Pets in Italy

Snowed Under

Oops - haven't posted for a while as I have had a novel to finish for a US client. I can't believe it is finally done!

But that is not the only reason. We have had a lot of snow here and the time I haven't spent finishing the final draft, I have spent chasing Gassie round and round the garden trying to block up the holes he makes under the fence. It is a never ending and thankless task and at times, with frozen fingers and feet like ice, falling over in the snow with my hammer in one hand and yet another fence post in the other, I have almost been in tears.

He doesn't go far, just in the field behind the house, and when he gets fed up he barks at the gate to be let back in, but there is a road too on one side and I am scared he might cause an accident or be hurt himself. The snow has made it worse as he is obsessed with birds (hunting dog - doh!) and of course they show up wonderfully well against all that white.

So preoccupied have I been by the book and my escaping dog that I even mixed up my day at the Casentino kennels and ended up missing my turn. I had prepared the car, de-iced it the day before and everything as well. The trouble was, on Sunday morning, having told an anxious Alan that I would be fine driving in the snow, when I checked the calendar I realized my turn had been on Saturday! I was mortified.

Anyway, it's raining today so the snow has gone, I'm feeling more on top of things and so I am approaching the amazing disappearing dog with a renewed resolve. After all, my brain is bigger than his! Right?

Cats in Bulgaria Need Help

I recently got this email from Eli Pesheva from Bulgaria. I am reproducing here in its entirety in the hope someone can help. Basically they are looking for people from abroad to adopt these cats.

Eli writes: "I am a volunteer in a BG Cat Friends cat rescue organization where together with other volunteers we invest our time, financial resources, emotions and love to help stray, abandoned, hurt and helpless cats and kittens.

Recently, here in Sofia, Bulgaria, we've come to know about a case where an elderly woman, living in a 70 sq. m. apartment gathered about 30 or 40 cats (exact number is not yet clear as the woman keeps the kitchen window open and as she lives on the 2nd floor of an apartment building, cats get out and she brings more in). You may see some photos of the cats (we took photos of about 25 cats): http://picasaweb.google.com/za.marty/CatsKittens#
 
Her neighbours are pushing her and threatening her that she will be expelled from her home (recently, a law allowing this was accepted in Bulgaria and is already in force) since she is becoming a thread for the hygiene, potential diseases, not to mention the strong and unpleasant smell.
 
It took us 1 month to gradually become to know the woman, understand the situation and for her to let us in the apartment. As you can image the sight and smell of so many cats (and 3 dogs) in such a limited constrained place was terrible. Luckily, there were no dead animals, no serious injuries and no direct threat to the cats' health. We took pictures of approximately 25 cats, all in generally good shape, sociable, calm domestic pets. In my view and in the opinion of the experienced ladies from the Cat Friends organization and of a social worker whome we have consulted, all cats are adoptable after applying the necessary medical checkups, vaccines, treating for internal/external parasites and neutering.
 
Unfortunately, for the last 5 years in my experience as volunteer, foster parent to cats and in my efforts to find them a safe, lovable home, I have learned that this process goes a long way. Bulgarians still prefer animals of breed and/or do not have enough money to raise their families, let alone a pet. And on top of all, animal cruelty or neglecting is an everyday situation here with us.
 
As a Bulgarian I am ashamed and deeply sorry about the situation and am investing lots of efforts and emotions to very slowly influence things in the right direction (participating in events, sponsoring organizations, volunteering to help, issuing & distributing leaflets, etc). I believe this is a slow but hopeful process and I can see it bearing fruits even today - when I see the happy faces of a family that has just adopted a kitten or a puppy.
 
The reason for contacting you is that with this case of 30-40 cats between 3 and 6 years of age, there is not much we can offer here in BG. It is very difficult to find a good home for a young kitten, let alone grown cats...
 
What we have started doing with the 'cat gatherer' is in several directions:

1. Gradually built a trustful relationship with patience and honesty: not to over exaggerate the perils, neither to over promise her help or miracles
2. Explain what are the odds of finding a home for all her cats (pretty scarce chances)
3. Do our best to inform and educate her about the options BG laws provide her with (unfortunately, given the situation with her neighbours - she doesn't stand many chances...)
4. Search for free castration and/or sponsorship to immediately stop further breeding
5. Inspire and attract volunteers to help by providing free transport to the vet, sponsorship for the checkup & medicine costs, free cat food & litter (super if some toys are provided, too), free parasites treatment
6. Convince the woman she should give away the cats for adoption
7. Work with the woman to give us (another volunteer and me), one by one or two by two the cats to be neutered and to let the cats stay in foster homes/stationary at the vet's for a few days after the castration as it would be quite dangerous to return the cats back where there is danger of viruses, jumping from a high place, cat/dog fights, etc

I am glad to report that we have already done quick actions for the youngest kittens and have posted several adverts in BG web-sites and newspapers asking for adoption. The first family who expressed interest and seemed promising will meet one of the kittens tomorrow. Also, we are in process with actions 1 to 6 and are currently investing all our efforts in point 7.

Why we believe you could kindly help us by proposing those cats for potential adoption abroad, if possible:
1. We believe the cats are beautiful, intelligent and genuine, each with their individual characteristics.
2. We believe that those cats deserve to live and deserve a lovable home where each of them would be appreciated fro their uniqueness
3. We believe that among these cats, there are some true 'hidden treasures'  that even there, in the apartment filled with cats, stand out because of their loving nature, strong will to live, warm & playful attitude - always on the look out for a caress, a good word, a hug...
4. We believe we can find sponsorship here in Bulgaria to send you 3-5 some of the elderly cats that do not stand a chance for adoption in Bulgaria (practice has unfortunately proven this)

5. We believe that in 2-3 months time, we could prepare 3-5 cats from that horrible place in foster homes so that they are ready for adoption abroad "

If you can help please contact eli.pesheva@gmail.com

URGENT APPEAL FOR TWO POOR HORSES DESTINED FOR BUTCHERS

They are two lovely horses - a trotter gelding aged nine years  old and a three year old filly. They were due to be slaughtered on Saturday morning and sold for meat, but thanks to a last minute intervention by horse rescue society www.alture.net and our own lovely Lucie Storrs, they are being taken from their current location of Reggio Emilia to Lucie's home in Tuscany possibly as early as tomorrow as a temporary measure. Catia Brozzi, from horse transporters TAST is taking them at a special rate of €300.

The problem as always is money. Luca Casati from alture.net has already got a large number of horses who need his limited funds and he desperately needs donations to cover the transport costs and some money towards their upkeep at Lucie's and to help go towards rehoming these two lovely animals.

PLEASE CAN YOU HELP? Donations are on the alture.net  page. Scroll down and look at the menu on the right hand side and click on "fai una donazione".

Please Help This Kitten

5-6 month old kitten in need of a loving home from the Canile di Lerchi near Citta' di Castello, Umbrian/Tuscan border. Very affectionate and restless in his cage, so much so that it was hard to photograph him as he won't sit still! Currently on a special diet as otherwise he gets constipated. However, this may well be resolved soon and is not a big deal. He is certainly used to the sight and sound of dogs as his current home is the local dog shelter. Please contact Lucie at lucie at thelightbeyond.com (use the @ sign instead of the word 'at') for details.