Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Sep 03, 2025

Founder Of PAW BVI Recipient Of British Empire Medal

Founder Of PAW BVI Recipient Of British Empire Medal

Ms Natasha Ruscheinski, the founder of PAW BVI (Promoting Animal Welfare), is the Territory’s newest recipient of the British Empire Medal (BEM) in The Queen’s New Year 2022 Honours List for her contributions to animal welfare.
Shortly after her arrival in the Territory in 2011, Ms Ruscheinski saw a major need to provide free spaying/neutering to address the issue of the many homeless dogs and cats in the Territory.

In 2014, Natasha established PAW BVI, a registered non-profit charitable organisation which is 100% reliant on fundraising. With the support of unpaid volunteers and the veterinarian team at Canines, Cats and Critters, she created a spay and neuter programme to be offered free of charge for those unable to pay veterinary fees with the intention of reducing the number of unwanted litters being born and so the number of animals vulnerable to abuse, poisoning and starvation.

With costs exceeding $12k per month for PAW surgeries, health checks and emergency assistance, she inspires her team of volunteers to help fundraise, raise awareness and to encourage the community to foster animals in their homes with the aim of socialising them for future adoptions. To date, PAW BVI has sponsored and organised the spaying and neutering of over 3000 dogs and cats.

Natasha has also created relationships with a network of “no kill” animal rescues, primarily in the United States, and PAW has successfully sent 1383 dogs and cats to these facilities to date through the “PAWS in the Air” programme.

The 2017 hurricanes and the global pandemic also led to the abandonment of many dogs and cats in the Territory. She has worked tirelessly with her network, including the Government of the Virgin Islands, to arrange rescue flights overseas to take many of these animals to a better life, including those that had been in the local shelter for extended periods (sometimes years). Support has also been extended to owners struggling financially to provide necessary care, including supplying pet food.

In 2020, a new rehabilitation centre, known as the “PAW Barn”, was opened to assist with recovery and rehabilitation for foster animals needing specialist care.

His Excellency Governor John Rankin CMG said, “Natasha has worked relentlessly as a campaigner to improve animal welfare. Through PAW BVI, she has helped to save and improve the lives of thousands of animals, whether they are unwanted, abandoned, injured or victims of natural disaster. Despite testing times over the last seven years, she has continued to lead a team of volunteers and work with other organisations to help meet challenges faced by owners and animals a like. I offer my warm congratulations to her for receiving this award which rightfully recognises her achievements in the Territory.”

Ms Ruscheinski said that she immensely proud of what PAW BVI has achieved, although there is still much work to be done.

“I am humbled by this award but it is not mine alone, there have been numerous special people who have supported PAW on our mission and I would like to thank each person who has helped over the years. Animal Welfare is not just about the animals, it has a far-reaching impact on the community as a whole and we have seen the positive effects on the families we have worked with. Spaying and neutering remains the most effective way of humanely controlling the animal population.”

Ms Ruscheinski is also a key supporter, organiser, and participant of sporting events in the BVI to raise money for other charitable causes to help low income families and others in need, particularly during the aftermath of the 2017 hurricanes and other times of emergency.

Her Majesty The Queen’s New Year Honours are awarded to individuals in recognition of their outstanding achievements. British Empire Medals are awarded for a ‘hands-on’ service to the local community. This could be a long-term charitable or voluntary activity, or innovative work of a relatively short duration (3 to 4 years) that has made a significant difference.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
×