Animal Christmas

Whether dog, cat or mouse: animals have a right to Christmas. This is the idea of the film producer couple Noëlle and Tobias Fueter-Stahel, who founded the dog charity City-dogs4Streetdogs with their mutual friend Anja Mecklenburgh over five years ago. Together with many prominent friends - among them, for example, SRF presenter Nik Hartmann - they establish a day during the Christmas season that focuses on animals. It is called Animal Christmas and takes place - sensibly enough - in the veggie restaurant Tibits.

The animal Christmas was initiated by Noëlle and Tobias Fueter-Stahel, who, together with their mutual friend Anja Mecklenburgh, founded and sustainably built up the dog relief organization Citydogs4Streetdogs five years ago. The focus of this non-profit organization is the street dogs of the Romanian capital Bucharest. "After working in the financial industry for 15 years, I decided to put my love for dogs into action and actively work for the rescue and resocialization of Romanian street dogs," explains former financial advisor and professional dog trainer Noëlle Fueter-Stahel.

This commitment is urgently needed: About 50,000 street dogs live on the streets of Bucharest. They suffer from hunger and the desolate living conditions. In an attempt to get the dogs' proliferation under control, the Bucharest city administration has the dogs captured and euthanized if a home cannot be found for them within a few days. "We are fighting against this misery," says film director Tobias Fueter, who supports his wife at Citydogs4Streetdogs.

Hundreds of dogs have now been taken in by the Citydogs4Streetdogs association in its own shelter near Bucharest. The dogs are rehabilitated, socialized and a safe home is found for them. Citydogs4Streetdogs has already placed over 150 dogs in Switzerland.

Animal Christmas at the veggie restaurant Tibits

To generate attention for the suffering of animals also in Switzerland, the association Citydogs4Streetdogs has initiated Animal Christmas. "Anyone who loves animals should do something good for them on November 24. This can be small gifts, such as a new collar, the favorite food or a special outing. But it can also mean eating vegetarian for once and not wearing fur or leather," explains Noëlle Fueter-Stahel.

And celebrate Animal Christmas. Within the framework of Animal Christmas, the association, which works on a voluntary basis and without any overhead costs, also collects money for its street dog project. Also this year, for the first time, the Animal Christmas Awards will be presented for exceptional achievements in the interest of animals. One of them, the Friendship Award, determines which other shelter will have 10 percent of the proceeds from Animal Christmas donated to it. Anyone can participate, nominate and be nominated on Animalchristmas.ch.

In addition to the vegetarian restaurant Tibits, which is making its premises available, the supporters include numerous Swiss celebrities, such as SRF presenter Nik Hartmann, who will host the charity, musician Chris von Rohr, ex-Miss Switzerland and actress Melanie Winiger, as well as many other personalities from fashion, film, TV, finance & society. (hae/pd)