(11 April 2014)

Sonny Richichi has been nominated the new President of IHP, replacing Antonio Nardi Dei da Filicaja Dotti, who presided over the Association from its inception in October 2009. The transfer was formalised at the meeting of the Board of Directors of IHP on 6 April 2014.
Within the grounds of the Filicaja estate the IHP has over these recent years provided a home for mistreated equids, the very first such sanctuary in Italy. Over the years the IHP has developed its role through an ever increasing number of varied activities and its impact on the horse world in Italy.
From its starting point of first ever Home for mistreated and legally seized horses, the IHP has gradually proven its mettle as prime mover in reporting cases of cruelty, the most striking example of which is the Colleferro case, in 2013/14, in which more than 200 animals found surviving and dying in hideous conditions, were given the necessary veterinary treatment and then safely placed in forever homes; in addition, IHP is presenting proposals for a revision of the current legislation governing national standards, and a guide to their implementation.

Today IHP is in the process of reorganising and expanding its reach, moving to new (bought or rented) premises more in line with its growing commitments, in order to guarantee continuity in the long term.

Rising to this challenge is Sonny Richichi – Sonny dedicated many years as a volunteer in the LAV (Antivivisection Association), fulfilling varied posts from 1999 onwards. He was member of the national board of directors from 2002 to 2006, national president from 2004 to 2006, and national representative for equids from 2004 to 2008. He was director of the Fondazione Flaminia da Filicaja in 2009 prior to co-founding IHP, of which he has since been Director of Operations. For 14 years Richichi worked in a bank and had risen to the position of branch manager when he chose a radical change of direction, and made his main passion his life work.

Sonny Richichi declared: “My thanks go to who has enabled the Association to get to where it is today. At the outset we had so many inspired hopes, but without a concrete, practical basis. A very large vote of thanks goes to our donors, our supporters, and the hardworking dedicated staff  who day by day contribute to the work we are able to carry out. We will continue to grow and to work towards putting an end to the mistreatment and exploitation of horses and other equids.”