Hedgehogs, goats, dogs, cats, ducks, ferrets, are some of the animals that can be visited to adopt at the La Casa de las Estrellas shelter in Teguise. An innovative shelter run by Liala Miliardi , which was inaugurated three years ago, but it was by chance. "I never thought she would be a protector," revealed the caregiver who has lived in Lanzarote for years.
With its opening, La Casa de las Estrellas aims to offer support to non-domestic animals that are abandoned on the island. "There was not much support to help less domestic animals," Miliardi stressed. The beginning of it was marked by the encounter of the Italian citizen with a goat, who had found it days ago forgotten in Lanzarote. "I decided to set up the shelter when I found a goat that was going to be sacrificed," she revealed.
Now, the shelter has expanded its services and welcomes animals of "all species," its manager has highlighted. With facilities located in the municipality of Teguise and "lost in the middle of the desert," she noted. The House of Stars believes "strongly" in cooperation between everyone to save animals. that they collect every day. The animals that manage to be rescued do so through calls from the Police and Seprona, individuals, city councils, or animals that arrive to them that have been found abandoned on roads, etc. In addition, they have great collaboration with other shelters in Lanzarote, who come to their services when they cannot take care of all the animals.
The model in which they work at the shelter is through an American model without cages, a space in which the animals can feel free during their stay. They do not have an established adoption fee, their philosophy is based on "not being able to set any price for the animals," he stated. "I haven't been able to do it because of my values," she added. The profits to keep the shelter afloat are obtained from donations, events, markets , among other activities. "I understand that other protectors want to do it, but I prefer to continue with that method," she said.
Regarding the employees and volunteers who come to collaborate at the shelter, its manager uses two employment platforms to find workers. "We have presented the project so that they can write to us for the selection process," she revealed. Currently, they have nine volunteers staying in the shelter facilities, who in exchange for accommodation and food contribute hours of work daily. "We don't have much help, we don't have much money to pay staff nor can we rely on full-time volunteers," she highlighted.
The shelter has revealed that they have not recorded the number of animals that live in the shelter. The main reason is the way in which the members of La Casa de las Estrellas value animals. "They are not a number for us," said Miliardi.
They care for and pamper the animals until the arrival of a new adoptive family, for which they carry out an exhaustive adoption process. They chat with him or the future adopters at the facilities, go to his home, and establish a 15-day pre-adoption. "Once that time has passed, we visit the adopter again and see if he is a perfect match for the animal ," she added.
