melissa grace kreider

     The association that I volunteer for is named LIDA, an acronym that stands for Italian League for the Rights of Animals. As a long-time vegan (vegetarian in Italy), I feel strongly towards this topic and I’m completely for protecting the rights of our fellow furry friends. LIDA was started in 1977 and is still active in the Florentine community today while fighting for the rights of animals-cats to kangaroos! One of the things that LIDA does is promote kennels that are in need of volunteers.  On Saturday April 14^th, my classmates and I traveled to one of the kennels associated with LIDA; Canile di Montesporteli. In the countryside of Florence, we stood in the freezing, pouring rain and visited with the dogs. Some of the dogs that were graciously given a home had been there since 2003 and one even as early as 2000. Seeing them there broke my heart.

I have a dog at home; Armani. He just turned a year old..

~Armani Appreciation Post 2k12~ I could never even imagine abandoning him or in some way having him end up alone, without an owner for close to a decade. I wanted to take each and every one of them home with me. Some of the dogs we saw were so excited to see us they were literally SHAKING. All these poor creatures want is a home and special attention. Going to Canile di Montesporteli  made me realize that the situation of strays is not unlike the one in America, only in Italy, the dogs are not put down after a certain amount of time of going unclaimed or adopted.

Leone has been in Canile di Montesporteli since 2003.     I just can't. It almost made me cry! I am so grateful that people like the ones we met at the kennel exist to give the 85 dogs dry shelter and food at Canile di Montespertoli. The property is privately owned and out of the goodness of their hearts, they have a kennel for stray and abandoned dogs. If I could, I would visit the shelter every single week just to play, feed, and visit the poor things since they crave attention so badly. Dogs need love, too! 

    I do not regret taking an Italian course with Service Learning because it puts me in real life situations in the Italian community and culture. Here in Italy it is ridiculously expensive to spay or nuture your pet, and it's a giant problem in Florence that LIDA and small kennels such as this one are fighting to change. If I didn't give my time to volunteering, I would never be aware of things like this and be able to make a comparison to my mother country. 

    While learning so much from one day, I'm still heartbroken over these animals..

Ciao for now,

-m.

The awesome ladies that run the place-planning fundraising events.There were two more of these complexes for housing.