Librarian Lucilla Vespucci, who passed away in January of this year, donated more than 150 euros (approximately R$ 957) to the Muratella cat shelter in Rome. The donation was recorded in her will and only now revealed by the Italian press.
The amount represents 25% of their financial investments. According to the document, the sum should be used for the purchase and maintenance of furniture and equipment to ensure better conditions for the felines cared for by the shelter.
Vespucci, who was 73 years old and known for her animal rights activism, also requested the installation of a plaque in her honor and that of her husband, Alfonso Vignoli, who passed away in 2019.
“I was truly moved by Mrs. Vespucci’s enormous gesture of generosity,” said Sabrina Alfonsi, Rome’s Secretary of Agriculture, Environment and Recycling. She highlighted the donor’s involvement in volunteer work, such as teaching Italian to foreigners and caring for stray animals.
The Muratella municipal shelter is a benchmark in the care of abandoned cats in the Italian capital. With the donation, the city hall intends to make improvements to the facilities, reinforcing the legacy left by Vespucci.
