December 15, 2019 - A new charity beer pong tournament will bring together Split businesses and local breweries on a mission help the animals of Knin. 

Christmas time is always the season when people feel most generous and giving.  This year, a group of Split businesses, ex-pats and a small animal shelter in Knin are getting together to make the holiday a much warmer one for some furry friends.On December 22, 2019, a charity beer pong tournament will take place with proceeds going to Udruga Berta to help feed and house about 50 animals.

Udruga Berta is located in Knin, a city that continues to lose its residents to better opportunities elsewhere. Unfortunately, when they leave, they leave their dogs behind, too. Fortunately, Udruga Berta is there to pick them up.

It all started with a belated Birthday Day present. 

Two years ago, an abandoned Dachshund was begging outside Ivan Simic's pizzeria the day before Valentine's Day.  Ivan still had not gotten his wife a belated birthday present (her birthday was the 9th) and it was to be Valentine's Day the next day. Little did that dog know that he would be the inspiration for hundreds of dogs needing homes. That little hungry Dachshund was named Masha and he was the first dog Ivan and his wife Zeljana saved from the streets. Today, their rescue has over 50 dogs. With 500 dogs being placed in forever homes in the last two and a half years. They rely entirely on donations and volunteers with just Ivan and Zeljana caring for the dogs every day.

In order to receive government aid, proper licenses need to be obtained, and this is costly and difficult because of Croatian bureaucracy.  This is where several local businesses have jumped in to help out.

About the Event:

“Hair of the Dog” Beer Pong Tournament is being held in hopes of raising money and awareness for Udruga Berta. The tournament will be held on Sunday, December 22nd, at To Je To Caffe Bar (Vukovarska Ulica 49).  Each team (consisting of two players) will donate a minimum of 100 kuna to the cause in order to play. Businesses will send two representatives (or in many cases, the owners) to play the tournament.  The community is urging people not interested in coming to donate money, blankets, dog food, or other supplies even if they do not want to play in the tournament.

The tournament will have 16 teams, and ten businesses are already participating in the competition. Six spots are left, and they are open for anyone to play; business or individuals. The beer for the Beer Pong Tournament will be donated by Lab Brewery, Tap B Brewery, and Fjaka Brewery. Prizes including bragging rights & a Beer Pong trophy for the winner, and prizes donated by Break Time Croatia, To Je To Caffe Bar and D16 are for second and third place. 

Business participating: 

Klub Kocka 

Radio Kampus 

Break Time Croatia 

To Je Tako Restaurant 

Black Dog Bar 

Crozzies PubCrawl Split 

D16    

Fig Restaurant   

Old Town & Outlanders Tribe Hostel 

Brooklyn Bagels 

My Map Split

The goals: 

 1. To raise enough money to extend a fence in the shelter so that medium and large-sized dogs can run around with more space, provide the Udruga with a form of transportation (for picking up dogs, taking them to the vet in Sibenik, etc.), buying small gravel to cover the ground, so the dogs are not covered in mud when it rains. 

2. To raise awareness about the shelter. They receive no government help and rely solely on donations, and Ivan and Zeljana's hard work to make sure these animals can live better lives. 

3. To let people know that there are plenty of dogs that need homes. Adopt, don't shop.

 4. That if you can't adopt, you can donate. If you can't donate, you can volunteer. And if you cant volunteer, you can spread awareness.

If you are interested in donating, volunteering or helping in any way, please contact the tournament hosts through Facebook.

All photos by Sara Filipa Delić

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