Ms Westhowe welcomes us in a friendly and open manner for our interview at TierTafel Kiel e. V. She is a volunteer at Tiertafel and has been working there for years. The association’s main concern is to help people and animals in difficult situations. No animal should have to be given away because of financial hardship. Animals that were purchased before the financial bottleneck only receive support in exceptional cases. The following interview with Ms Westhowe is interesting and informative.
Her love for animals as well as her closeness to people are the impetus for her to volunteer at the Tiertafel.
There were several reasons for the creation of Tiertafel: To relieve people with financial or physical disadvantages, not only with food but also with veterinary costs. Donations of money, food and goods are therefore always welcome, as the Tiertafel finances itself through these sources of income. Before the talk, Ms Westhowe told us that she had already accepted several parcels with donations from Kiel Prison this morning: Wooden and handicraft work, which was created in the prison and goes as a donation for sale to the Tiertafel.
During our conversation, she tells us about the daily routine (food and donations) at the Tiertafel. The daily routine is as varied as the clients. They mostly come with their animals, but also without. Some clients also feel the need to talk to each other and have nice conversations.
The Tiertafel has a wide range of services that can be used. For example, every two months the dog groomer or weekly, by appointment, the animal healer.
At the end of our nice conversation, Mrs Westhowe shows us her “HandGemacht” shop (a shop for handmade stuff). This is only a few steps away from the main shop and helps to finance the Tiertafel. Shelves are rented out in which various goods are offered for sale. The sale is done by helpers. The rent of the shelves goes directly to the Tiertafel. There is a variety of different articles: self-made sniffing carpets by Mrs. Westhowe, various greeting cards, bags, blankets, candles etc.. All homemade by supporters and designed with much love.
The TierTafel Kiel launches several campaigns in the course of the year: for example, the Christmas edition with animal gifts. Every customer is allowed to make a wish for an animal at Christmas. These wishes are then hung on Christmas trees in pet supply shops and wait for their wish-fulfillers. During the Christmas distribution, the gifts are then beautifully wrapped and handed over to the owners. In addition, bags with Christmas biscuits are distributed to the two-legged friends. For more information, please visit the website www.tiertafelkiel.de.
