Social aid for animals of owners affected by poverty

A special commitment is the SUST social work for animals: Many people affected by poverty have an animal by their side as their only partner but can hardly afford the upkeep or even veterinary care for their four-legged friend. This is a Swiss problem that hardly anyone talks about: untreated diseases, lack of parasite treatments and also unwanted offspring (due to lack of finances for neutering) are the sad consequences and affect the lives of both animal and pet owner. Many health problems could be solved in their early stages if these people had a contact person for their animals' problems; however, they and their animals often do not get access to veterinary practices because they lack the financial means, or the people are unwelcoming as addicts. The result of this is: the animals suffer in silence for months or years until they eventually often must be put down.

The “Susy Utzinger Stiftung für Tierschutz” cooperates with streetworkers, food banks, social welfare offices and integration projects throughout Switzerland and supports these animal owners on various levels:

Veterinary care: SUST veterinarians are regularly at various locations throughout Switzerland. During these missions, first aid is provided, and animals are treated, vaccinated, dewormed and other treatments and minor procedures are performed.
Feed deliveries: SUST delivers animal food to its partners for free distribution to animal owners affected by poverty.
Neutering: SUST covers the costs of dog and cat neutering at its partner veterinarians.
Material donations: SUST supplies animal utensils to its partners in Switzerland so that this material can be given free of charge to animal owners affected by poverty.
Education and prevention: With its well-founded expertise, the SUST (or the SUST veterinary team on consultation hours) educates animal owners about topics relevant to animal welfare by means of brochures or in personal conversations and thus helps to avoid dangerous situations for the animals.

Currently, SUST supports the following institutions:

As part of SUST's social work for animals, animal owners affected by poverty can obtain food free of charge from foodbanks throughout Switzerland. These foodbanks are supplied by SUST.