How you can help

We have chosen to support Rifugio Fata for a number of reasons. Not only did they help save Vito's life at a time when we could, literally, find no other options, but they are also operating in a part of the world where the stray dog problem is huge, and proactive organizations are rare. As you can see from previous posts, the team at Rifugio Fata work tirelessly to save dogs and give them a second chance. But they are also committed, through their grass roots efforts, to affecting change beyond their gates, out in the community and beyond.

It is hard to hear about the suffering of animals, but it is always inspiring to hear about people who are making a difference. By donating to Rifugio Fata we are helping those who are lucky enough to be living there, but we are also supporting a broader effort.

Every day, dogs and puppies are brought in to Rifugio Fata or left at their gate. Their walls are bursting, and their food and vet's bills are endless. In order to keep doing what they are doing, they need our help.

There are a number of ways you can support this wonderful mission. The quickest way is to click on the donate button on this blog and make a one time donation of any amount. Every little bit helps. You will automatically receive a 'grinning Vito' pic as a thank you! I am excited to see how much we can raise for Rifugio Fata on Vito's behalf in the coming days, and the final amount will be posted here.

Other ways you can help... 

MEMBERSHIP: Rifugio Fata offers memberships. By donating a chosen amount and signing up for a membership, you will receive regular emails, photos and updates from the shelter.

REMOTE ADOPTION: Remote adoption is a fun way to support the dogs at Rifugio Fata. If there is a particular dog that you want to help, you can sponsor that dog for a nominal fee. Rifugio Fata will then send you photos and regular updates from your Southern Italian friend!

MERCH: Rifugio Fata also sells t-shirts and jewelry in order to raise money, and you can order these lovely items through their facebook page.

You can find more information on these options on the Rifugio Fata facebook page. Just tell Francesca that Vito sent you! And for those who don't speak Italian, Francesca also has her own facebook page, Francesca Scerbo. One of Vito's lovely friends, Katharina, is now helping her to manage her page and translate it into English. Or you can call Francesca: +39 3405910203. She is also on WhatsApp.

You can also email us on this blog if you have any questions or need more info.

And finally, one of the best ways to support any mission is to...

SPREAD THE WORD! 

Vito and his friends say thank you thank you thank you from the bottom of their hearts!

What makes Rifugio Fata different?

In Italy, municipal dog shelters receive government funding on a 'per dog' basis. This means that the more dogs a kennel is housing and the less they care for them, the more money they make. Unfortunately, in many cases, this leads to horrible cases of overcrowding and neglect in the dog pounds for our four-legged friends. 

Francesca and her team at Rifugio Fata are doing things differently. Rifugio Fata does not receive any government money. Instead, they are part of a dynamic, loving, non-profit organization and they are funded entirely by donations. The dogs are well looked after by a dedicated team of volunteers, and they place great emphasis on promoting education initiatives and attitude changes in the local community. 

Unfortunately there isn't much of a culture of local adoption in Southern Italy, and so the team work hard to promote their adoption program. Every dog that finds a loving home means not only a happy ending for that dog, but also a new space at Rifugio Fata for another stray in need. Rifugio Fata uses social media outlets such as Facebook to help raise funds and to post dogs who are ready for adoption. Francesca also helms community outreach programs. taking her team of volunteers out onto the streets and opening up Rifugio Fata to visitors. 

Sadly, many of the dogs brought into the shelter are suffering from psychological issues. Rifugio Fata runs a rehab program to help traumatized dogs rebuild their trust in humans. Once the dogs have gained confidence, they are given formal training to help prepare them for adoption.

The team at Rifugio Fata are dedicated to raising awareness and promoting responsible dog ownership. They make their training programs accessible to the local community to help foster caring, positive relationships between owners and their dogs. They also host special events at the shelter and they run campaigns to promote microchipping, vaccinations and, above all, neutering.

So many of the dog-related problems in Southern Italy are rooted in cultural attitudes. One of the biggest goals at Rifugio Fata is to educate the community and provide resources, so that the bond between humans and their dogs can be maximized, and, ultimately, less of our four-legged friends will end up suffering on the streets.

Click on this fun video to take a look inside Rifugio Fata... (4 mins)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w01JQk90Ej8 

... And to see all the happy faces at feeding time! The team at Rifugio Fata are doing incredible work and they rely solely on donations. Please consider making a contribution, however small. Every dollar we raise will help to put more food in their buckets... and more wags in their tails!

The incredible story of PUPO

We were very lucky to find Vito only a month after he was dumped. He was thin and very lonely, but, other than that, he was healthy. A lot of the stray dogs in Southern Italy are not so lucky. Some of them are in a terrible condition when they are abandoned. Others end up on the streets for months, living alone, suffering from life-threatening health conditions and barely surviving. Pupo was one of the unlucky ones, but his luck changed dramatically the day he was brought into Rifugio Fata.

Pupo was found in an appalling state in October 2011. He was starving, dehydrated and seriously ill. He was suffering from horrendous neglect and he was terrified. Francesca and her team took him in and nursed him around the clock, giving him the care and support he so desperately needed. Little by little, he began to recover. Within just a matter of months, Pupo had made an incredible turnaround. He regained his health and his confidence, and he was adopted by a loving family.

Check out Pupo's amazing transformation:

As Francesca put it, "This is what our love can do..."

Vito enjoys a field trip!

Unlike other shelters in Southern Italy where the dogs are left in crowded cages and never taken out for walks, Rifugio Fata provides spacious accommodation for the dogs. The volunteers take them out regularly to stretch their legs and get some fresh air.

Here is Vito (right of pic) with some of his friends, enjoying a break in nature:

The amazing team of volunteers at Rifugio Fata

Beautiful people, beautiful dogs...

Meet Rossana

Rossana is the President of Rifugio Fata. She goes to the shelter every day and she is in charge of feeding the residents (190 mouths!) and giving medicine to those who need it. 

Meet Francesca

Francesca is the Vice President of Rifugio Fata. She is in charge of fundraising for the shelter so that they can pay for food, vet care and sterilizations. Many of the strays are suffering from terrible neglect and abuse when they are brought in to the shelter, and they all receive medical treatment. Francesca is also in charge of promoting adoptions and organizing the paperwork for those who are lucky enough to find a new home. Francesca can be contacted on the Rifugio Fata facebook page, or on her own facebook page, Francesca Scerbo. She is also on WhatsApp.

The rock-star women behind Rifugio Fata!

 

Francesca and Rossana are the leaders of the team at Rifugio Fata. Together, they work tirelessly to make sure that their four-legged residents receive all the care that they need.

Vito says THANK YOU!

Thank you so much for your help! We are well on our way to completing Vito's rescue. So far we have raised 405 Euros, which will give us enough to airlift Vito out of Calabria. He is patiently waiting at Rifugio Fata while we continue to work on the logistics of his journey. I can't wait to be able to post the happy ending to his story!

In the meantime, I am going to use this blog to show snippets of daily life at this amazing shelter, and post some heart-warming dog rescue stories from Southern Italy. 

So, whenever you are in need of an instant pick-me-up, check back in!

As you know, our 'Rescue Vito' mission has two goals...the first being to rescue Vito! Our second goal is to see how much we can raise to help feed Vito's friends at Rufugio Fata. (There are currently 190 of them!) 

If you haven't made a donation yet, please consider making a contribution, however small. Every dollar we send to Rifugio Fata will go towards feeding and caring for our four-legged friends in need. 

You can also check out Rifugio Fata on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/rifugio.fata.1?fref=ts 

Even if you don't speak Italian, you can enjoy their fabulous photo gallery!

Welcome to Rifugio Fata

This was the moment that Vito arrived at Rifugio Fata, after nearly two months of fending for himself. The lovely Francesca was there to welcome him.