Offenburg, 22nd November 2009

16 animal sanctuaries in Germany and Austria are to become therapy centres for sick and distressed children, with 1500 ‘four-pawed therapists’ helping to ease children’s suffering. The joint project is between SOS-Projects für Mensch und Tier e.V.’s Sonnenhof and Gut Aicherbichl.

Founded in 2002 by Princess Inaara The Begum Aga Khan, The Sonnenhof has pioneered animal-assisted therapies for sick and traumatised children, using dogs that were themselves victims before they were rescued by SOS Projects. Under the leadership of her mother, Renate Thyssen-Henne, President of SOS-Projects, over 1700 dogs have been taken in at the Sonnenhof and nursed back to health.

Michael Aufhauser’s Gut Aicherbichl comprises 16 animal sanctuaries in Germany and Austria offering life-long protection to more than 1500 animals. The centres are visited by more than 200,000 people every year.

The Begum said: “Now we’re working with Michael Aufhauser, many more children will benefit from animal-assisted therapies.”

The new partnership will also enable a more intensive exchange between schools, rehabilitation centres and clinics and the foundation’s sanctuaries. And it points the way to a new humanitarianism, a closer partnership between humans and animals.

Said the Begum: “Together we want to do more to protect animals for the sake of a common humanitarianism. Because humanitarianism also means protecting animals and nature. If we destroy animals and our environment, we destroy ourselves.”