Live music, face painting, food stalls and speakers who will talk about the dearest topics for animal’s owners. On 23 and 24 June, in Verona there will be Quarantaquattro gatti, a two-day event to raise funds for shelters that host abandoned dogs and cats looking for a family.
A green oasis surrounded by nature: this is the Gattile Spianà (via Seconda Traversa Spianà 47/a Verona), the cattery that will host the Quarantaquattro gatti, litteraly Forty-four cats, the next weekend. This is an annual event held by ENPA Verona, a non-profit National Animal Protection organization that has been taking care of animals for many years thanks to its volunteers. The tenth edition of the two-day event will have various speakers who will discuss some of the most important topics to the masters, such as the correct diet, pet-friendly flora, and plants that are not dangerous to our four-legged friends.
During the two days you can also taste some biological products from the shop NaturaSì, particularly known in Verona for its vegan offer. The free event is also an opportunity to get to know your animals thanks to the conferences, and to help cats and dogs in need that are housed in shelters through the flea markets.
Quarantaquattro gatti’s program
It will start Friday 23 at 18:00 with the first conference that will be held by Dr. Riccardo Trespidi: “We eat vegan or we are vegan” and then continue with Marina Bonetti who will delight the audience with the sound of the harp. At 20:30 still live music with the two artists Matteo Bonini and Nicola Battisti.
On Saturday, starting from 17:30, participants will talk about “pet friendly plants for a pet friendly house” with the nursery of Le Georgiche Sebastiano Guarisco. Afterwards, it will be the turn of the food theme, another stronghold for those who have pets; Dr Elisabetta Mantovani will hold the conference “How to choose the right food for our cat or our dog”.
To conclude the event, from 19:00 there will be live music with Cristina Mazza and the Jazz Cats followed by “Effemme – Francesca Marastoni e Mirto Foschi”
Shelters in Verona
There are various shelters in Verona. The municipality shelter (Centro Benessere animale comunale “Fondazione Cani & Gatti – Giorgio e Antonella Fietta) is managed by ENPA Verona; it is a structure that welcomes abandoned dogs and cats and can house up to 200 animals.
The structure is kept up by volunteers who provide food and care for all of the animals on a daily basis, as well as cleaning the facilities. The dogs are then given as much freedom as possible to run around in the green spaces, play, and interact not only with one another but also with people. In fact, another important feature for ENPA Verona is to assist dogs with behavioral issues, phobias, or difficult management who are appropriately followed in a rehabilitation program aimed at promoting their reintegration and, finally, adoption into families.
Inside the structure there is also an area dedicated to cats, in support of the cattery present in Spianà.
Centro Benessere Animale Comunale “Fondazione Cani&Gatti – Giorgio e Antonella Fietta” is located in Verona, in Via Barsanti 19/B.
