Castiglione del Lago (PG): 'La casa degli animali LAV' presented

Today in Castiglione del Lago (Perugia) we launched the ‘La casa degli animali LAV’  a place where animals rescued by the association can live peacefully and free from abuse.

The more than 80 hectares near Lake Trasimeno, in Umbria, purchased thanks to the supporters of our association, will become a safe place where victims of animal abuse and exploitation will be housed.

The presentation event was held at Palazzo della Corgna, headquarters of Castiglione del Lago Municipality, and was attended by Mayor Matteo Burico and Deputy Mayor Andrea Sacco, the Town Planning Councillor, Avv. Boscherini, the Perugia Forestry Carabinieri, and USL Umbria1 executives.

Gianluca Felicetti, LAV President, and Roberto Bennati, LAV General Director, illustrated the project that will see the first animals arrive in a few weeks.

The implementation will take place gradually and with the help of expert agronomists, consultants, ethologists, and veterinarians, and will comply with current regulations in terms of biosecurity and public safety.

 'La casa degli animali LAV’, a unique space within the region, Italy and the world, will promote environmental awareness and support local economies through informed tourism.

The new Refuge will be a place for programmes of excellence in educating the younger generations to overcome animal captivity, with full respect for animals - no longer numbers but individuals each with their name - and will offer educational tools to broaden awareness on animal abuse and to activate ethological and ethical projects in the application of Article 9 of the Italian Constitution, also with public administrations and police forces.

A FUTURE AWAY FROM PAIN
The first animals will be welcomed in 'La casa degli animali LAV ’ next December: 130 sheep, goats, and cattle, already entrusted to LAV and coming from different dramatic situations of exploitation and illegality. We want a better future for these animals, who already suffered too much so we decided to build a new House, where every animal sheltered can spend the rest of their days away from pain. We also plan to develop an area of about eight hectares that will shelter exotic animals.

In the past few years, we at LAV have already taken care of almost 800 animals, also at the request of the Magistracy, adopting an operational model of solutions spread throughout the country. It is necessary to do even more and to expand the capacity to take in animals beyond what is already available to the Association. This project will serve as an example of finally developing a policy for the reception of seized animals and thus allow the development of places capable of following up on the seizure and confiscation orders made by the judiciary throughout the country.

The project envisages the transformation of the land into permanent pastures, with agronomic techniques based on regenerative agriculture, conservation of the habitats of the Natura 2000 network. and protection of the wildlife, with the consequent development of biodiversity, making this place a place where nature has been re-established.

* We would like to thank the municipal administration of Castiglione del Lago, the Mayor Matteo Burico, the councillors and the staff of the technical offices for their valuable work in the authorisation process, the Region of Umbria, the Carabinieri Forestali and, above all, the citizens of Umbria for the warm welcome and the moment of exchange today, in anticipation of the spring of 2025,  when the official opening of the refuge will take place, an opportunity to get to know the animals housed and their stories up close.