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There are a large number of animal shelters in Italy. Canili (Italian for dog shelters) can be found in almost every region, gattili (Italian for cat shelters) are almost only found in northern and central Italy.
However, many of these animal shelters do not deserve the word ‘home’, as they are more like warehouses where as many dogs or cats as possible are kept until they eventually die. The animals are not allowed to be killed, as this is prohibited by the Italian Animal Welfare Act. The state at least subsidises the dog shelters, but only a fraction of the money actually reaches the animals. As it is mainly per capita premiums that are paid for the dogs, there is only limited interest in neutering animals or euthanising sick animals.
For many years, we have maintained close friendships with many Italian animal welfare organisations that run rescue centres and animal shelters with dedication and passion, offering the animals at least one thing: A fear-free life with love and care. We are happy to support such animal shelters by providing comprehensive advice on work processes and structures, with targeted work assignments, by financing medication, operations or structural improvements.
We have been supporting the ‘Findelkinder’ cat sanctuary in Tuscany for many years. Angelika Lesche now looks after around 100 cats and around 20 chickens in an exemplary manner. We visit the centre at least once a year.
Angelika’s animals live in the greatest possible freedom, are vaccinated, neutered and regularly treated against internal and external parasites. The cat sanctuary also provides ongoing education for the population and supports other cat ladies by passing on relief supplies. In addition to covering the costs of neutering and vaccinations, we support the cat sanctuary on an ongoing basis with relief supplies, food and many other things that improve the cats’ living conditions. We are also in constant dialogue and are on hand to answer any medical questions. Our volunteers also carry out work assignments on site every year to support Angelika with important tasks that she cannot manage on her own.
There is no actual animal shelter on Elba, but there are numerous privately organised animal lovers with rescue centres, some with up to 200 cats.
The suffering of cats on the island is huge. So far, all animal welfare organisations have given up helping locally due to a lack of support from the authorities. However, this does little to help the local animal welfare organisations and even less to help the cats. Numerous lone fighters look after colonies, some of which are very large.
In addition to our neutering programme, we therefore support the private cat carers with supplies, food, the payment of vet bills and organise educational campaigns for the population together with them. Two NetAP volunteers (Romina and Elvira) are almost constantly on duty for the cats and occasionally also for dogs, rodents, rabbits, birds, goats and many other animals.
Food donations help to keep all the feeding centres and sanctuaries afloat.
An oasis for animals is located in Grossetto, Tuscany at SOS-Animali international.
This incomparable animal shelter offers many different animals a new home. The founder, Helga Selzle, has made it her mission to take in the animals that nobody else wants. There are also numerous old and sick animals in the sanctuary, where they are lovingly cared for and loved. We regularly support SOS Animali with relief supplies and food, cover the costs of neutering or are on site ourselves. At the same time, we are looking for volunteers who are willing to help improve the living conditions of the animals in the oasis for at least two to three months with discipline and perseverance.
The commitment to the dog shelter in Campi Salentina, Apulia, goes back a long way and began in 2001, seven years before NetAP was founded. The shelter is regularly supplied with relief supplies such as food and anti-parasite medication. We also help in emergency situations and provide support for structural improvements. The operators of the animal shelter have been proving for many years that a lot of good can be done for the shelter dogs even with few resources. While many dog shelters in Apulia are much more like mass camps than homes, the dogs at the Campi Salentina shelter receive as much attention as possible.
What would Rome be without cats? It was not for nothing that the city parliament in Rome declared cats a cultural heritage site in 2001. Unfortunately, this impressive honour does not come with any financial means, and many four-legged Italian culture bearers would continue to lead a dreary existence on the dangerous streets of the eternal city if it were not for the many animal rights activists who stand up for the cats. Many of these cats have found a new home at the refuge near the ruins of the Largo Torre Argentina.
Around 160 cats live there and are lovingly cared for. In addition to the cats at Torre Argentina, the animal welfare organisation also looks after many other smaller and larger cat colonies. The first priority is to neuter the animals to prevent further misery. However, the individual care of each animal is also a high priority.
NetAP has been supporting this unrivalled example of animal welfare efforts financially and with relief supplies for years. Unfortunately, the cat sanctuary is repeatedly threatened with eviction, as it is only tolerated in the ruins. Due to its worldwide popularity, however, there are always numerous protests, including from political and official circles, when voices are raised again calling for the shelter to be removed.
The situation for cats in Rome has improved dramatically since the cat sanctuary was set up. Thanks to the sustainable and comprehensive neutering programme, activities have also been extended to the area surrounding Rome. Despite the ups and downs, the history of the cat sanctuary is a success story!
Unbureaucratically and discreetly, we provide further assistance to animal shelters in Italy in exceptional cases by financing emergency medical aid, food or structural improvements.
