Support to Dog Houses

Project location: Italy
Project start date: June 2001 - Project end date: This project covers various years
Project number: 2001-02
Beneficiary: Nuova Cuccia

 [2003-39|2004-11|2005-25|2005-45|2008-04|2009-30]

In 2001 the Nando Peretti Foundation awarded a grant to support Tara Bianca, a private kennel covering a private area of 6.000 square meters in the countryside of Tolfa Natural Park (Rome). The kennel, originally founded in 1984 by Ms. Anna Maria Szoldatics to accommodate 11 stray dogs, had grown up over time to reach, in 2001, more than 300 dogs and 40 cats, hosted in 200 wood boxes with a wire netting on one side.

At that time, the owner of the dog's house, Ms. Szoldatics, was a 70 years old woman who had dedicated her own life to dogs. Having spent all her private resources for this cause, she turned to the Nando Peretti Foundation for help, in the attempt not to close her dog's house. The NPF contribution, aimed at covering the medicine and food purchase costs of the kennel, was renewed until 2005.

Following the long illness and the death of its founder, in 2007, Tara Bianca was unfortunately in a severe state of neglect, whereas still hosting 143 dogs. An inspection carried out by the police department in charge of public health in the shelter resulted in the legal obligation to register all dogs fitting them with microchips and to proceed with structural renovation works in the too old and dilapidated kennel.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Silvia Spina, former assistant to Ms. Szoldatics, had been appointed manager of the kennel. Given the scarcity of time and the serious conditions of dogs, the NPF decided to support part of the expenses, awarding a grant through the intermediation of the Prelz Foundation, which had previously worked with the Tara Bianca kennel.

The project aimed to temporarily care for the dogs, providing them food, care, a suitable accommodation and a normal social life, especially for older dogs who were the majority. It also included ensuring pesticide treatments, making at least 20 sterilizations, whose importance had been emphasized by veterinarians, due both to the dogs' character, and for disease prevention.