VAFO FAMILY
- Christmas Gift
Of Goodness
Where did your gift
end up this year?
This Christmas, our Gifts of Goodness went to cats in shelters
This year, we decided to focus on cat shelters, so that every cat can stay warm and safe through the winter. Colleagues from several VAFO countries joined in, each adding a little kindness where it was needed most.
VAFO branches across Europe
Across Europe, our VAFO branches embraced the mission in their own unique ways. Some helped renovate and improve shelter spaces, others brought warmth through cuddles and care, and many supported shelters with food. Together, we helped create places where cats feel safe and where people feel hope instead of heaviness
Poland
- Carry Pet Food team – Schronisko Słupsk
- AZAN team – Koteria Warszava
Austria
- PetCo team – TierQuarTier Wien
Germany
- VAFO.de team – Tierheim Arche Noah in Brinkum near Bremen
Sweden
- VAFO Sverige team – Katthjälpen, Malmö
Czech Republic
- VAFO CZ – Klecany
A European study by Four Paws found that more than 1.2 million cats end up in shelters across the EU every year. In the Czech Republic, an estimated 10–15 thousand cats enter shelters annually. Across Europe, between 2 and 3 million cats are currently living in shelters and over 1.2 million more arrive each year.
Research shows that a cat’s condition is strongly linked to the quality of its shelter environment, meaning poor conditions significantly increase the risk of poorer health and wellbeing.
Another study found that spending time with a cat lowers heart rate and blood pressure, and this effect was even stronger among cat owners.
Research also shows that interacting with a cat reduces emotional arousal and increases parasympathetic activity in humans, meaning the body and mind shift into a calmer state.
