Searching for missing persons under debris or in open terrain: this is what the rescue dog team of the aid organisation FENIX in northern Italy specialises in. In order for the team and its dogs to reach their destination even faster and more safely in the future, a multifunctional transport vehicle was purchased with the help of a donation from Zschimmer & Schwarz. On the initiative of Alessia Brusasca and Leonardo Giorcelli, employees at Zschimmer & Schwarz Italiana and volunteers with the rescue dog team, the chemical company supported the rescue dog team with 51,000 euros. The van, which could be purchased thanks to the donation, can accommodate up to six dogs and seven people.

"The new vehicle has many advantages," explains Alessia Brusasca, co-initiator of the project and volunteer in the rescue dog team. "First of all, our four-legged colleagues arrive at the location without the stress of travelling, as they are transported in an air-conditioned and soundproofed environment with other dogs they already know. In addition, the dogs often have to stay in the vehicles for several hours before or after the search. In this case, the air-conditioned van with the individual dog crates is a great advantage as well, as there are often no shady places to park, so the temperatures would mean further stress for the animals. In addition, the vehicle is equipped with a shower, so the team can cool down on site if it's too hot, for example."

"Our work at the aid organisation is not a job, it is our passion," adds Leonardo Giorcelli, the second initiator of the project and also part of the rescue dog team. "The gift we received from Zschimmer & Schwarz cannot be quantified. The new vehicle offers so many advantages and is immensely helpful to us in our work. We thank the company for the support and the trust placed in us and our work."

On the occasion of the company’s 125-year anniversary in 2019, the shareholders of the Zschimmer & Schwarz Group started a special charitable programme: the 1,400 employees across 16 countries on five continents were asked to present local initiatives that the company could support with a donation.

„Four wheels to save a life“ is currently one of 14 charitable projects across Europe supported by Zschimmer & Schwarz with a total sum of around 200,000 euros. “For more than 125 years, our company has represented a philosophy that always puts people first”, explains Monika Börner, shareholder of the Zschimmer & Schwarz Group. “Therefore, we try to give something valuable back to society and involve ourselves in projects that deliver direct and sustainable effects at our business locations.”