As a result of the serious fires in Galicia that have scorched a large part of its forests and surrounding areas, many animal shelters have had to be evacuated.
Christian Oliva-Vélez, creator of the blog dogfriendlytraveler.com, has launched an initiative with his dog Eros to raise €4,000 to donate to the Os Biosbardos Animal Shelter, which currently has 350 rescued animals in Galicia, mostly dogs and cats. In this new project, he has brought together different companies from various sectors that offer unique experience services in exchange for a 100% solidarity donation.
Christian is Argentinian and Spanish and has lived in Spain for 27 years. His solidarity dates back to his childhood when, at 7 years old, he created an animal shelter and performed several community services. Through his blog, he fights against animal abandonment. #NoToAbandonment is his hashtag.
One way to participate in this campaign is through his Instagram @dog_friendly_traveler. Every day, he will upload a photo with a different experience. To enjoy it, you must be the first to leave a comment with the phrase “I donate with @dog_friendly_traveler to @protectorabiosbardos #NoToAbandonment #NeverAgain”. Afterwards, and within an hour, you must make the payment for the chosen experience via PayPal or bank transfer to the Shelter.
Once the shelter has received the payment, Christian will send you a private message via Instagram with all the details of the chosen experience. And enjoy it! All experiences will be repeated until the €4,000 for the shelter is raised. Additionally, Taschen will give a book to everyone who makes a donation.
In this project, you can enjoy different experiences in dream hotels in Guadalajara, Alicante, or Menorca, dinners in the new trendy restaurants in Madrid, treatment with a plastic surgeon, oriental massages, works of art and literature by renowned authors, interior design advice, or a piece by a renowned interior designer. In total, 18 companies are participating in this solidarity effort:
- Art: Dani Wilde, Felipao, Lulu Figueroa Domecq, Rebeca Khamlichi, and Taschen
- Gastronomy: Dehesa El Milagro, El Canadiense and Raro-Rare
- Hotels: Almirante and San Joan de Binissaida
- Interior Design: Belén Pérez Martín Interiorismo, Gancedo and Serge Castella
- Literature: Mónica Rodríguez
- Pets: Tqel
- Health and Beauty: Nazir Diuana M.D, Hotel Spa Niwa and The Organic Spa
Together, we can create a better world and find homes for all the defenseless animals who have been left homeless by these terrible fires in Galicia.