Garda Hinterland to Get New Dog Shelter as Mayors Prepare to Sign Agreement
The “final” stage of the inter-municipal shelter project on the Garda hinterland is underway. The mayors of Desenzano, Sirmione, Montichiari, and Calcinato will sign the memorandum of understanding to proceed with the practical implementation of the initiative. The appointment is scheduled for next week.
The initiative has been on the table for many years. Since then, Sirmione’s mayor Mario Arduino proposed to his neighboring municipalities to take charge of building a shelter to host abandoned and stray dogs. This is a particularly topical issue in recent days. “It is during the summer, the holiday season, that the practice of abandonment tends to intensify,”
– notes Diana Lanciotti, founder of Fondo amici di Paco, the national non-profit association based in Desenzano –. Each year, approximately 150,000 dogs are abandoned, leading to about 4,000 road accidents. It is a barbaric practice that the Fondo combats through awareness campaigns targeted mainly at young people.
In two years of activity, the Fondo has raised funds by publishing books, a magazine, and distributing gadgets, ultimately donating over 100,000 meals to kennels and cat shelters, and launching a vaccination campaign. A literary prize reserved for middle schools has also been established, with over 6,000 students participating.
The project and administrative issues
But, to counteract abandonment, dedicated structures are needed—supplementing the commendable efforts of some private individuals. This led to the idea of mayors moving forward with the construction of an inter-municipal shelter. The preliminary project has already been prepared by the technical office of the Comune di Desenzano, where the land has been identified and purchased.
The facility will be located inland, near the San Pietro area. The shelter will feature 64 kennels capable of housing about 200 dogs, as well as offices, a veterinary clinic, and a caretaker’s house.
The initiative was discussed at the recent Council meeting following a question from opposition councilor Giancarlo Menegato. He asked what issues have prevented, during two years of administrative term, the start of construction work.
Assessore Giovanni Venieri explained that the problems concern the memorandum of understanding among the four municipalities—an obstacle that seems to have been overcome in these days. In fact, barring any delays, the agreement is expected to be signed by the mayors next week, effectively unlocking the final project drafting, the mortgage agreement, and the start of work.
The inter-municipal shelter for dogs and cats will cost approximately 1.25 billion euros. Once agreements are finalized, projects can proceed swiftly. This is the hope of numerous animal friends living in the four Municipalities, across the lower Garda area, the hinterland, and the Bassa Bresciana region.