Every Saturday in Berlin's Treptow elderly, retired  and unemployed people can now receive for their pets the free food from the charity association Tirtafel.

There is more than a hundred thousand dogs are living in Berlin, and the unemployment rate is approaching 13%.

"Right now our list has names of four hunderd people - said Jeanine Rush, the director of Berlin branch of the Association. - Gradually we are running out of stocks. Today we can offer only one package of food for each needy."

The food for dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and parrots is weekly supplied by the volunteers. They also give tips on caring for the animals and watching their health.

Tirtafel Association was founded in 2006 and now in different countries there are working nineteen of it's branches, and in the nearest future there are thirty more supposed to be opened.

Customers of a free restaurant for animals must necessarily have some evidences of their adverse financial situation - the pension certificate or unemployment papers.

"Poverty separates people from the rest of society - emphasizes Claudia Holm, the owner of the restaurant. - More than half of people turning to us for help are the retirees, for whom their dog or cat are the only family and maybe even the only friends."

For Christmas and New Year holidays, it was decided to purchase a variety of treats and toys, to give people a chance to please their pets and spend this lovely holidays happily.