Volunteer work and animal healthcare donations for homeless people and their pets in Brazil

One cold, wet August morning in wintry São Paulo, Cintia Rizzo, a tall woman with bright eyes, steps out onto the forecourt of the Theatro Municipal in the historic city center. Where there would otherwise be a yawning emptiness, today it is teeming with dogs. Their owners crowd into the entrances of the surrounding stores, which remain closed today. Some are wrapped in a blanket; some are lying defenseless on the street. These are the city's inhabitants – “an estimated 50,000 homeless people, many of whom share their lives with animals,” says Cintia – who populate the highway bridges, doorways, sidewalks, and every niche in this densely populated Brazilian metropolis because they have no home.
Today, with Cintia's arrival, a breath of anticipation seems to fill the air of this city, which is a monstrous contrast between towering skyscrapers, wealth, and its street canyons with sprawling poverty. It is the last Sunday of the month. The usual day when Cintia and other volunteers from the NGO Moradores de Rua e Seus Cães provide much-needed support to the homeless and their pets. 

Corporate social responsibility efforts: How we help homeless people and their animals with healthcare donations

Today, under the two large canopies with the Boehringer Ingelheim logo, dogs and cats are being supplied with our donations, vaccinations, and other veterinary medicines. Cintia immediately gets to work, pulling out dog blankets from boxes, a warm smile on her lips for everyone around her. “For the people who call these streets their home, their dogs are their world,” she says as she strokes a fluffy dog without any fear of contact, who is about to be given a dog coat for the winter. “But caring for these faithful companions – especially medically – can be a seemingly insurmountable challenge. It breaks my heart; I immediately have my own dog Lola in mind.”

Partnering with an NGO to support with vaccinations and veterinary medicine

At a volunteering day of our company last year, Cintia got to know the NGO Moradores de Rua e Seus Cães. During the working week, she is a communications expert in our Corporate Affairs department at Boehringer Ingelheim in Brazil. “That day, I saw what the NGO does for the people and their animals here – they provide them with food, clothing, and animal supplies. I saw how we can help with vaccinations and veterinary medicine. At that moment, I knew that we should remain active here as a long-term partner,” says Cintia, describing her first impressions. “And that I personally would also like to continue supporting here on the ground.”

At the end of the day, with an exhausted yet happy smile, Cintia sums up: “If I can support people and animals together with our company by giving them access to medical care, vaccines or even just a better day, the impact we achieve is truly enormous.”

Life forward

What Cintia never seems to lose, despite all the personal fates she encounters here, is her unwavering optimism that she can make a difference. “I believe that every little action counts,” she says. “If we really want to help change life for the better for animals and people, then we can contribute to a more genuine world – for this and future generations.”