pme donates: Rote Scheune e.V. Waldbröl
Refuge from the slaughterhouse, bad living conditions or a life in an animal shelter
Last year, pme Familienservice surprised various social projects with a donation. One of these was the Rote Scheune e.V. from Waldbröl, a small association that does a lot. The focus: Sabine Funk and Ralf Zimme's farm, where animals find refuge from the butcher, from bad living conditions or from a life in an animal shelter.
The two are also active in the care of wild animals and support older people in particular, who would otherwise no longer be able to afford their animals, with animal feed and donations in kind.
Dear Ms. Funk, what is the Red Barn?
Sabine Funk: The Red Barn is a small association that runs a life farm, among other things. Animals that are no longer wanted or no longer have a place to live find a home here. These are sometimes very old or sick animals, but also so-called farm animals for which there is no longer any use. Male animals, for example, are only a "by-product" in the animal industry. My husband and I run the farm and share the management. We are supported by volunteers.
How many and which animals will find a home with you?
We always have around 100 animals: goats, mini pigs, ducks, geese, chickens, dogs, cats and pigeons. We also cooperate with wild animal rescue centers and support them in rehabilitating animals and, above all, releasing them back into the wild. We also support other care centers that are active in this area.
My husband and I have always said that we can only take as many animals as we can care for - so that one of us can drop out and we are not dependent on donations. That limits the number of animals, of course. Our approach is somewhat different to that of some traditional sanctuaries or sanctuaries that are purely funded by donations.
We're not rich, but we work a lot and put all our money into the farm. I can't think of anything better to spend it on. When people say "That's great that you save the animals", I always say "But the reverse is also true, because the animals give us a lot in return".
You not only look after the animals on your farm, but also support other people and organizations
Yes, that is a big part of what we do. As far as we can, we support private individuals and other organizations by collecting donations in kind and distributing them to them - for example, elderly people who would otherwise no longer be able to afford their animals without support.
We provide them with food or accessories such as baskets. If our finances allow, we also cover veterinary costs so that they can have their animals treated. There are also several people in our area who look after stray cats. We support them with food, cat houses and blankets. Wherever we see something, we try to take action.
What are your next plans? And how will the donation from pme Familienservice help you?
We have never received a donation of this size before. The donations that we receive often go towards running the clinic - medical costs in particular are a serious expense. However, we want to invest this particular donation in something lasting, and we have two ideas. We want to use half of the money to buy a small tractor so that we can drive bales of straw around more easily.
We want to use the other half to build a large outdoor aviary for our cats. The younger of our 12 cats like to go out and chase birds. We want to give the cats free range, but not at the expense of other animals. We live in such a beautiful natural environment here and we want to protect it.
Can interested parties visit the farm? Are there any offers, e.g. for school classes?
We welcome helpers and visitors. For example, we cooperate with a home nearby, where the children come to help from time to time. A friend of ours looks after families with difficult backgrounds and sometimes comes along with the children. School classes are also welcome and we can organize a small construction project for them, for example.
It is important that this happens within the scope of our possibilities and that all interested parties contact us in advance. We can't cope with spontaneous visits because my husband and I are still working. And: we are not a petting zoo - you may not see a single animal because they have just retired to the barn. The animals and their needs are always the focus of attention. For example, I don't wake up a hedgehog during the day because visitors would like to see one.
It is best to contact us so that we can discuss what is possible.
How can people get involved with you?
Our volunteer days are a great opportunity to support us with your work - even if you have no previous experience. We always focus on a special project, for example building fences together or - as on the next helper day - rain gutters.
We are also happy to receive donations in kind such as blankets, towels or bed linen as well as food donations.
How can I find out about the work of the Rote Scheune or get in touch?
We use Facebook and Instagram to share our everyday life with interested parties and inform them about activities such as volunteer days.
Interested parties are also welcome to send an e-mail to sabine.funk@rote-scheune.org.
Social commitment of the pme Familienservice
The "pme donates" fundraising campaign has been running for four years, giving pme team members the opportunity to nominate charitable organizations in the areas of international development aid, social work, climate and animal protection and culture for a donation, which they actively support. All team members then vote for the organizations they want to support. The organizations with the most votes receive a donation from pme Familienservice. In 2024, six national and international organizations received a total of 50,000 euros in donations.
