Verona climbs to the top step of the podium again this year, winning the Legambiente National Award ‘Animals in the city’. The city of Verona ranked first among large provincial capitals (between 200,000 and 500,000 inhabitants), obtaining the highest score for the regulatory framework, resources allocated, services and controls carried out in favor of animals. Excellent result also in the overall ranking, which sees Verona in third place after Modena and Zocca, a municipality in the province of Modena. An award that rewards the administration’s commitment to promoting cultural change and lifestyle habits of citizens in respect of animals and which is the result of close collaboration with the Veterinary Service of the AULSS 9 which manages the health kennel, with the ENPA for the dog shelter and with the Zoofile Guards of the OIPA who operate in the protection of animals thanks to an agreement in place with the Municipality.
Among the most important factors taken into consideration are: the establishment of the first Guarantor for the protection of animals, after the approval of the specific regulation, a figure constantly operational in carrying out his functions in support of the Administration and who takes action to defend animals whenever episodes of mistreatment are reported. Also during 2023, the Municipality launched and successfully concluded, in collaboration with ENPA, the campaign “A future together with our animals”, with the aim of promoting, raising awareness and encouraging the adoption of less fortunate dogs and cats from the Dog Shelter, as they are elderly or affected by pathologies or diseases.
Added to this are the information and awareness campaigns that the Administration promotes every year against animal abuse and abandonment and the decision, in discontinuity with what has been done in the past, to welcome the arrival of 2024 with a party in Piazza Bra without the use of fireworks or pyrotechnic shows that cause much suffering to fragile people and animals. Also in 2023, three new dog areas were created in Via Palladio, Via Biancolini and Via Doria, to which this year the one in Via De Girolamo was added; another four will be created shortly. In fact, Legambiente’s national dossier analyzed the data directly provided by public administrations relating to the year 2023 and, through multiple indicators, evaluated the effort and performance achieved in the different Italian realities. To underline the positive aspects of the activities that have emerged, and to ensure that this is a stimulus to do better, Legambiente accompanies the presentation of the national dossier with the awarding of the most positive Italian experiences carried out by Municipalities and Health Authorities, assigning the national prize “Animali in Città 2023”.
“A confirmation that makes us proud and rewards the commitment and work done – says the councilor delegated to Animal Protection Giuseppe Rea -. Verona returns to occupy first place at a national level as regards medium-large cities and third in the overall ranking. A result that is the fruit of the synergy implemented between various institutions, which guarantees the great work done by the Municipality with the Animal Protection Office and in collaboration with the veterinary service of the ASL that manages the Sanitary Kennel and with the ENPA – Dog Shelter. I remember, however, that this award would never have been achieved without the tireless volunteer work put in place every day by animal rights associations and individual citizens who, in silence, work by making their time and resources available to defend our four-legged friends, starting with the cat-loving assistants, who take care of more than 300 feline colonies present in our territory, for a total of approximately 3,000 free cats”. “A synergy has been established between institutions supported first and foremost by the personal commitment of the actors involved who, with passion, multiply the available resources trying to protect the well-being of animals, of vulnerable citizens and also of those who are less sensitive to animal rights issues – adds the Veterinary Director Aulss 9 at the health kennel Flavio Sbarellati -. A synergy that facilitates a coexistence as possible, harmonious and respectful of everyone’s rights.”
The Dog and Cat Shelter, Municipal Animal Welfare Center “Fondazione cani e gatti – Giorgio e Antonella Fietta” managed by the Provincial Section of Verona of the National Animal Protection Agency OdV, with headquarters in Verona (Vr), Via E. Barsanti n. 19, focuses on the well-being of all the animals hosted. The daily presence of numerous volunteers and staff allows us to have this quality with increasingly higher standards. Enpa’s task is also to give our guests a second chance through adoptions. Below are the numbers for the year 2023.
“In 2023, 202 dogs entered the Rifugio del Cane out of 177 adoptions and 170 cats out of 150 adoptions,” explains the president of Enpa Verona and manager of the Rifugio del Cane Romano Giovannoni, who reports an ever-increasing number of large dogs, more challenging to recover and adopt, and a growing number of cats. “The Section, in concert with the Municipality of Verona, is the dissemination of the culture of animal welfare, in various events and on all occasions in which we are given the opportunity.” “In 2023, over 100 reports of various kinds arrived from the municipal area,” said the Commander of the OIPA Zoofile Guards of Verona, Massimiliano D’Errico. About ten social cases and sanctions for failure to comply with the animal welfare regulation. Several individuals reported to the judicial authorities with as many animals seized. The ConFIDO awareness campaign for compliance with the rules for dog owners and society is important; awareness campaign against dogs left on car balconies and in any case in the sun”.
