.
• Four Paws International: Four Paws is a global animal welfare organization with sanctuaries and field programs for working and stray animals. Comparable as an international animal welfare nonprofit with field veterinary operations and global donor base, though broader in species and geographic focus.
• Humane Society International: Humane Society International is the global affiliate of the Humane Society of the United States, working on animal protection issues across multiple countries. Comparable as a large international animal welfare nonprofit raising funds from individual donors, though broader in scope.
• IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare): IFAW is an international nonprofit working on animal welfare and conservation across multiple species and geographies. Comparable as a global animal welfare charity raising funds from individual donors in similar developed markets (US, UK, Australia).

Others

• Compassion in World Farming: Compassion in World Farming is a UK-based international charity focused on farm animal welfare and advocacy. Comparable as a UK-registered animal welfare nonprofit addressing working and farmed animals globally, though its focus is policy advocacy rather than direct veterinary care delivery.

Direct peers

• The Brooke: The Brooke is a UK-based animal welfare charity focused specifically on the welfare of working horses, donkeys, and mules in developing countries—directly comparable to SPANA/Working Animals International in mission, beneficiary base, and mobile veterinary delivery model.
• The Donkey Sanctuary: The Donkey Sanctuary is a UK-registered charity dedicated to the welfare of donkeys and mules worldwide, including working donkeys in developing regions. Highly comparable as a working-equid welfare charity with international field operations and donor-funded model.
• World Horse Welfare: World Horse Welfare is an international charity that improves the welfare of horses through direct care, education, and advocacy. Comparable to SPANA/Working Animals International as a horse-focused welfare charity with a global footprint and donor-funded veterinary programs.

Emerging players

• Veterinarians Without Borders / Vets Without Borders: Veterinarians Without Borders is an international NGO that delivers veterinary care and training in developing regions. Comparable as a veterinary-services-focused charity in developing countries, with overlapping mobile-clinic and training delivery models.

Regional players

• ASPCA: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a major US-focused animal welfare charity. Comparable as a national animal welfare nonprofit competing for US donors, but operates primarily in the United States rather than developing-country field programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/workinganimals_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@workinganimalsinternational
• Facebookfacebook.com/workinganimals
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spana
• Instagraminstagram.com/workinganimalsorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SPANA