Meeting Place once again celebrates the Animal Day with several initiatives

Animal adoption campaign, collection of donations at the Pantry for MIDAS and CãoViver, and a cartoon contest in the municipality's schools will also take place

MAR Shopping Matosinhos, a pet friendly meeting place where pets are allowed, is preparing to mark the Animal Day, celebrated on October 4. One of the actions will be to raise donations for ÂNIMAS Portugal, an association whose mission is to provide individuals with functional diversity an enabling resource (an assistance dog) that increases their levels of independence and self-esteem. With this support, ÂNIMAS will train and donate an assistance dog to a 12-year-old child suffering from an autism spectrum disorder.

To support this project, MAR Shopping Matosinhos will develop between 4 and 31 October, a campaign in its official Facebook page, in which for each like, the meeting place will donate 1€ (up to a limit of 1500€). This amount will be used for the dog's training.

The assistance dog that this child will receive will "help her overcome minor difficulties, as well as being a factor of inclusion in society, making her more autonomous, more independent and, above all, happier," as explained by Abílio Leite, chairman of the board of ÂNIMAS Portugal.

As usually happens in these situations - ÂNIMAS Portugal donates an average of 10 assistance dogs per year - the family of this child was previously interviewed by a team of health professionals and assistance dog trainers to assess the possible impact of the assistance dog in their daily lives, but also to assess the expectations that existed within the family and whether they were adjusted to the reality of a dog's ability to work.

Once this phase is over and the animal is donated, ÂNIMAS Portugal does not give up on its work. Until the end of the dog's life, there will be a constant accompaniment in order to adjust details and the evolution of the child+dog pair.

To this child, the dog will help her to regulate her daily crises, her sleep cycle, avoid escape behaviors and allow her to face new situations with which she will feel more comfortable for having her companion with her.

"The dogs that ÂNIMAS takes care of are given free of charge and their education lasts for two years. The costs associated with food, veterinary care, training, etc.. are huge so all donations are welcome, since the institution does not enjoy state support.

Adoption campaign and collection of donations

If the supply of animals in kennels and animal welfare institutions already far exceeded the demand, the pandemic and the current crisis have only aggravated the situation. The number of animals looking for a family, the expenses with food and other goods, as well as the debts at veterinary clinics are growing. To help mitigate the situation, the photos of animals from the Animal Shelter of Matosinhos (CROAM) that are up for adoption will be displayed in real size in various spaces of MAR Shopping Matosinhos between 1 and October 31 and will also be disclosed in social networks with their ID's. The goal is that these images contribute to the responsible adoption of these four-legged friends, after families have weighed all the pros and cons and decided consciously.

In the Solidarity Pantry of MAR Shopping Matosinhos, next to the Auchan hypermarket (1st floor), between October 1 and 5, anyone who wishes may leave food, litter, blankets, toys and other donations in care of MIDAS - Movimento Internacional para a Defesa dos Animais and CãoViver.

Cartoon Contest: "The Animals

On October 1st, MAR Shopping Matosinhos launches to the 1,134 children attending the 4th grade (55 classes) of 32 schools in the municipality, under the Local Curriculum of Curricular Enrichment Activities of Matosinhos, more specifically in the Oficina de Artes, a contest of cartoons inspired on the photos of the animals sheltered by CROAM, whose winners will be known in November.

"For MAR Shopping Matosinhos to mark this day is still important. It is our philosophy to want to welcome all families, and today our pets are definitely part of the family," says Sandra Monteiro, general manager of MAR Shopping Matosinhos.