Animals say thank you 2024

Joining forces to create rays of hope

At the "Krone" cat shelter, abandoned felines are cared for 365 days a year.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Reinhard Holl, stock.adobe.com)

The "Krone" animal corner has been working to alleviate suffering for 60 years! By helping animals, we also make people happy - and thus create rays of hope in their lives. Here we share with you, dear reader, moments of happiness 2024 from two- and four-legged friends.

In addition to helping associations and pet owners in need, the Animal Corner 2024 was also able to turn the fates of stray and lost pets around. "When I look back on a challenging year, numerous images flash through my mind - many of them bring tears to my eyes, but one or two memories also put a smile on the faces of me and my team," says Head of Animal Corner Maggie Entenfellner.

Zwei Vorzeigeprojekte in der Steiermark

Störche und Co. sagen Danke an ihre Retter

We at the "Krone" can still remember Monika Großmann's beginnings: in addition to her day job, the empathetic woman from Graz spent years privately pampering wild animals in need. With a great deal of dedication, passion, sacrifice and sleepless nights in her small apartment. The association was then founded in 2005 and today, many ups, downs and years later, the new location in Graz is a flagship project. What is achieved there is enormous!

Many thousands of songbirds, squirrels, hedgehogs, fox and roe deer babies owe their lives to Großmann and her team. There was also great cause for celebration this year with a very special lifesaver: an injured baby corncrake, a mystical, rare bird that hardly anyone ever sees, was nursed back to health by the specialists!

When swallows fell from the sky
And there was a huge challenge: after the first sudden cold snap in September, which also caught tens of thousands of swallows by surprise, killing or weakening them, hundreds of them came to the association. "Our people were out day and night to rescue them," says Monika Großmann. "Many were lying half-starved on the ground; they catch their food in flight and couldn't find anything in the cold, which also paralyzed them completely. Unfortunately, there was no rescue for many of them - but it was so nice to be able to let those that we had brought through fly free."

The "stork father"
Relocation to Tillmitsch: Helmut Rosenthaler, long known as "the stork father", has been looking after his protégés there for more than 30 years! Many injured in accidents, hit by cars. Even shot! Or starved because suitable meadows and therefore food for them are often no longer available. The 81-year-old rehabilitates them, sets up nests and raises awareness.

But unlike the migratory birds that head south before the cold season, there is no winter break for him: 18 storks spend the winter with him. Those unable to fly or those like "Gretel": the stork lady originally comes from Kumberg, where she lost her partner. She later found a new bird love.

So many animals owe their lives to the "stork father": Helmut Rosenthaler with some of his protégés at his Tillmitsch station.

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian/Christian Jauschowetz)

Rosenthaler: "'Gretel' has a disability and walks with a severe limp. That's probably why she couldn't make the long journey in winter." She probably found out through the "Storchenpost" that she is surviving in Tillmitsch - now she is staying there...

Both associations were supported this year by the "Krone" animal corner. Please use the keywords "stork" or "wild animals in need" for your donations.

The tireless fight against animal suffering costs energy and money. Animal-loving donors and strong partners such as the pet shop chain Fressnapf give us hope that we can continue to help.

Maggie Entenfellner, „Krone“-Tierecke-Ressortleiterin

Bild: Katharina Lattermann

Shortly before Christmas, Fressnapf Austria Managing Director Hermann Aigner presented Maggie Entenfellner with a generous donation to support the "Krone" animal corner.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Reinhard Holl)

Noch mehr Glücksmomente

Weihnachten Zuhause

It was said: "The dog is unpredictable and cannot be placed." Our "Krone" animal corner adopted him anyway. "Tyson" is a so-called list dog. He waited a long time for his human to come along: "It was a gift that this wonderful dog came into my life. I now call him 'Carlos', which translates as 'the free man'!"

"Carlos" (formerly "Tyson") with his wife.

(Bild: zVg.)

Direkte Hilfe für Hochwasser-Opfer

Many people lost their belongings in the floods in September. Animal shelters and sanctuaries were also flooded. One of many: Andrea Merz's "Tierlebenshof Ferdinand The Staff" (picture). Following an article in the "Krone" newspaper, many people opened their hearts and donated so that those affected could be helped quickly.

Andrea Merz at the animal life farm "Fredinand The Staff" in Alland.

(Bild: zVg.)

„Promi“-Quartett im Glück

Volker Grohskopf was a popular ORF director and also a committed animal lover. When he died unexpectedly this year, he left behind four Maine Coons. Miraculously, they found a place to live together with a cat lover with a heart in Upper Austria

Volker Grohskopf's beloved animals were allowed to stay together.

(Bild: zVg./KroneKREATIV)

„Krone“-Leser retten Verein mit Therapiepferden

"We would like to thank you very much for your valuable support! So many people thought of our little association after the 'Krone' article. One company is even helping us to get the therapy animals through the winter months," says Stephanie Distl from Reittreff Tullnerfeld.

Stephanie Distl is grateful for the great willingness to help.

(Bild: Jöchl Martin)

Times of crisis take their toll - the longer they last, the more so. The value of cohesion and commitment in society is also demonstrated on a daily basis in the work of our animal corner editorial team. Numerous readers have once again supported our "Friends of the Animal Corner" association with their donations this year. And every cent went to animal welfare in 2024 too. Animals cannot speak for themselves. This makes it all the more important that we as humans raise our voices for them - and that is exactly what the "Krone" animal corner has been doing for 60 years.

We say THANK YOU for your donation!
Association "Friends of the Animal Corner", IBAN: AT93 6000 0000 9211 1811

Only your donation makes our help possible. 
On behalf of the rescued animals, thank you very much
Maggie Entenfellner