Kai Havertz used to save donkeys and once had a horse in his yard. He now says that a man’s best friend helped him settle in England.
During the international break, the £71 million player for Chelsea scored a goal and set up another for Germany. He is a big animal lover.
And the 21-year-old got a golden retriever to help him and his girlfriend get used to life in London after he left Bayer Leverkusen with a lot of money.
ut Havertz has said that his family used to have a horse in their yard when he was growing up, and that it was a donkey that got him interested in animals in the first place.
Havetrz said, “When I was a child, my family had a lot of animals.”We had a German shepherd, a cat, rabbits, guinea pigs, and once a horse in the yard. That’s how I learned to love animals. On the weekends, my family and I would take the dog to a park in Aachen. We’d all get on a horse and ride it through the forest for an hour.
“My sister rode horses a lot, so I often went with her to watch her. My parents gave me a soft donkey for my birthday when I was about nine years old.
“I liked this small animal so much that I told my parents I wαnted a donkey or a farm with donkeys when I grow up. Then, when I turned 17, my folks gave me a job with a group that saves donkeys.
“For example, donkeys that had been mistreated in the circus or zoo and were brought there. You would give them money every month, and the people would feed them and take care of them. They gave me ownership of three horses, and I could go see them and spend time with them.One day, an eight- or nine-month-old donkey was at the butcher. The person who owned all the horses told me, “He’s at the butcher. Can you help?” I said, “Sure!” Everything began with this donkey.
“My parents used to live in the house where there are now four horses. They are being cared for by my parents, my sister, and my grandma. In the next few years, they will get more and more.”
Havertz’s time with the Blues got off to a slow start, but he now has five goals and seven assists for Chelsea in all categories this season.
He thinks that the choice he and his girlfriend made to get a puppy has helped him feel more at home in his new place.
Havertz said, “When we moved here, we decided we needed both a garden and a dog.”It was clear for a while, but I used to live in an apartment in Germany that didn’t have a yard or enough room for a dog.
After living here for a couple of months, we looked for the right one. We went to some. We didn’t like the breeders who only wαnted to make money off the dog.
“We found the right person, and we’ve had him for six or seven months now. He is called Baloo. We’re very glad to have him. He’s a golden retriever.
