Poolpelaajat hyväntekijöinä

Tuhkimotarina Albanian kulkukoirien uudesta elämästä

Albanian Tiranassa elokuussa pidetyissä poolkilpailuissa useat pelaajat ja toimitsijat ottivat osaa paikallisten kulkukoirien auttamiseen. Erityisesti EPBF:n Sports Director, kroatialainen Anamaria Matesic otti asiakseen auttaa pelipaikan ulkopuolella parkkipaikalla majailleita sairaita ja nälkiintyneitä koiria. Lopulta tarina lähti vyörymään kilpailuun osallistuneiden pelaajien ja toimitsijoiden avulla hienosti eteenpäin. Sairaat koirat ovat nyt saaneet hyvää hoitoa ja parempaa elämänlaatua koirahoitolassa uudessa kotimaassaan Serbiassa.

Hienoa osallistumista, eläinrakkautta ja yhteisöllisyyttä poolväeltä!

EPBF tiedote 15.9.2016:

The story about the "parking lot dogs" in Tirana

During the recent events in Tirana, Albania, a remarkable story away from billiards with an amazing outcome could have been witnessed. The story of the „parking lot dogs“ shall be told here…

When the staff and the players arrived, a bunch of stray dogs could be seen on the parking lot of the Tirana Expo Center. They were all more or less in a pitiful condition. They looked thin and sick and apathetic. Many of those dogs could be witnessed all over Tirana but these dogs were somehow special. Many players and staff members lost their hearts to these helpless dogs.

Several people felt sorry for these creatures. Some players and officials bought food cans and fed the dogs. They also gave them plates with water since the weather was baking hot all the time in summer. It was probably the first attention in a long time that the dogs have received. First and foremost, the EPBF Sports Director Anamaria Matesic took it upon herself and said that these dogs need coordinated help.

She got veterinarians in and got the dogs all examined and then vaccinated. They were medicated, blood tested and several serious diseases were found. Fortunately, those most of these diseases were still curable but time was running out. If they would have stayed there much longer, they would have died from these diseases.

Of course, such treatment and care costs a lot of money. So several individuals were chipping in to a big pot and helped the dogs with their donation. They shall be named here:

Thomas Radakovits and his girlfriend Claudia (AUT)

Christian Goetemann (GER)

Cristina Moscetti (ITA)

Massimo Michele (ITA)

Ann-Sofie Juhlin (SWE)

Riza Kesen (TUR)

Mikko Jäntti (FIN)

Daniel Alvarez (GER)

Marina Leenders (NED)

Huub Van Der Sommen (NED)

David Morris (GBR)

Katarzyna Wesolowska (POL)

Thomas Overbeck (GER)

Anamaria Matesic (CRO)

Money raised by players, board members and officials:

Micro-chipping and 1st vaccine (140€ - 35€ per dog)

2nd vaccine (40€ - 10€ per dog)

Food and care for them till they left Albania (90€)

Transport to a shelter house in Serbia 300€

Temporary home/food up to 15.11.2016 - 440€ 110€ per dog

The EPBF Board also decided to help and covered quarantine and treatment for 14 days 400€ (total was 660€ and the rest was covered already by vet hospital and some bits from Anamaria).

In the meantime, the dogs got better and the plan was to find a new home for them. They were quarantined and prepared for shipping.

They are now in Serbia in a beautiful pet’s home where they get breakfast and dinner every day and they are taken care of. They also have a huge playing yard outside and they recover beautifully. Only the white one still is one big worry.

The Austrian team is working to find homes for all dogs. They already have 2 friends who are interested in adopting two of them. One will probably stay with Anamaria and the remaining one might go to a dentist in Croatia if she makes it through her rough days with the disease.

Whatever comes out of this endeavour, this Cinderella story is unique so far in the history of European Championships and shows how much can be achieved if a few people roll up their sleeves and do things instead of only watch. What a beautiful outcome for the „parking lot dogs“ who have left their parking lot now forever for a better life…

Thank you, Anamaria!