Venice: DINGO is a nonprofit organization that helps stray cats in Venice. It was formed in 1965 by English woman Helena Sanders and an Italian woman, Gina Scarpabolla, who were concerned about the difficult lives of stray animals. At first they cared for both cats and dogs but in time split into 2 organizations with DINGO continuing to care for the city’s homeless cats. Initially they relied solely on the help of private individuals who fed cats and took them into their homes when they were sick but in 1989 the city of Venice built a cat shelter on the island of St Clemente in the Venetian Lagoon. It hosted about 200 cats, mainly those cats that were sick, abandoned or from owners who had died. DINGO took over the care and feeding of these cats. In 1999 the island of St Clemente was sold and after some problem the city donated land for a new shelter in the town of Malamocco on the Lido. DINGO today has some 700 members and cares for some 500 cats. These cat colonies are scattered throughout Venice and its islands. DINGO relies on private vets who work at reduced fees as well as the Public Veterinary Services whose help is unfortunately quite limited. They rely heavily on donations, sell a yearly calendar and have a stall in the market where they sell donated items.
DINGO address: Cannaregio 482/B, 30121 Venezia.
E-mail: dingo@innocente.com
Secretary for DINGO: Signora Gabriella Sanna.  Head of Malamocco Sanctuary: Maria Grazia Macaluso  

Florence: Signora Adele Petrucci of Florence has been helping the animals of Florence for many, many years. She coordinates donations of food and money for the cat colonies at the San Miniato Cemetery and at the Boboli Gardens in Florence. The AISPA (Anglo-Italian Society for the Protection of Animals) helps her with her work. Signora Tea who feeds the Boboli cats has been doing this for many years. Her dedication is amazing.
Website: www.aispa.org.uk

Bagno a Ripoli (Tuscany): The A.M.A. (Amici del Mondo Animale ) Sanctuary in the Tuscan countryside outside of Florence was started in 1986 by a group of people near Florence trying to do something for the stay and homeless cats in their area. They built a shelter on some land donated to them by an animal loving Countess. They not only run the shelter, they also try to help cat colony caretakers in the area get the cats they look after spayed and neutered. In their rural area they are particularly concerned about feral cats being shot by hunters. To counter this they put up signs at several colonies explaining that the cats have been sterilized so they will no longer multiply. By 2003 their old shelter had become very dilapidated. At huge expense they have built a new shelter that can take over 200 cats. Bianca Russo runs the sanctuary with her sisters. Their spokesperson and financial advisor Luciano Bacchia, will be our guide to take us to the shelter. They support themselves through monetary donations and by selling donated items at a charity stall.
Website: http://www.amagatti.it
Address: A.M.A Onlus, Via Lungo il Mugnone 32, 50129 Florence

Arezzo: The ‘Cini’ Cat Sanctuary is a new cat sanctuary built on a lovely hillside outside of the Italian city of Arezzo. It is the inspiration of Dr. Malcolm Holliday, an Anglo-Italian veterinarian who has practiced in Arezzo for many years. It took over 14 years to get the sanctuary built, three pieces of land deals, difficult neighbors and much bureaucratic hemming and hawing. Dr Holliday planned the sanctuary as a nice place people will want to visit to make the experience of adopting a cat a pleasant one. The sanctuary takes in sick and abandoned tame cats that need to be re-homed. Dr Holliday is very knowledgeable about cat issues in Italy. He is one of the two representatives of AISPA, The Anglo-Italian Society for the Protection of Animals an English organization that has done much to help animal groups throughout Italy.
Address: Dr Malcolm Holliday, Via Antonio Nardi 16, 52100 Arezzo

Rome: The Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary started in 1994 when two Italian women, Silvia Viviani and Lia Dequel, started helping a woman feeding about 40 cats in the ruins at Largo Argentina in Rome’s historic center. At first the area where the shelter is located was nothing more than a low damp space under the Via Florida street with no running water or electricity. Because of their dedication and the dedication and generosity of many volunteers, Torre Argentina has grown into an all-purpose shelter that helps spay/neuter and cares for and adopts out street cats from all over Rome. The resident cat population has been as high as 700 during kitten season. Now it is less as more cats are being returned to colonies after being sterilized. A number of dedicated private veterinarians help Torre Argentina with low cost spaying and neutering and medical care. Torre Argentina receives no help from the Commune of Rome, wishing to leave the services that are offered to other groups. AISPA also helps Torre Argentina.  Website: http://www.romancats.com
E-mail: torreargentina@tiscali.net
Postal address: c/o Silvia Viviani, Marco Papio 15, 00175 Rome

Rome:  Piramide Protestant Cemetery Cat Colony: As we have seen in Florence, cats often end up abandoned in cemeteries. For many years Matilda Tally and a group of dedicated volunteers have trapped, fed, vaccinated and sterilized the cats next to the Pyramid of Gaius Cestius and the Protestant Cemetery where the English poets Keats and Shelly are buried. AISPA, the Anglo-Italian animal charity has helped with some of their needs, donating a small storage area/infirmary as well a food and medicine. Matilda gets some help from the Roman Commune whose Public Service Vets are responsible for spaying-and neutering Rome’s gatti randagi.

Other significant animal groups in Italy:
AISPA Angle-Italian Society for the Protection of Animals
Address: 136 Baker St, London W1U 6DU, England.
Website: http://www.aispa.org.uk/

Dr Dorothea Friz (Lega Pro Animale) She started spay-neuter days/weeks with her mobile spay van.
Contact: legaproanimale@tin.it

ENPA (Ente National Protezione Animale) This group was founded in the 19th Century at the time of Italian Unification. It was reconstituted under Mussolini in 1938 and became a private group in 1979. It has branches throughout Italy that vary as to quality.
Website: http://www.enpa.it/it/english.html

Public Health Veterinarians (ASL) Under the no-kill law of 1991, public veterinarians are mandated to spay-neuter to Italy’s stray cats. This works in some locations; not in others. Their services are not enough.