Campaign has not even started yet and it is already a success!!
Amsterdam - on October 4th, World Animal Day, the Animal Shelter Amsterdam (Dierenopvangcentrum Amsterdam otherwise known as DOA) will begin their campaign “Help! Ik heb een hondenleven” (Help! I have a dog’s life) at 8 o’clock in the morning. Until October 18th animal lovers can experience live what it is like for a dog to have to live in a shelter. In blocks of 12 hours (08:00 - 20:00 and 20:00 - 08:00) people will be kept in one of the kennels in the shelter. With a webcam on them and through social media and their personal sponsor page on the JustGiving website participants will try to raise as much money as possible for the design and construction of the 15 dog playing fields of the future that are part of DOA.
A stay in the shelter is always difficult for a dog, especially if the animal is there for months, sometimes years. Dogs need mental and physical challenges to release energy and stress. Their main source for this are the playing fields. DOA aims to build the best playing fields in the world, so that the dogs are challenged both mentally and physically. The result of them using their energy is that they then return to their kennels tired and calmly and have more chances of finding a new forever home quicker as people will see them in a calm/submissive state - and that is the main goal! For the design and construction of these fields money is needed; a lot of money. Through this campaign DOA hope to raise a substantial amount of the costs.
In addition DOA is hoping that this campaign will stimulate other shelters in the Netherlands and the rest of the world. They are hoping that this will motivate shelters to also pick up this campaign each World Animal Day and that together people from all over the world will have communal sit in for animal welfare. Already many Dutch celebrities from TV, Radio and stage have signed up to join in the cause. A well-known Dutch DJ will be doing is morning show live from the kennels and will in this way be kicking off the event on October 4th.
The campaign has not yet started, but it can already be called a great success. There are already more than 130 participants and the first sponsors and private donations have already been made. DOA also expects more visitors during this campaign during opening hours from 10:00 to 18:00. Hopefully to give encouragement to the participants.
Help I have a dog’s life also coincides with the annual open day that will be held on Sunday October 7th (10:00 - 16:00). In addition to tours, demonstrations and an amazing book market, people are welcome to go visit our kennel dwellers. Extra encouragement is worth its weight in gold. And who knows you might be persuaded to join them. We still have room for 200 animal friends!