Looking after the wellbeing of animals, the shopping centres AKROPOLE Rīga and AKROPOLE Alfa, in cooperation with the animal shelter Labās mājas, are launching a charity campaign in support of the shelter’s residents, which will take place in the premises of the shopping centres until 19 May. Visitors are invited to donate pet food and supplies or provide financial support – all donations will go towards the care of approximately 100 dogs and cats at Labās mājas.
“Seeing as pets are man’s best friends and accompany their owners to various public places more often, at the end of March we announced the opportunity to visit AKROPOLE shopping centres with dogs and cats. In order to generate support for animals – especially those without a home and a loving owner, we will run a month-long charity campaign to aid the animal shelter Labās mājas, which voluntarily cares for abandoned pets on a daily basis. I hope that by the end of the campaign, we will not only have collected goods and food but also that some of the shelter’s residents will have found new homes – together we can do a lot of good!” says Aija Urbāne-Orbāne, Marketing Manager of shopping centres AKROPOLE Rīga and AKROPOLE Alfa.
“We invite people to join the campaign and donate so that the shelter’s dogs and cats receive regular, high-quality care and accommodation in the shelter. Animals end up in shelters, unfortunately, as a consequence of people being irresponsible, so we must right this wrong and help provide them with the best possible temporary home. At the same time, I hope that the charity campaign will prompt someone to visit our shelter and find out more about opportunities to volunteer. The donations collected as part of the campaign will be used for the shelter’s daily maintenance and veterinary medical procedures for animals that have suffered health problems,” says Astrīda Kārkliņa, Manager of the animal shelter Labās mājas.
In the donation boxes in AKROPOLE Rīga and AKROPOLE Alfa, visitors are invited to donate dog and cat food (quality dry and canned food, dried treats), cement sand for litter boxes, cat beds and scratchers, canvas dog leads (at least 5 metres long), as well as clean textiles such as blankets, towels and sheets. Donation boxes are located opposite the information centre in AKROPOLE Alfa and near entrance D in AKROPOLE Rīga. Visitors are also invited to visit the photo exhibition, which will be located next to the donation boxes, featuring residents of Labās mājas, and meet some of the dogs and cats living in the shelter.
The animal shelter Labās mājas (Mežapurva iela 2) is the best-equipped shelter in Latvia and the only one operating in a publicly financed building. The building is tailored to the needs of the animals, and all residents are accommodated in warm and cosy indoor spaces. Currently, the shelter has approximately 60 dogs and 40 cats, which puts a considerable strain on financial resources – for example, the cost of a day’s canned food for cats is € 25, while the price of a new pet’s admission into our care is almost € 35. Donations are also needed to run the shelter and cover the utility bills. From its first day of operation, Labās mājas has operated solely on the basis of public trust and donations.
