Ten-year anniversary

Animal commitment for

Tanja Wehsely, Markus Hollendohner, Jürgen Czernohorszky, Michael Häupl, Sabine Rauscher, Marius Baumeister and a volunteer at the ceremony in Vienna City Hall. (from left to right)(Bild: Studiokoekart)

Whether illness, debt or emotional crises - pet owners often find themselves in over their heads and can no longer take sufficient care of their four-legged friends: Volkshilfe Wien's unique "A G`spia fürs Tier" project has been helping these people for ten years.

Fate often strikes mercilessly and unexpectedly. As in the case of Monika A. from Vienna, who was bedridden for 14 days due to her coronavirus illness. Two Volkshilfe volunteers took care of her two dogs "Xena" and "Ritchie" - and relieved Ms. A. of a major worry. 

"Animals are an important part of many people's lives. But sometimes there are situations that are very challenging for pet owners," explains Tanja Wehsely, Managing Director of Volkshilfe Wien. The "A G'spia fürs Tier" initiative was founded ten years ago with the aim of helping Viennese pet owners in emergency situations.

Animal welfare project with broad support
But without strong partners, such a unique project would be impossible to get off the ground. "Thanks to the support of the City of Vienna, the Vienna Social Fund, the 'Friends of the Krone Animal Corner' association and Purina, we can help pet owners in emergency situations," says Wehsely.

The "Krone" supports this project because it is important that people and animals can stay together even in a crisis!

Maggie Entenfellner, „Krone“-Tierecke

 According to the motto "Helping makes you strong"
Seven employees and over 70 volunteers are working to ensure that acute help can be provided. This ranges from walking to temporary care places if the pet owner has a longer stay in rehab or hospital.

A G'spia for the animal

• Offers acute help with the care of your pet (temporary care place, assistance with walking, contact point for "animal" worries)
• Can be contacted on 0676/8784-4515 or [e-mail]
• You can support the project by donating time as a volunteer or donating money
• More information at: www.volkshilfe-wien.at/a-gspia-furs-tier

Animals are psychological support
Animal welfare councillor Jürgen Czernohorszky has been a supporter from the very beginning and emphasizes: "The social aspect of this project is extremely important to us: especially in times of crisis, people and animals should stay together, animals can be an enormous support in difficult phases of life"

Together for people and animals
At the ceremony in Vienna City Hall, former Mayor Michael Häupl was also full of praise and pointed out the importance of partners from the business world, as Nestlé PURINA has been for around a year.

"For us, it is an important concern and a great pleasure to support "A G'spia fürs Tier" and thus people with pets in difficult situations. Dogs, cats and pets in general simply make our lives better! They give us strength and joy and deserve love and care. Together we are committed to strengthening the human-animal bond," says Marius Baumeister, Head of Purina in Austria.