Rome's Spin Time building animal rescue completed after fire

The LAV Emergency Unit coordinated a rescue operation to free all animals trapped in the Spin Time building in Rome after a fire forced the evacuation and seizure of the structure. After several days of waiting, volunteers placed trap cages, food and water inside the building and, with authorisation from the magistrate, police, prefecture and prosecutor, entered the premises. The operation recovered three cats, a turtle and a fish. Two cats, Ernesto, an elderly cat with struvite, and Lulù, an 18‑year‑old cat, were taken to a trusted veterinary facility for care, while the turtle and fish were moved to LAV’s national headquarters. Beatrice Rezzaghi, head of LAV’s Emergency Unit, announced the final cat was rescued early on the morning of 4 August, concluding the animal‑recovery phase. The rescue also provided assistance to families displaced in tents, who continue to await the resolution of their housing situation.