Putignano (Bari). Today’s story is a mix of courage, willpower and infinite love for animals.
We interviewed an animal rights activist who has been dealing with needy animals for many years and does everything to save as many lives as possible.
Flavia, a life in defense of needy animals
Flavia Capobianco she told us her story as a volunteer and animal protector. She has been involved in rescuing strays for a lifetime and is always dedicated to defending the weakest.
It all started when as a child Flavia and her grandmother fed the neighborhood strays who at the time were locked up in a slaughterhouse. Together they have rescued and raised many animals, fighting against the slaughter of some of them.
From there was born all Flavia’s love for animals of all kinds, which continued to thrive even after the death of her grandmother.
The creation of a refuge and association Street Dog
To carry out her animal rescue and recovery activities in the best possible way, Flavia subsequently created a refuge on family land managed by his Association Street Dog.
Waiting to find them a new family, Flavia now takes care of 13 dogs that she transports every day from the shelter to take them to sleep in the house where she lives in the historic center of Putignano: being problematic, epileptic, disabled specimens, they need additional care.
“I feel invisible”
Flavia did not deny her frustration with the municipality of Putignano and the Forestry to which she asked to solve the problem of hunting in the area where the dogs are housed:
«I feel invisible, despite the incessant work of rescuing and rescuing animals that I do».
Of course, everything Flavia does is admirable. She hopes to receive help from the administrations and does not deny that being able to move to a country house where being able to give a better and more suitable life to her much loved dogs would be a dream come true.
The story of Cyrus
«Ciro is one of the many recoveries made 3 years ago. Reported by a little boy, I found the puppy that barked insistently, had mange and was hairless».
Flavia retrieves it and, at first, the animal is aggressive. When she takes him to the shelter, Ciro begins therapy and, after curing him, he too becomes part of the big family Street Dog.
The four-legged, despite the passing of the years, «has remained with a shy temperament. Slowly, however, in the clinic he lets himself be pampered. Furthermore, she made friends with the herd » specifies Flavia.
What happened to Cyrus?
Recently, Ciro’s life changed forever. Here’s what happened to the white-coated puppy:
«Sunday 29 January, while I was with the dogs, suddenly I hear rifle shots (which is the order of the day here, hunting days are not respected) and the dogs bark a lot. At one point Ciro, frightened, jumps the fence and disappears into thin air».
Immediately, Flavia leaves the house, calls him but there is no trace of the animal. A few hours later, the four-legged comes back, but something is wrong.
«Ciro had his paw skinned, it was a very bad scene, he didn’t want to get caught, he was in pain and limped. In the end I loaded him into the car and took him to the Bari clinic, 50 km away from me».
The vets tell her that unfortunately Ciro’s leg will have to be amputated, which has a clean cut that severed the muscles, to prevent him from going into septicemia. The operation is quite demanding since, being a highly vascularized area, there may be a risk of thrombosis.
Ciro urgently needs help
In one of the many posts published on the association’s Facebook page Street DogFlavia explains the terrible day of the shots in which Ciro fled in terror, the serious damage to his paw and the urgency of the situation:
«Before proceeding with the amputation, the kidney values must be brought back to an acceptable level in order to be able to undertake the operation. At the moment Ciro is admitted to the clinic Pingry from Bari.
«Ciro is a living being like the others and he too deserves to live. I’ll do my best, I really hope someone can help me help Ciro too. Please share, thank you.”
The post is followed by an update in which Flavia communicates that the amputation surgery is feasible, given the positive results of the analyzes carried out on the animal:
«There are no alternatives, we have to operate! And here I ask and beg your help, the intervention is around 1500 euros. Some help is on the way and what you are doing to help Ciro is truly a great gift», concludes Flavia.
To help finance the urgent surgery Ciro needs, you can contact Flavia:
Come on Ciro, we are all with you ❤️
Read also: Heartbreaking note accompanies the abandoned puppy: the shelter tries to fix it