Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Order your 2016 Rifugio Fata Calendar TODAY!

What do you get if you put together an awesome group of volunteers, some talented doggy actors and Rifugio Fata's very own fabulous photographer, Irene Cimino? That's right! One of the loveliest calendars of 2016!

Every year, the team at Rifugio Fata make a calendar to raise funds to help feed and care for their 150+ shelter residents. This year, they decided to have some fun with the dogs and give them a special taste of 'life at home'. The result is one of their sweetest calendars yet, aptly named 'Feeling at home.'

Here is a sneak preview of what went on backstage on the day of the shoot:





















So, please order your amazing, unique Rifugio Fata calendar TODAY! It only costs 10 Euros plus 3 Euros postage - anywhere in the world! Every day in 2016, you will be able to enjoy the beautiful photos and know that you helped make a difference in the lives of these sweet dogs and the wonderful people who work so hard to care for them.

Contact Francesca on the Rifugio Fata Facebook page:


Or on whatsapp: +39 3405910203

Thank you for your support!



Wednesday, November 18, 2015

The Perfect Gift

One of the fabulous volunteers at Rifugio Fata is the very talented Fiorella Vergori. Fiorella has launched a one-of-a-kind accessory line in order to raise funds for the dogs at Rifugio Fata. Combining her artistic talents with her desire to support rescue dogs and the environment, Fiorella uses recycled can tops to create highly original jewelry pieces and accessories.

Her line is called "Linguetta re-created by Fiò."



Each item is handmade to order.


So if you are looking for a unique, environmentally friendly gift that will support a local artist and help the dogs at Rifugio Fata, then look no further! 

Irene Cimino - who also volunteers at Rifugio Fata and regularly appears on this blog as a stray dog superhero - is a talented photographer. Check out these stunning photos Irene took of Fiorella and Francesca (VP of Fata) at the shelter, wearing Fiorella's beautiful accessories. 

Artists, models, doggie superheroes... Is there no end to these ladies' talents?!














Click on Fiorella's facebook page below to see more photos of her fabulous products, and to order the perfect gift!

https://www.facebook.com/Linguetta-re-created-by-Fiò-1604348086461662/?ref=ts&fref=ts


International Rescue Mission

A few weeks ago, Rifugio Fata received a message from a German lady, Franzi, who had found a sweet little dog while she was visiting Lamezia Terme, the city in Calabria where Rifugio Fata is located. She had been feeding him while she was on holiday, and after she returned home to Germany, she found that she couldn't stop thinking about him! Franzi realized that she had fallen in love with the little fellow, and decided that she wanted to adopt him. 

Enter the Rifugio Fata Rescue Team! Franzi liaised with Rifugio Fata friend, Katharina, who helped with translations. Franzi decided to call the little black dog Rondo, and provided a photo of him and a map of the hotel, with a description of the area where he was. 


Rifugio Fata volunteers, Irene and Tina, donned their superhero capes, and set off in search of this little stray who had no idea that his life was about to take a dramatic turn. It took them less than an hour for them to find him. He jumped in the carrier box willingly. Franzi was thrilled.





The next step was to figure out how to transport Rondo to Germany. If you have ever tried to transport a dog, you will know that it is much cheaper and safer for them to make the journey with a passenger, rather than to travel alone. So Franzi made the decision to fly back to Calabria for one night to collect him.

Francesca, Irene and Tina met Franzi at the airport to wave Rondo off to his new life. What a lucky boy.




Rondo went from being dumped and begging for scraps at a hotel in Calabria to living a life of love and happiness in Germany. Congratulations to Rondo and his lovely new mum, Franzi. And a big thank you to Rifugio Fata and Katharina for making this mission possible. Excellent work team!




                       




Sunday, September 20, 2015

Work hard...

One of the things that sets Rifugio Fata apart from so many of the poorly run shelters in Italy is their commitment to change. Unlike the municipal pounds who collect government money and, all too often, leave the dogs to perish in their cages, the Rifugio Fata team are constantly striving to raise their own funds and make a difference - for both their four-legged residents and for dogs in their local community.

A big part of their effort is education. The team puts a lot of energy into educating the public about their work at the shelter and about responsible dog ownership. And, even though they have been operating in a very challenging part of the world for over a decade, they continually seek to educate themselves about how they can better serve their furry friends.

As part of the ongoing education program at Rifugio Fata, the team recently invited renowned dog trainer and educator, Fausto Vighi, from Dog Evolution in Northern Italy to visit them at the shelter. He spent the weekend educating the volunteers about rehabilitating traumatized dogs and effective shelter management. 








If you would like to help Rifugio Fata continue their great work for stray dogs in Southern Italy, you can donate to them by clicking on the donate button on this blog, or via PayPal at rifugiofata@libero.it 

Thank you for your support.