My name is Elisabetta, and I live in Vienna with my dog Tito.
Tito is a therapy dog certified by the ESAAT-accredited training school "Tiere als Therapie" and by the Messerli Research Institute, which operates within the veterinary medicine university in Vienna.
Despite our certifications and qualifications, despite our work with children in a pediatric clinic, we are still discriminated against because of Tito's breed.
Tito is a pit-type dog, and the law now requires us to prove ourselves again claiming that it does not matter whether we have passed all the tests and exams at the training school with flying colors, it is not enough to be approved by the Messerli Institute, Tito and I have to pass another exam to make sure he is not dangerous. How can a certified therapy dog be dangerous?!
No other pet therapy team is required to do so!
I have invested so much time and money in our training and education. Just like the other teams. Tito and I can take the test blindfolded and we will do so! But I cannot allow this injustice without taking action!
Who knows, today they're asking us to do an extra exam because they still deem Tito's breed dangerous, maybe tomorrow they will prohibit some dog breeds from becoming certified therapy dogs. This approach is scientifically untenable.
My goal is to raise money for a Referendum to change this discriminatory law.
In order to do so, there are costs that I cannot bear on my own.
Every donation will help me pay to submit and register the Referendum, face any legal assistance I might need and print the info material (flyers etc...) to ask the citizens to sign the Referendum and reach the 100.000 necessary signatures.
Any remaining amount of money will be donated to charity.
Thank you all for supporting us
Lizzie & Tito


