SOS Algarve Animals

Marigold - Specially Featured - Available Small Dog Added: Nov 28, 2011 Location: TBA Description: Born September 2010. Female, approx 8 kilos. Abandoned at the vet, she is lovely, people oriented and affectionate girl. She is a little insecure and is looking for someone to be her own special perso... View

There is an atrocious and inhumane situation of cruelty and abuse at the camara in Leiria, 100 km north of Lisbon, where they are controlling the animal population by starving to death the animals under their care and protection. They are locked in cages or kennels and left to rot. Photographed on or about December 22, 2011, they are skin and bone, mothers trying to revive starved puppies, kittens, puppies, dogs, cats in every photo dead, piled up, from what can only be starvation. This has come to our attention via email and by a person who has been able to photograph what they saw. (Typically, if you try, you will be stopped from entering municpal kennels if you have a camera with you or try to take photos). In this situation someone has managed… and now there is evidence of this animal abuse at the hands of the Portuguese government that can be made public …and it must stop. We will do all that we can to help, we have chosen to immediately publicize the information that we have received in the hope that that there is enough of an outcry that the animals can be saved and the people invovled have to face the consequences. Please also publicize this story and these photos and where this is occuring as much as you are able. Portugal is part of the European Community where legislation is at hand but not implemented. It is at the camara of Leiria where this is occuring, and so it is under the control and responsibility of government appointed officials that these poor animals are having to endure such atrocities. We will do all that we can to help and to publicize any more information that we receive. Please click here for the photographs. The email we received is available at the following link under special features and stories.

With everyone’s support and help we have managed, in 2011, to find homes for 449 extremely lucky animals. That is 188 lucky puppies (124 went abroad, 64 found homes in Portugal), 131 lucky dogs (83 went abroad, 48 found homes here in Portugal), 92 kittens (56 went abroad, 36 found homes here in Portugal) and 38 cats (19 went abroad and 19 found homes here in Portugal).

For additional information about these happily rehomed animals, and our rehoming efforts both here and abroad, please read our latest article in special features and stories. Thank you to everyone (wherever you live) who have helped all these animals find the homes and happiness they deserve. Thank you to everyone who has adopted, Merry Christmas to everyone (and of course the lucky 449), and here is hoping for similar success in 2012.

SOS Algarve Animals has moved…. we are still in the Loule/Almancil area but we now have our very own location. We are operating as a rehoming centre, our space remains limited, and we are not a shelter or sanctuary. Sadly, there is never enough space for all needy dogs and puppies, nor are there ever enough homes to be found, but we hope to be able to continue to help by rehabilitating, caring for, and socializing just a few special animals so as they can end up in the homes they deserve, giving many years of happiness to their new families. Photos of our dogs for adoption in their new premises are available here under Part 1 and Part 2. They are now much luckier, have far better facilities, kennels and play areas. Puppies, cats and kittens will still remain in the care of foster families.

Sadly, not only in Portugal, but in many other countries Christmas is a time of worry and concern for those of us helping rescue dogs, puppies, cats and kittens. Please do not give an animal as a surprise (and most often unwanted) Christmas present. A dog, puppy, cat or kitten is a life long responsibility. While they may look very cute with a bow tied around their neck, they are also a lot of work and responsibility. Many animals are abandoned to shelters or onto the streets shortly after the Christmas period. SOS Algarve Animals will only adopt an animal during the month of December when the whole family is present, meets the animal, and makes the decision together to commit to the care of the animal for his or her life.

Diego is 6 yrs old and we would love to find him a home. He loves going for walks, he loves company, with children he is wonderful and he is extremely well behaved in a home envrionrment. He is tremendously loyal and will make a very trustworthy guarddog and companion, but he is not good with cats or small dogs.  Thankfully, Merry Legs Pet Hotel has offered to keep Diego for as long as they are able, but this environment still does not offer Diego the love or companionship that he craves. Diego was found wandering the streets almost a year ago, in terrible condition and in desperate need of care. For hours Diego lay down next to where he had been fed …even running after the car to try to be taken home. Diego has proved himself to be a wonderful, extremely trustworthy, stable and loyal dog. We are trying everything we can to find Diego a home, can you help? Diego is neutered, fully vetted, neg leish and hw. Please visit Diego’s photo album .

Sadly, at the end of October, 2011, we were informed that there will be no cooperation between Guadi, who manage de Canil Municipal in Villa Real do San Antonio (VRSA), and SOS Algarve Animals. Despite the fact that a few weeks earlier the approval was given by the President of Guadi to try and help rehome some of their dogs. 5 dogs were immediately reserved for loving homes to go to, and one of these reservations, which cannot be honoured, is particularly heartbreaking, as it concerns an old (8 years plus) medium/large sized male dog, who will now be spending much longer in a canil situation instead of a warm bed in a home situation. An uncomfortable situation for us all, but foremost for the animals. Nonetheless we applaud the efforts that Guadi is making and wish them good luck in the future.

On Friday night October 7, SOS Algarve Animals held our first fundraiser with all proceeds being allocated to the sterilization of abandoned cats and dogs of the Algarve. It was a lovely night, and over 150 persons joined the event and showed their support, with almost 4,500 euros being raised. As a group dedicated to finding homes for cats and dogs, we know that finding homes is only a short term solution to a very large problem. For photos and more information about this evening please click events 

On Sunday September 18 we went to the Scruffts “Dog of the Year” Show. We found homes for five of our dogs Lucca, Dora, Eiddie, Dina, Joven….everyone was very well behaved. Also at the show was Dodger, Jake, Strella, Snoopdog, Alfie and Nona, who sadly did not find homes but they did have a lovely day and lots of attention.   Thank you to all our volunteers without whom we could not have managed.  For photos of the dog show please click here and for specific photos of our special visitors (our previously rehomed dogs Jessie, Patches, Lucia, Dahlia and Max, who came back to say hello) please click here.  And a special congratulations to puppy Dahlia, rehomed from SOSAA at the June dog show, who won 1st place for Best Mixed Puppy!

Also on Sunday, September 18 was the Verlorene Fellnasen Annual Barbeque in Berlin. Ginie went on behalf of SOS Algarve Animals and has met many of the lovely and lucky dogs from SOS Algarve Animals that have found wonderful homes and families in the Berlin area with the help of this German group.  So thank you to them and all their volunteers and adoptants who give the Portugues abandoned animals a chance at the life and homes they deserve.  For photos of this event please click either the German album or Ginie’s album. 

Please have a look at our special features and stories for a little of what we are doing. If you have a story you would like to share please send to us by email and we will do our best to post whatever it is you have to say. We will also soon have a section entitled “Other Ways We Help” with photo albums and descriptions of many of the situations and animals that we try to help.

In July we have finally had the time to accept the kind offers to visit two other Algarve Shelters. Please see our special features for stories and photos of these visits. 

As of January 1, 2012 there will no longer be a 6 month waiting period for entry of dogs or cats into the UK.  Instead, requirements for travel to the UK will be similar to requirements for travel into other European countries.  Visit http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/ for more information and always ask your vet for further information. With this change in import regulations, we are contemplating the possibilities of rehoming a small number of dogs and cats, puppies or kittens, to the UK in a similar way as to how we rehome to other countries within the EU.  Please contact us for more information.
 

There are many different ways you might be able to help.  Please visit our sections on how to volunteer, where you can find information about dog walking, fostering, or even making things for the animals.  Or our section on donations – money and goods donations are always needed – or you can even hold a fundraiser.

 Be a flight parent.  If you are flying to Germany or Holland  please consider being a flight parent and help get one of our animals to their new home.

 To continue to help Algarve dogs and cats we need both money and goods. Visit our donations section or how to donate for more information.

See our Available Animals!  Looking to sponsor a dog and the care it needs see our Virtual Adoption!