For English click here.

Esta é a história de quarenta cães, animais amistosos, amorosos, gentis, todos mantidos num inferno. Por favor não deixe esta história passar ao lado, e por favor tire uns minutos para enviar uma denúncia, porque sem a sua palavra de apoio e queixa estes cães continuarão no inferno. Expor publicamente esta história e reclamar às autoridades é a única maneira de demonstrar que este tipo de tratamento aos cães, em Portugal, NÃO será aceito e deve deixar de existir já.

O SEPNA, a GNR, o Presidente da Cãmara Municipal de Aljezur, o veterinário da Câmara, todos cientes da situação e de acordo que esta constitui um problema, que não deveria ser assim… Mas alegam que é muito difícil actuar sob a lei no sentido da ajuda ou remoção dos cães. 

É por este motivo que trazemos hoje esta história e mostramos as fotos (deste horror), porque sem a sua queixa (abaixo a lista de autoridades a quem enviar), o caso será deixado de lado e o sofrimento dos cães esquecido.

Os cães fazem parte de uma matilha em Rogil, município de Aljezur. A matilha é um negócio de aluguer de cães de caça. Há muitas pessoas que sabem do que acontece, e há também muitas que tentaram ajudar. Mas à despeito de algumas visitas do veterinário municipal, dos agentes da GNR e SEPNA, o proprietário da matilha simplesmente recusa-se a modificar as suas condições, deixar que os removam ou mesmo aceitar vender os cães!

O dono da matilha é o responsável por “manter e cuidar” os 40 cães… Este tipo de “cuidado” que evidentemente é legal em Portugal, sob o qual os cães podem ser mantidos a morrer à fome, com órgãos permanentemente lesionados pela prolongada ausência de água, com ferimentos de bala e membros partidos que nunca foram tratados,  chegando ao ponto de ter, na sua luta pela sobrevivência, de se alimentarem dos próprios cachorros. São animais que morrem de muitas maneiras desprezíveis, enquanto seu dono proclama bravamente que os cães somente são alimentados de segunda à quarta-feira (às vezes também às quintas!), uma vez que tem de estar famintos para ir à caça ao fim-de-semana e caçar “como deve ser”. Simplesmente ele não se importa com os cães.

Os cães permanecem sempre presos. Nunca movem-se das suas jaulas, ou para além de um metro de corrente. Eles poucas vezes são levados à caça, exceptuando-se algumas semanas durante todo o ano. São ali deixados, presos, dia sim, dia não. Há fêmeas a procriarem enquanto presas à corrente curta, junto de outros cães presos da mesma forma, vivendo num chão de cimento imundo. Os cachorros são deixados à sua sorte, e tão logo começam a caminhar ficam vulneráveis aos outros cães famintos.

Ferimentos graves. Mordidas. Abcessos. Feridas. Todos infectados. Os cães estão doentes. Só de ver apercebe-se de imediato a situação e o olhar deles faz-nos doer a alma. Há cães com pernas partidas, mal-formados ou com uma parte da pata pendurada…a cair. Membros que carecem de amputação. Havia uma fêmea, poucos dias antes de parir, uma das patas traseiras foi arrancada e via-se o osso e a ferida infectada. A dor devia ser excruciante.

E ainda assim, sabemos do que acontece, as autoridades sabem do que acontece, e os cães continuam presos sob estas condições. Condições de tortura e abuso. Como pode isto ser aceitável? Como podemos ignorá-lo?

Fomos levados a crer que pelo facto do proprietário ter uma licença de canil de caça, não há autoridade que penalize o dono ou que leve os cães dali sem o consentimento dele. Em outras palavras, ele pode deixar os cães à fome, abusar deles como lhe convém, e ainda assim isto é legal e permitido nas leis portuguesas.

Nós temos estado a reclamar e lutar por estes cães por 5 meses. Seis cães foram removidos pelo veterinário municipal com o consentimento do dono. Dez cães simplesmente desapareceram. Há ainda mais de 20 cães que permanecem.

Durante 5 meses alguns vizinhos alertados para a situação e incapazes de ignorar o fato de que nada estava a ser feito, estiveram a alimentar e dar água aos cães, a tentar minimizar de alguma forma a severidade do quadro. As condições deles foram levemente melhoradas e a fome apesar de continuar foi por um tempo um pouco aliviada. Mas os vizinhos não tem a capacidade de continuar e em breve terão de ir embora, e sem a atenção deles os cães logo estarão entregues ao quadro de horror, a morrer à fome. O proprietário poucas vezes vai ao local, e não há ninguém que os cuide, alimente ou dê-lhes água. A que ponto temos de chegar para que as autoridades façam seu dever? Quantas mais evidências precisam eles desta situação?

Na legislação portuguesa um animal de companhia tem de receber do seu dono o cuidado e ser-lhe dado condições razoáveis. São estas condições que expomos aqui razoáveis? Estará o detentor de uma licença de canil de caça protegido pela lei de não ser responsável de torturar e deixar morrer à fome seus 40 cães? Custa-nos entender – tão pouco aceitar -, como é possível este tratamento aos cães estar ao abrigo da lei.

As autoridades lavaram as suas mãos e ignoraram a situação. Se esta é a sorte do tratamento dado aos animais em Portugal, não vamos deixar de expô-la.

Por favor junte-se ao sosalgarveanimals.com e assine a petição. E tal como nós o fizemos, também envie a sua queixa/reclamação para as autoridades abaixo, e faça a sua voz ser ouvida de que isto não é aceitável!

Petition

Para o Português, por favour abrir “aqui”

This is the story of forty dogs – loving, open, friendly, gentle dogs kept in hell.  Please do not turn away from this story, please take the time to make a complaint, because without your complaint the dogs will remain in this hell.   To publicly expose and complain is the only way to show the authorities that allowing this treatment of dogs in Portugal is NOT going to be accepted and must be stopped now.

SEPNA, the GNR, the mayor, the Presidente da Cãmara Municipal de Aljezur and the municipal câmara vet are all aware of the situation and agree that it is a problem and should not be happening…but they say it is too difficult as there is no law or authority under which to remove or help the dogs.

So we share the story and the photos because, without your help and complaint (and please see below for where to make complaints) the dogs will simply be left and their suffering forgotten about.

The dogs belong to a Matilha in Rogil, Aljezur.  A Matilha is a rent-a-dog hunting kennel.  There are many people aware of what is happening, and many have tried to help.  But despite several visits from the câmara vet, from the relevant branch(es) of the GNR/SEPNA, the owner simply refuses to give up his dogs (he even refuses to sell his dogs).

The owner’s “care” of 40 his dogs…. care that is evidently legal in Portugal… is care under which the dogs starve to death, they have organ damage from prolonged lack of water, they have gunshot wounds and broken limbs that never receive treatment,  they must kill and eat  new born puppies to survive,  they die in an untold number of despicable ways about which the owner does not care.  The owner will proudly explain that he only feeds his dogs Monday through Wednesday (sometimes on Thursdays) because they must be “hungry” at the weekend to be able to properly hunt.  He simply does not care.

The dogs are never let out.   They do not get to walk.  They are rarely taken hunting, except perhaps a few weekends of the year.  Instead, they are simply caged day in and day out…always.  There are pregnant dogs which give birth while living on short chains, amidst other chained up dogs, living on concrete flooring and in filth.  The puppies are left to fend for themselves and, and once they start walking, are vulnerable to the other starving dogs.

Injuries. Bites. Wounds. Abscesses.  All are infected.  The dogs are sick.  You can tell immediately.  The look in their eyes is heart-breaking, they show it all.  There are dogs with broken legs, malformations, dogs with legs hanging half way off…legs that need amputations.  There was a pregnant mother (a few days away from giving birth).  Her back paw was torn off.  The bone rot creeping up her leg.  The pain must be excruciating.

And yet we know this is happening, the authorities know this is happening, and the dogs are left in these appalling conditions.  They are left to this torture and abuse.  How is this acceptable?  How can this be ignored?

We have been led to believe that because the owner has a license for a hunting kennel, there is no authority to fine the owner or to take the dogs without the owner’s consent.   In other words, he can starve his dogs to death, abuse them however he wants, and this will all be allowed and legal in Portugal. 

We have argued and fought to free these dogs for 5 months.  Six dogs were removed by the municipal câmara vet with the owner’s agreement, ten dogs have simply disappeared.  Over twenty dogs remain.

During these 5 months neighbours (alerted to the situation and unable to watch while doing nothing) begun to feed and water the dogs, to try and bring them some minimal form of care, so the conditions improved.  The dogs are still starving but it is not as extreme.  And the neighbours, no longer able to continue, will soon leave and without their care it will be simply a matter of weeks before the dogs start again dying.  The owner rarely visits, he sends no one else to feed or water the dogs.    At what point will the authorities take action?  What other evidence do they need?

Under Portuguese law a companion animal is entitled to reasonable care.   How can this possibly be reasonable care?  Is an owner who has a license for a hunting kennel protected and allowed to starve and torture 40 dogs to death?  We are at a loss to understand how, under any law, this treatment of these dogs is acceptable.

The authorities simply throw up their hands and ignore the situation.  If this is the sort of treatment to animals allowed in Portugal it will not go without exposure.

Please join sosalgarveanimals.com and sign our petition.

To sign the Petition open: Petition to Stop Abuse Of Hunting Dogs In Portugal

The case has also been shared with ESDAW.  And if you also wish to make a complaint (in any language) to share your voice and show that this is not acceptable, our complaint has been addressed to the authorities listed below:

Authorities to whom complaint has been addressed:

How Animals Come In To Us…

Sadly, in the Algarve, there are at least 10 dogs in need for every available space. The situation for cats, kittens and puppies is often worse.  There are shelters and municipal camaras where no one wants a dog to go and it IS our opinion that in many cases this is the worst fate an animal (dog, cat, puppy or kitten) may face. There are also good shelters, good camaras, good groups and organizations. The big problem…they are most often full.

We DO work with difficult dogs. We currently have 4-6 “difficult” dogs in our care and we do our best to work with them slowly and rehabilitate them. Our “difficult” dogs most often turn into “easy” dogs. Kimi (who was with us for 1.5 years) has just been rehomed, but when she first came into us she was terrified. And Kimi (as many of our other “difficult” dogs rehabilitated) will always have a special place in our hearts. They are another type of success about which we rarely write.

But the situation in the Algarve is extreme. The other truth is that in the time it takes to work with one difficult dog, that same space IF available to other dogs would have helped many more simply because they are easier and find a home sooner.

So while the extra sad story is always a weakness and we will always try to help, we do not feel that a dog who is happy, social, friendly (and yes a bit pretty) should be left to fend for themselves in whatever abuse or abandoned situation that they face. Their fate is just as sad. And yes, if we can help them sooner rather than later…so they do not even have to go through so many of the horrors they otherwise face…we will do that.

We do choose our animals. We take animals from individuals who find them on the street, animals abandoned when their owner’s leave, we take from shelters and camaras whenever we can. An animal which comes into us that is relatively social will be easier to rehabilitate and find a home sooner. This allows us to help MORE animals.

We always try to answer our phone, reply to emails asking for help, and return missed phone calls. We realize that even if we cannot offer space at our rehoming centre or foster care for that animal the people asking for help still need advice! That animal still needs help. And in many cases, with “difficult” animals who are healthy and doing well on the street, when there is no space for that animal with us or with other shelters or groups, we will fund the “spay and release”.

Working in this way we are able to rehome (on average) 300 to 400 animals in need every year, we “spay and release” many more. And yes, in that number there are as many difficult dogs as we are possibly able to help, some are easy, some are difficult, but all very much need the help.

p.s. Photographed is Delia, a very sad and scared case we took in from a local shelter in March, 2011. She never came around…she is still scared of new people…and so we adopted her ourselves and she is a “permanent resident”. She loves her mummy (one of our team), will sleep on her mummy’s lap, but over two years later and she still does not trust anyone else.

Many months ago there was an old dog abandoned on the street corner. He stayed there waiting for one week before, finally, someone cared enough to stop for him.

Not very special looking, definitely not young, this dog was so lost, so sad, his heart had broken. It took days before he would start to eat. He did not understand what had happened to him…he did not understand why he had waited and no one came back. He had been good, he was very obedient, he knew to sit, to stay, to wait…he had done everything he could to be a good dog. And now he was 8 and for whatever reason he was not wanted anymore and had been thrown away….to wait and wait…

And so Villa came into our care, and we did not expect to ever find him a home…but we hoped. And several months ago we suggested Villa as a possibility to be adopted by a German family who had just lost their much beloved older dog. They and their young daughter knew how special, how gentle, how wonderful it was to offer an older dog a chance. And so they did not mind who they could offer a home to, only that the dog was gentle, and kind, and that they were older…

And it was Villa that they choose. And this is Villa (now Nonno) in his home and with his best friend Nora. It is special to see the love that they share.

Thank you Yvonne and to Nonno’s new family for giving Villa the happiness and love he so very much deserved.

For more photos and the album of Vila please click here.

We had to share this article from http://www.portalnossomundo.com

The orginial article can be found directly at http://www.portalnossomundo.com/site/mais/artigos/consciencia.html

 The days have been complicated lately. Especially for anyone who loves animals and worries about the growing waves of abuse that we are experiencing across the country. Neglect, beatings, animals burned, buried alive, stabbed, kicked, humiliated. Cruelties that are shaking up the coldest hearts and insensitive. In this context, it is increasingly common to see people mobilized in favor of these animals, organizing marches, demonstrations by stricter laws, projects for the removal of cats and dogs from the streets among other actions. But many people have a totally misguided vision than it really is to protect an animal, than it is to do something that effectively bring a benefit in the short, medium and long term.

So let’s see: what is your vision of animal protection? What is secure for you? Do you think protecting is to educate? Of course it is. Education is the foundation of the whole process and should be done consistently and at all stages, since it is through education that you will be able to raise awareness, change opinions and concepts, open horizons, instigate, planting seeds that will stimulate people to adopt correct attitudes. And these people will educate more people and so on.

But of course that only educate is not enough, it takes more. Rescue, feed, rehabilitate, vaccinate, vermifugar, donate. Yes, remove animals from the streets and donate them to responsible homes is a noble act and should be encouraged, since they performed with discretion and rationality. So here we go again. What matters most to you, donate animals? Assemble an album on your facebook profile with thousands of pictures of dogs and cats that have been proudly handed over to new owners? Sleep with a clear conscience for having removed dozens of animals from the streets, believing that you did everything and even a bit more than I could, and therefore, it was more than enough? This is a serious mistake that some people make while thinking they are doing animal protection. Because the efficiency of a person is measured not by the number of rescued animals and donated, but rather with how these redemptions and these donations are conducted. For example: do you believe in the importance of sterilizing cats and dogs before being donated? If you believe and put this into practice, congratulations, you are on the right track. But if you are those who don’t see the importance of it, what matters is giving the animal and nothing else, I think it would be important to clarify a few points:

1-responsibility for the dog or Cat rescued and donated not just the moment you the delivery into the hands of new owner. Everything that occurs after this, will be part of their responsibility as well, simply because any attitude that you have with an animal today will reflect on his future. If you do the right thing, he will be happy and get the chance of a decent life. If you do bullshit, he will suffer.

2-since the responsibility for the future of the animal will be donated in part his, obviously, if you deliver whole (not neutered) and He procreates, the responsibility for the descendants generated will also be yours. That is, if one day you find out that the puppy puppy puppy from puppy that you delivered without castrate was stopping in the middle of the street, much of the fault is his. Because remember: your attitude towards the whole animal will reflect on his future.

3-If you accept and encourage people to donate animals under these conditions, you’re being complicit with an attitude that may reflect negatively on future of them. Remember when we talk about education? Because this is the time. If you know what is right, but to see people acting so contrary, educate. East, plant the seed, not be complicit with erroneous attitudes and that nothing will help change the situation.

4-don’t assume that all people are like you is Not a whole animal. acreditanto that the new owner will take care of the rest, because it is not how it works. Statistically, 80% of the animals delivered integers (not neutered) continue as well, i.e. they are potential puppies factories that tomorrow or the day after will be on the streets too. And with just one detail: each dog or cat will bring 5, 6 or 8 puppies for lambing. There will be homes for everyone? Obviously not.

So note that make protection is not as easy as it may seem. Several steps must be followed with the final focus, which is the donation of the animal in perfect health and properly sterilized to a responsible tutor. But then you may be wondering: “I shot the street, give bath, food and even vermifuge. No longer am I doing enough? ” No, it isn’t. Simply because the removal of the animal from the streets is the easiest part of the whole process, the most difficult comes next: rehabilitate, assist, vermifugar, vaccinated, sterilized, chooses a good adopter and only then give it away. If you do the service by half, you will be taking attitudes that once again I repeat, reflected negativament

Kali.  He is from a Matilha.  Six months ago we did not know much about these places……sadly now we do.  A Matilha is a “rent-a-dog” hunting kennel.  And while there are good hunters and there are bad hunters, the Matilha where Kali was rescued is the worst.  We have been informed by the authorities that it is licensed, and legal, and so there is no obligation for the Matilha owner to even feed his dogs.  He can let them starve to death, he can withhold water, there are dogs with limbs hanging off from traps or animal attacks, who do not receive any care, and it is all within the law. 

Fortunately for Kali, the owner has chosen to give up his ownership.  Sadly….there are many other dogs for whom there is little we can do.   Later this week and next week we will be explaining more, dealing with more.  Many already know the problem in Portugal under the law is that animals are seen as property…not animals….so they have no rights.   This is the example of why this has to change.    For all the other dogs left in the same place as Kali comes from.  As currently the authorities, even if they want to, have absolutely no power.

Kali has been away from the Matilha for several weeks.  He arrived to us weighing 17.3 kilos.  He was so emaciated, with skin sores and lesions, we were certain he had leish.  But except for tickfever all Kali’s bloodwork is normal; there is nothing wrong with him except constant starvation.   He gained 2 kilos the first week, and 2 kilos the next week.  His final weight will probably be around 25 kilos.  Kali is about 2.5 years old. 

In his whole life he has known no love, no kindness – he has only known hunger and abuse.  Give Kali a bowl of water and he will drink it to the bottom…just in case there may not be water the next time.  It is heart-breaking that even water was a luxury. Despite this….Kali is gentle, and soft, he is living every day as if it was his first day, he is full of happiness and exploring his new freedom.  

He is a little shy, he is a little worried about what may happen, but you only have to speak to him kindly, reach out your hand, and Kali will come forward full of trust and hope.  He still loves people.

Kali is seeking his home.  A home where he is loved, treated with kindness, where his life can be one of happiness and joy.   Can you change Kali’s world?   Can you help Kali forget?

p.s. Kali is a very bad hunter!   He is too scared to run away…he much prefers to stay by your side.  And he is absolutely terrified of cats. 

For more photos of Kali please click “album“.

For a short month February has also been a busy month……

20 new animals arrived into our care, and 19 have been lucky enough to move on to new families.

In February we received 11 new adult dogs into our care for rehoming.  Our new arrivals have been some very sad cases, and some of the thinnest cases from the most extreme situations of abuse we have seen in a long time.  Many people will already know the sad stories of Freddy, Robin and Cinderella.  We have also had 4 other new arrivals, from an extreme situation of abuse (Olivia, Kali, Rani and Wesley), whom we cannot yet publicize.  Other adult dogs include the lovely Trevor, Rona, Oscar, as well as poor Tatyana who was returned by her new family through a complicated situation that was very sad, but the fault of no one.   Last, we have been caring for the lovely Tina for several months, but sadly her owner has passed away and so we have now posted her as available.  She is a lovely 7-year old Labrador. 

Surprisingly, we have received only 2 new puppies for rehoming.  A lovely low number which makes us very happy!  They are the adorable Yoyo and Maggie.  Happily both Yoyo and Maggie are already reserved for new families.    

But where we have been quiet with puppies, we have more than made up for with cats and kittens.  We have received 7 new cats into our care for rehoming.  Two lovely adult cats, Pele and Snowflake, and Pele has already been reserved for a new home abroad.   We also have 5 young adolescents (5-7 months) who are very lovely but still quite shy, so they are all in foster care and we will post their information once they gain their confidence.

So….20 new dogs, puppies, cats and kittens have arrived into our care and are now safe!

The Good News! 

We have happily rehomed 12 adult dogs.  6 found wonderful new families here in Portugal: Ella, Natasha, Dancer, Charlie, Evita and Biscuit, and we are so very happy with all these new homes families – as are the new owners!  And 6 found wonderful new homes in Germany: Billy, Missy, Fudge, Hilda, Polo, and Wendy.

We have rehomed 1 puppy – the adorable and very special Neboysa, who travelled to Germany.

And we have rehomed 6 cats and kittens.  The wonderful kitty kat Tac, who found a very special family here in Portugal, and travelling to Germany were cats Pequenina and Florence, and kittens Carlos, Lumpi and Callan.

So….19 new dogs, puppies, cats and kittens have moved on to new loving families both in Portugal and abroad. For more individual albums and photos of animals happily rehomed please click here.

The sad news!

At the beginning of the month Boris was put to sleep, an elderly abandoned boxer, this was the only humane option but it was an awful story and touched many of us deeply.  May he find his peace and the happiness he so deserves across the rainbow bridge.

Finally, and very sadly, as it is never a decision we make easily or lightly, Bubba was put to sleep.  We had spent many months trying to rehabilitate Bubba, sadly his fear of mankind was just too great and he lived every day in terror.  With no other option we contacted his sponsors and made this heart-breaking decision together

And Last!

For sterilizations…aside from all the new animals arriving into our care, we have also sterilized and returned 7 female cats and 3 female dogs.

We have also had some tremendously generous donations: food, bedding, toys and other things (especially from abroad) as well as monetary donations from our supporters. We thank everyone for their generosity, support and kindness on behalf of the animals.    

We are expecting a lot of activity in the next month, and a lot of very different types of projects are in the works.  It can often be disheartening, but we are also motivated to push for change by some of these saddest of cases.  And so we will keep doing as much as we possibly can to help as many as we possibly can.

Help us help.   Visit How To Donate or Contact us for more information.

Also visit 2012 In Review. 2011 In Review.  Or February Rehomed Special Photos.

For animal rescue in Portugal, the story of Robin is not an extra special story, it is just an everyday story, but to Robin it is the most important story in the world.

Robin is an adorable little dog.  At one point in his life Robin has been very much loved.  He has been taught to sit, he walks on the lead, he is wearing an expensive collar, he even has on a scalibur, but it is very old and stopped working many months before.  Since then Robin has become covered in flees, he has wounds over his neck, his head and ears from vicious ticks.  No one has loved Robin for a very long time. 

He is hungry.  For many months he has been hungry.  We think Robin had a family before, and perhaps they left him behind, perhaps the neighbours were supposed to care for him, and perhaps at first they did.  But then the months began to pass and Robin was forgotten about, he was kept in a garden he could not escape, often he was not fed.

Robin is only a year and a half.  He should weigh 15 kilos, he only weighs 10 kilos.  But because he has long fur, no one can see that his ribs are all showing, his hips are sticking out, he is only bones.

One day perhaps the gate was left open, and then Robin escaped.   He did not know where to go, so he just started running down the road, looking for food. 

Robin reached a town.  He would cross the streets trying to avoid the cars, but he always kept going.    He did not know where he was going, only that he was hungry and needed to find food.  He saw other dogs in gardens, he tried to go up the driveways, the dogs barked and growled at him, and Robin kept going.

When I saw Robin it was one of those days when you do not have the time, you do not have the space, but you know deep in your heart that you need to try for this little dog who looks so lost because if you do not then what is going to happen to him.  How sad he must be, how scared. 

The first time I stopped my car he looked at me, and kept going.  A few streets later I found him again.  Smarter this time I managed to get in front of his path, double parked in front of the Junta and emergency exit lane… there was no time to go anywhere else.  I jumped out the car and Robin kept coming towards me, he was ready to avoid me…until…. he smelled the food on offer.  Tuna!  (I had just been to the grocery store).

And Robin was so cautious, a little tuna on the ground that he eagerly liked up, even the juice.   A little more, a little closer to me.  Then eventually from my hand.  And it was all taken so gently, as starving as he was, he just gently picked it off my palm.  

Ready for the next step I slowly moved my hand to his neck but then Robin, very scared, snapped.  I tried again, he snapped again.  His neck was sore, it is covered in tick wounds, I was not to be trusted.  More tuna.  Then a lead (and it was my belt).  Robin eyed all this warily.   He got ready to run.  Then more tuna was offered, more hand feeding, a little pet and stroke.  Then very easily I was allowed to put the lead around his neck.

Prepared and ready for the fight when Robin felt the lead around his neck I was shocked.  He did not mind.  He happily came when I spoke to him and walked by my side.   From that moment on Robin was not the same dog who had snapped at me.

He sat behind me in the car eating lamb chop this time (remember I had just been to the store….) and by the time we arrived at the vet his head was peering over my seat rest next to my shoulder and enjoying a very gentle rub of his ear .  And Robin just looked at me.  There was no wagging tail, he was still definitely worried, but he had decided that I was to be trusted.  That wherever I would take him he was going to be ok.  He needed me, and yes I needed him, I needed to help him.  Help this one dog out of so many, because he is special, and although they all are, this is the one who crossed my path and this is the one whom I had the chance to help.

This is why we do this.  The purpose, the reason why,  is because when you look at the one dog or cat who you can help, when you finally win their trust, when they finally overcome whatever it is that has happened to them to look at you with love, with thanks, with wonder and happiness, you know that for them their whole world has just changed.

And so Robin hopped out the car with me and he walked through the door, and his future is now full of hope.   We will find him a special home and family who will love him, who will care for him, who will make sure he is never hungry, that he is never forgotten about, and who will always protect him.  He will never be that scared, hungry, tired dog who must just keep going.  Now all we need is to find that special ever after home and family for Robin.

Robin, after just being rescued.

For more photos and information about Robin please open Robin. 

Help us help.  To support Robin and many other dogs and cats, puppies and kittens facing the same fate as Robin please visit How to Donate. 

By Laura McGeoch, 28.02.2013

January saw the year get off to a super start, but already very busy.  25 new animals have arrived into our care, and 23 animals have moved on to their new loving families. 

In January, 8 new dogs have arrived into our care for rehoming, five are available and seeking new families and two have already been reserved for new homes.   We also had Scooby into our care for several weeks, he was neutered and cared for, and happily his family has now found him a far better place to live.   

Although it is not really kitten season, we have also had four kittens into our care, happily all were reserved and will be going to their new homes very soon. 

We have had 9 new puppies in to our care.  4 have found lovely new homes in Portugal and are already with their new families, 4 are happily reserved for new homes abroad and are currently in foster care.  And only sweet Perron,  who is a gorgeous little boy, remains available and seeking a lovely home of his own.

Mummy Honey and her 3 newborn puppies were found at a local school, and they are now all safe in foster care.  Once the puppies are old enough they will be posted as available and mummy will be sterilized and returned to her owner.

So…25 new dogs, puppies and kittens have arrived into our care! 

The good news.  

We have happily rehomed 8 adult dogs.  Two travelled to Germany, and 6 have found lovely new homes here in Portugal.  We also have new reservations for three adult dogs, Boby, Fudge and Ella, and they will move to their new homes hopefully in February.  For more individual albums and photos of individual animals newly available or now reserved please click here.

We have rehomed one adult cat (the lovely and very sweet natured Glee).   

And we have rehomed 14 puppies.  11 went abroad to new homes (some had been in our care since they were only 4 or 5 weeks) and 4 puppies  found lovely new homes in Portugal.   

So……23 dogs, puppies and cat have moved on to new loving families both in Portugal and abroad.  For more individual albums and photos of animals happily rehomed please click here.

The sad news.  

Nix was put to sleep by the vet due to health reasons.  And also the very sad story of Boris, who was brought into our care but also put to sleep by the vet again due to health reasons.  May both these gentle dogs find forever peace and happiness.

And as 2013 has already gotten off to a very busy start, we have several new projects we are working on, including an expansion of our sterilization voucher program which we plan to move forward with in February.   We have welcomed many new dog walkers (thank you all), and everyone is more than welcome to join us any Tuesday or Friday afternoon between 14:30 and 17:00 hours.  We are also actively looking for volunteers to help with fundraising campaigns, as 25 new animals in…and 23 out…. It is all rather expensive and we need help to continue.  

Let’s see what the next month brings.

Contact us for more information or visit How To Donate.

2012 In Review. 2011 In Review.

Update February 26, 2013:

Bailey

Well it is happy news for Honey’s puppies. Now about 6-7 weeks old they have been named Bailey, Toffee and Miel.  They are wonderful little puppies, very happy, friendly, social, outgoing and adorable.  And happily all three are reserved for new homes.  Bailey has a new home here in Portugal, and Toffee and Miel have new homes in Germany.   They are still too young to move to their new homes and remain in the loving hands of their foster family.

Miel

Honey is a lovely dog, very sweet natured, friendly.  She was separated from the puppies and sterilized February 19th.  Since then she has been staying at our rehoming centre until she properly recovers and will be going back to her owner and the school very soon.

Toffee

For more photos of the puppies, please visit our animals reserved.

Original Post Jan 29, 2013:

Two weeks ago, during a school run, we were shocked to run into a very sweet, loving mummy dog in the parking lot of the Escola Internacional Sao Lourenco.  A few inquiries later and it  was a call to action…..This lovely dog, called Honey, belongs to a neighbour, unfortunately though he is not the most attentive of owners, although Honey does seem happy and unlike so many she does have her freedom and a safe place to live. 

So immediately realizing the problem, and not wanting to leave the puppies where they were, we offered to take Honey and puppies in to our care.  One of the teachers crawled under the cabins to bring the puppies out, and mummy and puppies were taken immediately to the vet. 

The puppies were only new born, and sadly they were not doing very well in the cold nights, without proper care or nutrients.  After several days only three puppies survived, as even with proper food Honey did not have enough milk to care for so many puppies.

Honey and the three puppies (2 girls and 1 boy) are now in the loving hands of a volunteer foster family.  They have just opened their eyes!  So we think their date of birth is about January 15.   Once they are a little older they will be posted as available and will need to find loving homes and families of their own. 

Mummy Honey will also be sterilized before she is brought back to her owner, so as there are no more unwanted puppies born.  And this will mean that Honey can live a far longer and happier life without having to struggle to care for litter after litter of puppies.  

But our thanks go to the school, for their understanding of the situation in Portugal.  For knowing that while they also must care for the students, Honey was a gentle girl and she and her puppies also deserved a chance to find safety, to find food, and proper care.  Many other businesses, schools, restaurants would have simply called the munipal camara…. And for Honey and her puppies that would have been a death sentence…

So we are more than glad to help, this is what we do, and here is hoping that the puppies will all soon find special loving homes. 

To be able to respond like this, to help Honey and her puppies, to care for the puppies, provide food, vaccinate and most importantly sterilize Honey…it all costs money.  In total Honey and puppies will cost approximately 250 euros (food, Honey’s sterilization, wormers, vaccines).  To donate either food or money please visit  how to donate.  A collection tin is also at the local school and all money received into this tin will go towards the care of honey and her puppies.  To make a donation via the website for Honey and puppies please just reference “honey” to any payments made by paypal, transfer, or cheque.

We will keep all updates, money raised, and the future of Honey and puppies updated on the website or facebook!

Please help us keep helping!

For the complete photo album please click here.