Peace and love at Rifugio Fata

This month, the team at Rifugio Fata invited local families to visit the shelter and learn more about how dogs and children can live in peace and harmony together. One of the many reasons dogs get dumped in Italy, unfortunately, is the arrival of a child. It is a common misconception that the family dog will be a danger to the new born baby - in terms of germs and behaviour - and so it is abandoned. This is a constant source of frustration for the Rifugio Fata team who end up rescuing these poor strays from the streets in terrible conditions.

But instead of getting mad, they educate! The team at Rifugio Fata know that raising awareness and getting information out into the local community is a vital part of their attempt to reduce the number of dogs suffering on the streets. By organizing school field trips and welcoming families into the shelter, they hope to promote change in cultural attitudes and, in turn, create a more secure future for dogs in their local community.

"Children and animals - growing together with peace and love":

A loving home

It was a rough winter for our friends at Rifugio Fata. The weather was colder and wetter than usual, and the dogs suffered a debilitating outbreak of illness. But the team of volunteers soldiered on, as they have many times before, and I am happy to report that warmer weather has now arrived and everybody is on the mend. Thank you for your kind donations towards their medical bills.

It is a sad fact that in many shelters - in Southern Italy and all around the world - dogs are left in overcrowded cages without adequate food and veterinary care, often for years on end. They are never allowed to stretch their legs, and they do not know the meaning of a good cuddle. Government programs pay municipal pounds to house the dogs and they provide no incentives for the dogs to be cared for properly, or rehomed. All too often, particularly in poorer parts of the world, pound owners collect government money while the dogs perish.

Independent shelters, like Rifugio Fata, play a vital part in breaking that mold. Rifugio Fata is entirely self-funded. They rely on our donations to continue their amazing work for homeless dogs in an area where the stray problem is huge and resources are thin. The team work endlessly to raise the funds to make sure that all of their dogs receive the veterinary care they need, and they run outreach and adoption programs in order to educate the local community and give their dogs a chance of finding a new home. 

The team at Rifugio Fata know that any time spent in a shelter - no matter how good it is -  is a poor substitute for family life, so they do their very best, with the resources they have, to make life as enjoyable as possible for their residents. And that includes regular exercise, playtime and cuddles.

All of Rifugio Fata's dogs need a loving home. But, luckily for them, in the meantime, they have the next best thing a stray dog could possibly hope for - a loving shelter. 

If you would like to make a donation to Rifugio Fata, you can do so by clicking the 'donate' button on this blog, or via PayPal: rifugiofata@libero.it 

Or through Rifugio Fata's facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Francesca-Scerbo-Rifugio-Fata-la-pagina/223244014434430

Thank you for your support.