Donations

Tartu Nature House is an environment created with a sense of responsibility. The Tartu Environmental Education Center Foundation operates here, working with friends and partners to encourage people to notice and appreciate the nature around them and to act in an environmentally friendly and responsible manner.

Our mission is to maintain a balance between people and the natural environment so that our good life does not come at the expense of future generations.

You, too, can contribute to building a more sustainable tomorrow.

When you host your event at the nature center, you help promote nature education for children and young people, as the revenue from venue rentals helps us achieve our goals.

You can also contribute by making a donation.

How can you donate?

You can support the Tartu Nature House’s activities by participating in fundraising campaigns or by making a donation to benefit the animals living here.

Through your donations, you help promote nature education and support the care of the Nature House’s animals.

Past Fundraising Campaigns

Tartu Nature House has organized seasonal fundraising campaigns, which have made it possible to support specific initiatives and the needs of the animal shelter.

• 2024 – Donation Drive: A New 5-Star Home for Jaanus the HedgehogLearn more about the donation campaign →
  
• 2024 – Educational Theme Night and Charity Concert “Voice of the Baltic Sea”Learn more about the campaign →
  
• 2023 – Tartu Nature House: Children in Nature.Learn more about the campaign →
  
• 2022 – UV Lamps for the Turtles at Tartu Nature HouseLearn more about the campaign →
  

Recurring Donation for Animals

Tartu Nature House is home to many beloved animals—from turtles to cockroaches. The residents of the animal room need daily care, food, suitable living conditions, and medical treatment when necessary.

You can support the animals through monetary donations as well as by donating food, cages, and other necessary supplies.

If you’d like to donate pet food or supplies, please email us at
info@tartuloodusmaja.ee to find out what we currently need.

Who lives at the animal shelter?

The description of Loodusmaja’s animal shelter lists the following groups and species of animals.

• Rodents:
  guinea pigs, golden hamsters, rats, and laboratory mice.
• Birds:
  budgerigars, lovebirds, collared doves, and zebra finches.
• Amphibians:
  spadefoot toad.
• Insects and other invertebrates:
  giant millipedes, grasshoppers, crickets, giant mealworms, and Madagascar hissing cockroaches.
• Mollusks:
  African giant snails and vineyard snails.
• Turtles:
  Central Asian tortoise, Mediterranean tortoise, and yellow-eared and red-eared sliders.
• Fish:
  several aquariums full of fish.

The Animal Room helps teach responsible pet care

Students participating in the Nature House’s hobby school and educational programs gain valuable experience in caring for pets.

Children in the hobby group learn to recognize an animal’s needs and understand the responsibilities that come with keeping a pet.

Once children and their parents have gotten to know the animals and learned how to care for them, it’s easier for them to decide whether they’re ready to have a pet of their own.

The Nature House offers animals a new home whenever possible

It is worth noting that many of the Nature House’s pets have ended up here because they needed a new home.

Loodusmaja generally does not purchase pets, but instead, whenever possible, provides a home for animals that can no longer be kept in their previous living situations.

For example, we’ve taken in animals that can no longer be kept in their previous homes due to a move or a child’s allergies.

When we have the capacity to do so, we offer these animals shelter and welcome them into our friendly animal family.

How are donations for the animals used?

Since many animals live at the nature center, their daily care costs are significant.

In a previous estimate of the animal shelter’s expenses, the amount spent on food and supplies was listed as approximately 800 euros per year.

When combined with veterinary bills and the maintenance costs for the aquariums and the turtle pond, the total annual need is estimated at approximately 2,000 euros.

Will my donation really go to the right place?

Tartu Nature House adheres to best practices for fundraising (PDF) and is listed on the Estonian Nonprofit Federation’s list of reputable fundraisers.

We direct the full amount of donations directly to the animals.

We report on the results of our fundraising efforts on our website, social media channels, and in our newsletter.

If more money is raised than needed to meet the goal of a specific fundraising campaign, the remaining amount will be used to cover the food and medical expenses of other animals at the shelter.

Additional information about the recipient of donations

• Tartu Environmental Education Center’s annual reports →
  
• Teachers conducting educational activities at the animal shelter →
  

Income Tax Exemption

Donations made to the Tartu Nature House may be deducted from your taxable income within the limits of applicable tax incentives.

To do so, please provide your personal identification number when making a donation to the Nature House—include it in the payment description or send a corresponding notification to info@tartuloodusmaja.ee.