Here are a variety of useful links related to pets and also ex-pat living. I’ll be adding to this all the time. Please contact me to add any that you know of.
ANIMAL CHARITIES and ORGANIZATIONS
Great list of organizations and associations which help animals in Italy from Animali e Animali http://www.animalieanimali.it/entieassociazioni.asp
Rome association with new branch in Aquila to help the earthquake cats: http://sosgattiterremotati.blogspot.com/
Unique Cat Sanctuary near Arezzo, Tuscany Rifugio per Gatti Cinni
My local animal rescue organisation run by some lovely people: www.loscudodipan.org
Local public kennels for abandoned dogs: Casentino Canile
Arezzo public kennels : Enpa Arezzo
ENPA (Ente Nazionale Protezione Animali – Italian equivalent of RSPCA)
LAV – (Lega Anti-Vivisezione Onlus) anti -vivisection site
Horse rescue site – www.alture.net
VETS
To view a list of vets with microchipping facilities from the British Embassy click here
USEFUL RESOURCES FOR ANIMAL LOVERS
Pea Horsley for animal communication, missing pets, animal reiki healing www.animalthoughts.com
Horse lovers forum, including appelli (appeals) for horses in trouble or needing saving: il cavallo
Dog Pet Care Site http://petcareeducation.com/dog/
GENERAL
I’m a ghostwriter and my writing site is www.spiderywriting.com
I also read the Tarot and my site is www.tarotcanhelp.com
I raise alpacas and my site is www.lavignaalpacas.com
Fabulous, professional property management service in Italy www.italiansolutions.net also has Italian property rentals
Fantastic resource for anyone moving to or living in Italy. If John Murphy doesn’t know, it’s not worth knowing! The Informer
Excellent new Italian – English translation company in the UK www.italtranslate.com
Wonderful Italian photographer from Tuscany www.andreabarghi.com
The Compassionate Hedonist. Great blog from Californian Sarah May who lives in Lazio.
ACCOMMODATION
Websites which advertise agriturismi, hotels and so on where you can take pets.
Bed & Breakfast Italy Villa I Due Padroni.
Villa in the magnificent hills amidst the vineyards of the Oltrepo Pavese region, Lombardy italy. Spacious apartment with full kitchen, living room, terrace with panoramic views and garden with swimming pool. Dog friendly.
Dog friendly villas in Marche. Beautiful 4 bedroom Villa Acacia
perfect for a holiday in Le Marche region, fenced for your dog’s
security. Secluded Villa Gelso in the Sibillini National Park has
separate cottage in the grounds for larger groups. http://www.marchevillas.it
Pets (but less so pests) welcome at my house in Abruzzo. www.villacasale.net
Two nice places to stay but they don’t take pets –
Lovely little apartment to rent in Cortona, Tuscany: www.casa-azelia.com
Luxury holiday accommodation in Maglie, Le Marche: www.caserma-carina.co.uk
Beautiful holistic website dedicated to healing the Mind, Body and Spirit of your animal friends www.spiritualpet.com
Tour Italy : Travel better with Access Italy’s premium tours of Italy including exclusive access to the Vatican and Rome.
Hi Suzanne
Yes, some of the cruelty is beyond belief. I think part of the problem is that it is illegal in Italy to put an animal down unless it is for medical reasons and so people are resorting to the cruel things you describe. I well remember when we lived in Umbria seeing from a window my neighbour walk to a ditch in a field with a bucket. I was intrigued and so went there afterwards only to dicover the bodies of three small kittens in the dicth where she had thrown them after wringing their necks. Appalling.
Hi there, We moved to abruzzo three years ago and I am appalled at the treatment of unwanted domestic animal in this neck of the woods. The more ‘humane’ owners dump their unwanted animal by the side of the road where they may at least stand a chance of being rescued from a slow death from thirst or starvation or a quick one by being ht by a car. What I really can’t stomache is The widespread practice of putting them in a sack, tying it up and just throwing it into the open countryside or woodland where sounds of distress can’t be heard…. There is no excuse for this barbaric practice in an affluent modern country like Italy. The people I know who do this are not so poor that they can’t have the animals put down humanely, sterilized, taken in by the rescue centres or as a last resort, shot. They have no compunction when it comes to shooting wildlife I notice.. It is mostly the older generation who are the guilty ones, who no doubt grew up thinking that this was all ok as it had always been so. Something has to be done to change this attitude, it’s not only cruel but against the law. A poster for all the communes in italy would be a start. More needs to be done to raise the awareness of the law and to get the funds for the rescue centres coming in. A T.V. advert would be ideal to provide donation account details, of course but very costly I know. There must be other agencies to apply to for funds to do this from international animal protection organisations to the EU. if this is all in the offing I for one can’t wait. best wishes
Hi Ann
I am circulating this message to all the people I know and also Italian forums in the hope we can do something. I’ll keep you up to date.
Don’t worry, we’ll find a way to help him.
Hello Fiona,
I hope someone can help. I am back in UK but visited Mt Etna on Sunday. At the top of the Mt where the buses stop, a dog appeared, dehydrated and starving. It had no energy of course, someone threw him a piece of bread which it refused at first and I soaked the bread in water and he started to lick it. I only had two biscuits which I left for him. Of all the stray dogs, this one is an image I can’t get out of my head. Can someone at least bring him down the mountain? There is no food up there and winter is coming. How can anyone be so cruel as to abandon him there?
Please someone help this dog!
Hi Wendy
Thanks for your comments. I think quite a few readers are from the US so am very pleased you have told everyone about your fantastic Animal Medical Centre.
Hello, Fiona.
I spoke to you on LinkedIn. I am the Director of Marketing and Communications for The Animal Medical Center. The AMC is an amazing 100 year old animal health care facility in New York City. If any of your readers travel to the US and are in need of care for their pets, we are here to assist you. We have nearly 100 veterinarians on staff, including a counselor should you need to talk about the emotional issues sometimes associated with helping your pet who has become ill. We can also assist with pet travel issues that owners may need to deal with. Our website is http://www.AMCNY.org and our blog is: http://amcny.wordpress.com/