Ravenna, July 15, 2026 – He had knocked on the door of the ‘Friends of Animals’ association around 2014. Since then, he had managed to become a point of reference not only for all the specimens rescued in the recovery center, but also to earn a central role in the association. Alberto Grandi, 63 years old, was found dead Monday afternoon inside the operational center of the ’Friends of Animals’ association in Ca’ Ponticelle, where he was a volunteer as a caretaker, factotum and where he took care of the animals. From the first information, a natural death is hypothesized.
“He always went above and beyond for the association”
“He took care of everything – says Massimo Marendon, president of the association – from the initial bureaucracy, to the stabling and care of the animals. He was a gentle and special person. For us, it is a huge loss both on a human level and from the associative and commitment point of view. We remember, in fact, that his commitment for over 10 years was fully voluntary. He always went above and beyond for the association.”
He was decisive against the death of thousands of fish and birds in 2019
His commitment became crucial in October 2019, when due to botulinum toxin in the Valle della Canna, there was a death of thousands of fish and birds. “Against all odds – continues Marendon –, we managed to save about 400 ducks. It was a moment of great pressure for our center, because the specimens were many and severely debilitated. They had to be hydrated and given antibiotics. It was a job that required at least three hours of commitment per day and Alberto was precious on that occasion: always on the front line in the emergency. We waited for the hunting season to end and then in 2020 we reintroduced them into the wild.”
“He had a fatherly attitude with these animals”
Otherwise, Marendon says, Grandi lived in symbiosis with the animals. “He cared for them as if they were his pets and had a fatherly relationship with them. We have some deer specimens that have been at Ca’ Ponticelli for over 10 years: he raised them.”
At the moment, the association is waiting for the clearance for the funeral. “Alberto had told us he had a sister whom he saw periodically, but we have not met her. We do not have her contact, if she is not found, the association is ready to take care of the funeral honors. It seems the least we can do for a person who has given so much for our reality and for the animals we care for. We will miss him.”
