The story of “Ninna” becomes a comic: fundraising for the first clinic for hedgehogs in Europe
A comic book is coming to support a fundraiser for the activities of the Cuneo Hedgehog Recovery Center, set up by veterinarian Massimo Vacchetta: the illustrated book tells the story of the little hedgehog Ninna, who started this adventure
NAPLES – Eight years after the publication of the world best-seller ‘25 grams of happiness‘ (Sperling & Kupfer), a book translated into 15 languages that established veterinarian Massimo Vacchetta as one of the greatest authors of books dedicated to animals in Italy, comes ‘75 kilograms of happiness‘, a comic that apparently tells the same story, but in reality reverses the perspective: the encounter with the little hedgehog Ninna, which changed the life of the Piedmontese veterinarian, is in fact no longer told from the author’s point of view, but from that of the little hedgehog weighing only 25 grams.
Thus the book ’75 kilograms of happiness’ was born. How a great veterinarian can save your life’ (Il Pennino, 2024), which will be published in mid-November, completely illustrated by the pen of artist Roberta Morucci, with the blessing of a rock legend, the guitarist of Queen, Brian May, a great lover of hedgehogs and founder in England of The Amazing Grace recovery center, who inserts a dedication between the pages of the comic and the illustrator Bruno Bozzetto, who writes the preface dedicating one of his drawings to it.
IN THE CUNEO CLINIC 400 HEDGEHOGS ARE TREATED PER YEAR
An ancient proverb, which says “necessity makes a virtue of ingenuity”, seems to fit perfectly with the ideas of the hedgehog doctor who does not enjoy any state funding for his La Ninna Hedgehog Recovery Center which is located in Novello, in the province of Cuneo, and is the first hospital in Europe dedicated to this species. This is also why the veterinarian has to invent something every day. Also because in the meantime the number of animals in difficulty knocking on Vacchetta’s door is increasing more and more, also due to the worsening of the environmental and climate crisis. And the operational capacity of the La Ninna center is now saturated: at present, in fact, over 400 specimens are treated in the clinic every year. On average, about two hundred hedgehogs stay at the center, most of whom are temporarily hospitalized, others are in rehabilitation and some disabled people are permanently hospitalized in the external enclosures because they are no longer suitable for living in nature.
THE UPCOMING DEVELOPMENTS OF THE CENTER
With the funds that will come from the new collection (the book will be given as a gift to all those who make an offer equal to or greater than 25 euros to the La Ninna hedgehog recovery center, ed.), four initiatives are planned:
– expand the specialized staff to be able to treat the delicate and small patients in an increasingly professional and effective manner. The Center can currently count on the work of a veterinarian, two veterinary technicians and three full-time collaborators;
– increase the number of volunteers by purchasing a small accommodation near the Center;
– renovate a small house adjacent to the main structure to use it as an emergency room, with the setting up of an operating room, a laboratory, a diagnostic room and two rooms for hospitalization;
– build new external enclosures to accommodate more convalescing patients and disabled hedgehogs.
The comic book was born from the synergy between Vacchetta and a volunteer, Roberta Morucci, a good illustrator and passionate about hedgehogs, who proposed to the veterinarian to createa comic book to revisit the story of his first book ’25 grams of happiness’, in a humorous way. The story, told by the hedgehog, in a funny and also touching “upside-down narration”, is enriched by tragicomic scenes and food for thought on the relationship between man and nature. The book can be booked from October 26th on the official website of the association or through the Facebook page of the Centro Recupero Ricci la Ninna.