Ricky Gervais's Tweet Saved Hundreds Of Starving Dogs
While some of the rich and famous use Twitter to promote their latest fashion accessories, comedian and animal lover Ricky Gervais frequently lends his celebrity to help animals in need.
This time, it was hundreds of shelter dogs desperately lacking food and medical care.
The situation was bad.
When an influx of 680 dogs arrived at a public shelter in Odai, Romania, the workers knew these dogs didn't have anywhere else to turn. Despite not having enough food, bedding or even bowls for water, the shelter took them in.
They needed help and fast, so London-based partner rescue, K-9 Angels created a fundraising page with an urgent plea for donations "to ease the emergency situation at the shelter."
Over the course of several days, the group had raised only about £4,000 for the Romanian shelter.
K-9 AngelsThe money was enough to make sure the dogs had enough food for about two months, but it didn't come anywhere near what the shelter needed to pay for basic supplies, vaccinations and labor costs. In fact, it was about £26,000 short.That's where Ricky stepped in.ShutterstockOn September 21, Gervais sent out the following tweet:"We have so far raised £18,909. Before Ricky retweeted we had only raised £4,000 so it just goes to show the power that animal loving celebs have. We are very grateful," K-9 Angels founder Victoria Eisermann told The Dodo in an e-mail.
K-9 Angels"We have now spent over £6,000 on aid including food, beds as they where all sleeping on cold wet stone floors, bowls as where eating from the floor and sanitizer to clean the shelter," said Eisermann. "We have also set up a regular food order and [are] looking into funding a worker at the shelter as they are very short staffed."K-9 AngelsThe group showed their gratitude with a post in which they called the comedian "an angel" for sharing their fundraiser page.Eisermann added that the group even honored Gervais by naming one of the young puppies – who happens to be female - "Ricky."And the dogs, now starting to recover, are that much closer to getting the care they need before they can find their new homes.
K-9 AngelsK-9 AngelsK-9 AngelsThese dogs aren't in the clear yet. Gervais's tweet helped out these dogs in a big way, but they still need more funds to provide supplies and proper medical care.Visit K-9 Angel's fundraising page to donate to this shelter.K-9 Angels works with shelters all around the world to match rescue dogs with caring forever homes. Click here to learn more about what they do.
Over the course of several days, the group had raised only about £4,000 for the Romanian shelter.
The money was enough to make sure the dogs had enough food for about two months, but it didn't come anywhere near what the shelter needed to pay for basic supplies, vaccinations and labor costs. In fact, it was about £26,000 short.
That's where Ricky stepped in.
On September 21, Gervais sent out the following tweet:
"We have so far raised £18,909. Before Ricky retweeted we had only raised £4,000 so it just goes to show the power that animal loving celebs have. We are very grateful," K-9 Angels founder Victoria Eisermann told The Dodo in an e-mail.
"We have now spent over £6,000 on aid including food, beds as they where all sleeping on cold wet stone floors, bowls as where eating from the floor and sanitizer to clean the shelter," said Eisermann. "We have also set up a regular food order and [are] looking into funding a worker at the shelter as they are very short staffed."
The group showed their gratitude with a post in which they called the comedian "an angel" for sharing their fundraiser page.
Eisermann added that the group even honored Gervais by naming one of the young puppies – who happens to be female - "Ricky."
And the dogs, now starting to recover, are that much closer to getting the care they need before they can find their new homes.
These dogs aren't in the clear yet. Gervais's tweet helped out these dogs in a big way, but they still need more funds to provide supplies and proper medical care.