WHO WE ARE
WE UNITE COMPASSION WITH AWARENESS, TO AWAKEN MINDS AND HEARTS
Save & Care was founded in 2018 with the firm purpose of fighting for the liberation of all animals who are victims of human exploitation. Initially, our work focused on raising public awareness about the harsh reality experienced by animals exploited in the food system. We conducted investigations on livestock farms, organised street activism actions, the annual march for the rights of all animals, and held countless vigils outside slaughterhouses and seaports, giving a voice to the forgotten. In 2019, our mission evolved dramatically: we carried out our first major rescue, saving 11 cattle that were on their way to the slaughterhouse. From that day on, we have never stopped working actively for the animals most in need of rescue in Portugal.
Excerpts of images from investigations and different actions that we have organized and carried out over the years
OUR STORY
My name is Alexa Young
The year 2021 marked the beginning of our greatest mission: the construction of our Sanctuary.
It all started on a piece of land that, ironically, carried the weight of a dark past: the property that our co-founder and President, Alice Basílio, inherited from her family was once a farm dedicated to the exploitation of animals for food.
This fact is not a detail; it is at the heart of our transformation.
We decided that this place, which had witnessed exploitation, would be the first to be rewritten. We turned it into a refuge built from scratch, erected with effort and dedication to be the antithesis of what it once represented.
TODAY, THE SANCTUARY IS LIVING PROOF THAT CHANGE IS POSSIBLE.
WHERE THERE WAS CONFINEMENT,
WE CREATED SPACES OF FREEDOM
WHERE THERE WAS PAIN,
WE SOWED KINDNESS
This is where we welcome rescued animals, in a small vegan world where respect, equality, inclusion, and awareness are not just words, but the moral foundation of everything we do.
This is the ethical foundation of Save & Care: a space that honours the lives of all beings and shows the world the power of compassion in action.
FOUNDERS OF THE SANCTUARY
Save & Care was born from the vision and commitment of Alice Basílio and Noel Santos.
Alice Basílio, co-founder and President, is the ethical voice and operational heart of the Sanctuary. Her leadership ensures that the mission is always guided by respect and awareness. She is also directly responsible for the daily care of all animals, the management of the volunteer programme and communication on social media.
Noel Santos, co-founder, is our operational pillar and the force on the ground. He is responsible for all rescue logistics and maintenance of the Sanctuary's infrastructure. It was he who, through his own effort and dedication, transformed a family farm that exploited animals into a sanctuary of peace and safety, built to give dignity to all our residents.
Together, they combine vision and action, leading the organisation's evolution from activism to direct action, and proving that the dedication of two individuals can rewrite the destiny of hundreds of lives.
OUR INTENTION
To inspire the public to leave animals off their plates by embracing a vegan lifestyle and a 100% plant-based diet. This gesture of compassion goes far beyond diet, as it helps you choose life for all beings, hope for our planet, and self-love for your health.
