NEWSLETTERS
| Click the blue links for a short cut to some (not all) of the articles enclosed |
| August 2010 - Podenco tragedy -Another tragic waste of life due to ignorance and general attitude... |
| August 2010 - Toro - He was born in March 2007 and as with many Spanish dogs after a while the novelty... |
| August 2010 - Cartama hell update - The property was being used for breeding animals and by selling... |
| August 2010 - 3 more catteries at our home - Due to the amount of homeless cats, we are converting... |
July 2010 - Champ's Story - He was found in the middle of the Alora by-pass, traumatised, starving, full of... |
July 2010 - T.O.P.S Rock N' Roll 1960's night - On the 17th July 2010 T.O.P.S. Held a Rock N' roll evening... |
| May 2010 - Chico - On the evening of 26th May 2010 we received a phone call from one of our supporters... |
| May 2010 - Sponsorded Walk with Dogs around Monda village - What a great Saturday with total of 44... |
April 2010 - Our new shop opp Mercadona in Alhaurin el Grande - officially opened on April 26th. The... |
| March 2010 - Leishmania Victim - Bless her heart this sorrowful looking Podenco female dog was found... |
| March 2010 - Cartama hell - On Wednesday evening 17th March Janice from A.I.D. received a phone call... |
| January 2010 - Kennels - Finally the much needed kennels in our small refuge are up and running... |
| November 2009 - Lina has found a home - It was a hot day in mid June of this year when Janice and Joe of... |
Podenco tragedy.
Another tragic waste of life due to ignorance and general attitude towards animals. When will all this suffering ever end?
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On Thursday 19th August A.I.D. we received a call about a dog that had collapsed in someone’s' property under a bush. The dogs' condition sounded bad so Janice met the people and the dog at the local vets to see what could be done. This poor female Podenco must have been starving for a long time and had a large deep wound on his side, which was septic and under the loose skin were loads of maggots. The dog basically was rotting in that area. Upon further inspection by the vet he described the symptoms as follows: As well as the obvious wound and starvation the dog was suffering from leishmania, Elichia, leptospirosis and as the problems were so multiple and severe, the vet sadly decided that the dog should be humanly put to sleep. This dog was fortunate so to speak. Rest in peace.
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August 2010
Toro
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Toro was born in March 2007 and as with many Spanish dogs after a while the novelty wears off and the dog is a hindrance and simply gets ignored until one day the owner decides to get rid of it by dumping it or put it to sleep. This last option is usually unlikely as some owners won’t even spend the money to put a dog to sleep humanly.
The owner of Toro came with him into our charity shop crying and saying that she could not keep him as she had developed an allergy. It's amazing the amount of people that in the last two years have developed dog allergy don’t you think?. Jan from A.ID happen to be there and after a long sobbing story from the owner it was a case of we either took him into our care or ste owner was going to dump Toro in the countryside. She has not once returned to our shop to see how Toro is doing. So much for her beloved pet.
We made space for him at our small refuge and placed him with two other small dogs in a kennel until we could possibley find space in one of our foster homes but all three got on great in their kennel. This is a sweet little dog that just wanted love and kindness and you hardly know he was there.
Toro was lucky as our friend who helps us now and then to send dogs to Germany sent his photo to a family that wanted a small friendly dog and it so happens that the grandmother in the family had previously lost a dog through old age. When Toro arrived he went straight away to the grandmother and followed her all around the house. You could say that Toro had landed on his feet but it's more like he landed in the old girls basket as he goes with her everywhere in her now called 'The Toro-mobile'.
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Update on Cartama Hell
Click here for the March Newsletter on this story
Addition of 3 more catteries at our home.
Many thanks to Joann & Brian Parsons for the donation lots of aviary panels to help the animals.
Due to the amount of homeless cats, we are converting these panels into 3 temporary catteries adjoining our existing one at home, which we hope they will be ready to be used by mid August.
As we have not been able to get volunteers or free materials, we will be using part of the funds raised at the Rock N' Roll evening by T.O.P.S. to pay for the labour and materials needed to finish this new project.
Champ's Story
He was found in the middle of the Alora by-pass, traumatised, starving, full of ticks and one ear had been cut off with scissors or knife and the other ear was full of ticks. Had a pain on his side probably from a kick. He was full of worms and intestinal parasites, which made him very ill. He is now on the road to recovery and is a gentle quiet pup. Gets on well with other dogs and cats
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I was found in the middle of the road traumatised |
one of my ears was cut off and the other full of ticks |
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My body was covered with loads of ticks |
I am recovering after all my treatments |
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I feel much better now and starting to trust |
I might only have one ear but dont you think I am handsome? |
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A BIG THANK YOU TO T.O.P.S.
On the 17th July 2010 T.O.P.S. Held a Rock N' roll evening with a meal as well as entertainment to raise money for our A.I.D. charity. The event, which was organised by Mike & Cath Bradley of T.O.P.S. took place at Lynn and Kevin's home at Finca La Luna and we wish to also thank them for being such great hosts. We also wish to thank eveyone else involved, the singers and the people that cooked all the food. It all came together to make this a great evening, which raised a total of 1300 euros for our charity. This much needed funding has gone directly to our latest project, which is the installation of a biological tank as well as other items connected with it. See photos of the event here
CHICO - Found just in time.
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This is Chico - On the evening of 26th May 2010 we received a phone call from one of our supporters . Chico was found near the timber yard 'Maderas Menur' in Coin. He was in a hedge cuddled up to his dead sibling, starving, dehydrated, suffering from scabies, covered in ticks and flees, his legs were just skin on top of bone and his belly full of worms. After a day at our local vet, we took him to one of our foster homes for personal care as he has to have medicine and special baths. We keep our fingers crossed on his slow road to recovery. The photos were taken 24 later in our foster home. This sort of thing is one of the many sad cases that we have to deal with on a very regular basis. Chico's recovery will be slow and hopefully in the near future he will be a normal and healthy puppy that one day might find a loving home. CHICO a few weeks later |
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8th May 2010
7Km Sponsorded Walk with Dogs around Monda village:
A big thank you to Roy from The Mortgage Service Group for leading the walk and for his support. |
which included rescue dogs from the A.I.D. refuge in Coin. The walkers raised a total of just over 1300 euros, which will go 100% to the stray/abandoned animals that we rescue and help. The walk took 1.5 hours, the weather was lovely, the scenery around Monda was superb, the dogs all behaved and got on with each other very well and at the end of the walk there was bowls of water for the dogs while the owners refreshed themseves with a cold beer.
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setting off . |
walkers from ojen with our rescued dogs . |
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along the lanes . |
refreshing dip . |
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end of the walk . |
back to the refuge . |
Our new shop opp Mercadona in Alhaurin el Grande officially opened on April 26th.
The opening day was a fabulous with lots of new faces and great support form our regulars. The shop is continuing to grow and we have a great selection of very good quality items to help animals
March 2010
Our two shops in Alhaurin el Grande are CLOSING DOWN
27 Blas Infante (opposite Brit Essentials) will close as from 1st of April 2010
76 Gerald Brenan (Camino de Malaga) will close as from 1st May 2010
Visit our new shop
We hope to see you at our new shop, which will be opened by mid April 2010
Located at - Carretera de Cartama No.34
It is in Alhaurin el Grande on the opposite pavement to Mercadona, between what was Mrs Chippy and near Lauro Vet Hospital.
Thank you all for your past support and hope to see you at the new shop.
Bless her heart - This sorrowful looking Podenco female dog was found on the side of the road by one of our foster homes. Many people knew she was there but no one did anything about it. When we arrived she hardly had the strength to move. She had given up! She was a victim to the all too common disease Leishmaniasis, which is rampant in Andalucia. She must have been suffering for a very long time to look like she did. She had open sores all over her body, possibly blind or little vision and her ears were completed eaten away by theLeishmania. Some of her wounds were so bad that they had maggots in them. On the advice from our local vet she was put to sleep. May she rest in peace now. Click here to read about Leishmaniasis.
Our two shops in Alhaurin el Grande are closing for good
27 Blas Infante (opposite Brit Essentials) will close as from 1st of April 2010
76 Gerald Brenan (Camino de Malaga) will close as from 1st May 2010
Visit our new shop
We hope to see you at our new shop, which will be opened by mid April 2010.
34 Carretera de Cartama.
It is located in Alhaurin el Grande on the opposite pavement to Mercadona, between what was Mrs Chippy and near Lauro Vet Hospital.
Thank you all for your past support and hope to see you at the new shop.
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ANIMAL HELL NEAR CARTAMA
On Wednesday evening 17th March Janice from A.I.D. received a phone call from a friend in Sexmo, Cartama, Malaga about her concern for a large number of animals that seem to have been left unattended for 2 - 3 weeks and which she had been feeding the last couple of days (little did they both know what was about to unfold), The following morning Janice arrived with a foster home (Peter & Ann) and they were going take away a few chickens and five rabbits (so they thought).
This is as Janice describes what she found - 
This place could only be described a rag and bones come builders yard. The town hall vet arrived shortly after we got there and apparently he had been there with the police the previous day. The vet said to us 'Have you seen the pigs and the dogs?' I then proceeded to an inner court yard full of rubbish and derelict buildings, where I found two pot bellied pigs (one was a pregnant female), two dogs chained inside a filthy pig pen and three puppies running around loose . The vet said that the owner was a drug addict and had gone to jail for 10 years and that I could take whatever animals I wanted to save and then he left? As we entered it became obvious that there was something else on the right hand side, this turned out to be another made up shack, which contained another load of rabbits. To our left was a load of rubbish, sinks and baths, which we climbed trough and led to a ramshackled area only to find more chickens, a bantem and a duck. We put them into a large dog carrier and into the car.
This hell hole was littered with rubbish and mountains of clothes. We were fighting our way through, we found filthy cages with green moulded bread, which also contained remains of long dead animals, we entered a room full of rubbish of every description and a wall full of small dark enclosures that contained live rabbits. We had to climb up some containers to reach the rabbits on the top enclosures. As we investigated further we came across 4 bird cages with 3 live zebra finches amongst several decomposing bodies. I then pushed my way into another room, which on one side had piles of sheep's wool and old fridges an rabbit hatches with rabbits that had been dead for a long time and then went into another derelict area, which had what looked like sword fish heads hanging from a beam. There were other rabbithatches but there was only one live rabbit as the others were dead so Pete took the rabbit back to where they had boxed up other rabbits.
I went on and came a across a filthy made up glass enclosure 
full of rubbish and on sliding up the front, I found inside a starving Iguana of about 1m long and very weak on it's back legs. I phoned Bill a friend of mine, which I knew would be interested and he came very quickly to collect the Iguana. On his arrival he was so discussed and shocked at what he saw that he stayed to help us. We then went into the area where the pigs wereand there was another dark area full of made up pens containing live rabbits. Next to that was another door and when I opened it I found rows of 25lt plastic containers with the tops cut out and a whole made on the side for a water container to go into. The bottom of the containers was full of shucks and fur, which is all that remained from long dead hamsters, which is where they lived. We pulled out 8-10 hamsters but one died in my hands on the way to the car.
We run out of things to put animals in so we put water down for the animals as well as grass that we cut and a few carrots from a neighbour and we also fed and watered the pigs and dogs. My van was full of animals and could not take anymore so we left everything as we thought with food and water. The following day Friday 19th March we returned to pick up the remaining rabbits and I had another look at the previous areas again and found a door that had been overlooked and had a bar across it, which gave me a terrible feeling. I entered and found the floor littered with rubbish and dead carcasses of guinea pigs. Five guinea pigs were still alive as well as a white rabbit, all very thin. There were other containers in there with dead animals inside.
We returned to where there were some large top 
loading freezers that we had not looked at and when we slid the lid across the smell was overpowering. One of the freezer was not turned on and inside it was nearly full of a black liquid, which was the result of loads of decaying carcasses. We opened another freezer which was working and it was full of dead guinea pigs, which at a later dated could have probably been skinned for the fur trade to make the little kitten and cats in a basket that you find on the coast for the tourist trade and looks like this animals could have been bred to raise money for the drug trade. This was something that I was dreading but expecting to find.
While I was still in the premises I phoned Heart fm radio station and they put out an urgent appeal for homes for the surviving animals and also for rabbit hatches.
The rest of my day was spent looking for homes and between us we managed to home the surviving guinea pigs and some of the rabbits. I took the three puppies to the vets as they were full of ticks and needed to be checked over. The puppies have since gone to my friend's rescue centre in Fuengirola and one has found a home already.
On Monday 22nd of March a kind Spanish gentleman will be arriving with a horse box and we have contacted several volunteers to give us a hand to load up the pigs as they are about 40 - 50 kg each and we don’t know how they will react.
On a last note: Unfortunately and we are very sad to 
say this type of rescue is not uncommon and as you go further Inland all types of animals suffer from this sort of conditions.
This tragedy has had an impact on all that have been involved in the rescue as they did not realise that this sort of thing was happening and also so close to home.
On behalf of all these poor little souls Jan & Joe from Animals In Distress wish to thank all the people involved in this case, which includes Pete & Ann, Linda, Bill & Vee, Amanda, our associate friend Pat from F.A.M.A. dog rescue, Concordia from CYD Santa Maria horse rescue and Heartfm radio. Everyone was wonderful in what they did.
Can you give a rabbit a home? Please contact us: animalsindistress2007@yahoo.co.uk or telephone Janice on 619 377 787
See more photos
Rubbish every where |
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. Some of the dead rabbits and hamsters |
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. Some of the rescued animals |
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February 2010
We are grateful to our three volunteers Chloe (British), Marina and Tamara (Spanish), which are helping at the refuge during their school holidays and at weekends.
We are desperate for more volunteers to help walk, feed and clean the dogs every day.
January 2010
Finally the much needed kennels in our small refuge are up and running. To see lots of photos of the kennels Click here
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A volunteer from France - We want to thank the Association Ribida (Located in France) for kindly sending us one of their students for a few days to help out at our new kennels. Ribida has a base in Southern Spain teaching students from 14 - 21 years old all aspects of Andalucia.
Photo of the student Davy with Ben & Dillon at our kennels
December 2009
LINA - UPDATE!!!
Earlier this month, December ’09, Lina set off on her long, road journey from the south of Spain to the UK. She has now settled in nicely with her new owner and other rescue dogs for company. Lina now lives in a remote area away from traffic and noise which suits her nervous disposition but is regularly walked to the shops in the village where she has become a local celebrity and has won the hearts of everybody.
From the day she was found lying in a ditch so many people have helped this wonderful girl to get her mentally and physically back to some normality before she could be re-homed. Lina has touched many hearts in Spain and I am sure she will be missed by all those involved but now they can smile with maybe a tear in their eye, as indeed I have, in the knowledge that Lina, now called Nina, is “home” I hope to add an updated photo of her very soon.
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November 2009
Kennels - Our much needed dog kennels should be finished early December, click here
Lina (white dog) has found a home! (click to see Lina when found)
It was a hot day in mid June of this year when Janice and Joe of “Animals In Distress” received a desperate call for help. Twenty miles away in Fuengirola, Malaga, an animal volunteer, had been walking her own dogs near one of the many golf courses when she came across a heartbreaking sight. There half laid in a ditch of water was Lina, as she was to be called.
A middle aged girl with a badly sun scorched, dirty, white coat, starving and dehydrated. She was too exhausted to run any more and looked at the volunteer with eyes that broke your heart. Lina was desperately thin, her ribs and spine protruding badly but she was also heavily pregnant. The volunteer stayed with her talking gently to her and comforting her assuring her that help was on its way.
When Janice and Joe arrived they were appalled at what they saw and knew that time was running out for Lina. She was gently lifted into their vehicle and taken straight to their Vet who carried out an ultrasound and various other tests. She was too weak to give birth on her own and so an emergency caesarean operation was carried out including being spayed so that she wouldn’t have to endure another major operation at a later date.
It was hoped that Lina would have enough strength to carry her through this ordeal and not give up on life completely. She had so many people praying for her. To have come this far she didn’t deserve to bow out of life now. It was of no surprise due to the size of Lina that there were 16 puppies but sadly all of them died within a few hours. If Lina couldn’t find food and water for herself then how could she possibly provide for those little ones that she was carrying?
Lina was also causing great concern as she was very poorly and had to stay in “hospital” for several days undergoing more tests as there were further complications for her. Had it all just been too much for her?
Day by day Lina started to regain her strength. She trusted those around her because she knew they were there to help and not to abuse. A foster home was already lined up for her and three weeks after her ordeal she was well enough to be taken to a Dog Parlour. Her coat was in a terrible, neglected state through months of being homeless.
At first she was unsure of her status at her foster home. She wasn’t used to being allowed inside and thought her place was outside only. She didn’t want to presume anything. I can relate to this because this is exactly how Lady reacted when I first found her and brought her home. I don’t think she’d ever seen inside a house!
Lina’s trust in humans has grown and grown which is amazing really when it is apparent that she has known little, if any, love. Every time a visitor arrives her head and tail lifts up ready to give them a warm welcome. She loves interacting with other dogs and cats that share the same foster home.
Slowly Lina’s character is developing much to everybody’s delight, even if it is a little cheeky at times! She loves to eat her food in her own box where she feels secure although she shows no protectiveness towards it. Every day, as her confidence grows, another sweet side of her comes out.
Because Lina is only in a foster home she has appeared on A.I.D. web site hoping for someone to come forward to adopt her and give her a permanent home. A lady in the UK that has always been involved in helping animals saw Lina and her heart went out to her when she saw that she needed a permanent home. So much so, that she decided to adopt Lina in order to give her the quality of life she deserves for her last remaining years.
Lina will be embarking on her long journey to the UK in December to be united with her new owner by private transport from door to door. I’m sure there will be many tears shed when this day arrives, more out of happiness than sadness, because Lina has touched so many hearts and truly deserves to be kept warm, safe and secure with as much love as she can take for the rest of her days.
Had the volunteer not found her in the first place; had Janice and Joe not responded to her call for help then I would not be having this opportunity to write about Lina. Too many dogs are abandoned and left to face the cruel elements and survive on their own. Their chance of survival is so small. Lina is one of many, many dogs that Janice and Joe have helped over the years. You can read more about them in the Category “Animal Organisations” under A.I.D. along with the link to their web site. Maybe you too could step forward to adopt one of their dogs? Or maybe you could see your way to a donation? Every dog that is rescued incurs a Vets fee, either for blood tests, for sterilisation, or because it has been injured. Lina’s Vet bill was €500 which was kept low out of the kindness of the Vet’s heart.
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July 2009
What a month!!!!
More people having to return to the UK and they cant afford to put their animals in kennels for 6 months, if only they could think ahead? You only need to have a blood sample once and “All vaccinations have to be kept in date there after for the blood test to remain valid”. Your animal can then travel back with you at short notice.
At present we are not able to take on any more animals (Dogs or Cats) so if you find an animal we ask to follow the notes in here.
Just last week 8 puppies dumped in a cupboard box (now in our foster home) and two days ago we had to find room for these four pups (now in our own home) 2 mastin cross, one with no tail and one with half a tail. The other two are gundog cross type.
June 2009
Here are two of many stories in June
This is Lina. She is an old girl that was found in a ditch of water by an animal volunteer, heavily pregnant and starving. A.I.D.was called out and took her to the local vet. 12 hours later she had a caesarian operation, which saved her live. She gave birth to 16 pups, which most died within hours due to some of the symptoms that she had and could have passed on? Three of the pups looked like they could have survived but the following morning they disappeared and we think that Lina ate them as they could not be found.
Photos of Lina one week after her operation. Look at those eyes! What stories could she tell! Is there anyone out there with a big heart that can give this old girl a loving home?
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Gomez a noble dog from Toledo
Two ladies contacted us at A.I.D. One of the Ladies is from the UK and one lives locally. They heard about the plight of Gomez and sent us the enclosed letter.
Gomez is a 2 or 3 years old cocker spaniel size doggie used to be so happy. His family, an old man who used to take long walks with him every day ( they especially loved the park, where Gomez used to joyfully play and jump) loved him and Gomez loved him back with the loyalty and blind faith only animals and few people feel. But the man suddenly died and Gomez was thrown out into the streets to fend for himself. Since then he does not stop looking for his old man everywhere, when other dogs attack him he does not resist (see one of his wounds in the picture No 3, he cares about nothing except to find his family, and gets weaker and weaker. Are we going to let him die in the streets? He is in grave danger of being killed by dogs or men!.
We have enough on our hands here in Coin and local villages but as full as we are with lack of space in our foster homes, how could we let Gomez down. He is now under our temporay care at A.I.D. waiting for a good and loving permanent home. Can anyone help?
May 2009
On the 30th April 2009 we closed our shop at 12 Plaza Alta,
Alhaurin el Grande (by the Town Hall).
We relocated and opened on the 4th May at 27 Gerald Brenan (The Parade) by Brit Essentials.
We have video tapes, clothes, shoes, bric-a-brac and all sorts of household items.
Open 10am - 2pm Monday - Saturday
Help us to help the animals
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APRIL 2009
Just had to show this follow up!!!!!
Ref: August newsletter:
Missy was a 10-week old Podenco Andaluz with lovely
green eyes and I had to climb up a mountain and down
to a riverbed to get to her. Lost and frightened now
happy and confident and like so many she was looking
for a kind and loving secure home.
She was homed at the end of January 2009 to a nice
couple that came all the way from Holland to see her
and get to know her and one week later they took her
back with them.
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| 24.04.09
Photos of Missy relaxing
on the owners week-end boat. She is now 10 months old and has turned out to be a beautiful dog with lots of characted. Good luck with her new life! I love a happy ending, don't you? |
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MARCH 2009
NEW DOG KENNELS
Due to the amount of homeless animals that are coming into our care, we now need to expand.
We have the opportunity to build six dog kennels and one for cats on a plot of land in Coin, as temporary homes for the animals.
We urgently need funds for this project so please help us to help the animals.
Donations can be made at the ‘Heart fm radio’ office in Alhaurin el Grande (near Britt Essentials) Also directly to us by credit card via this link:
http://www.animals-in-distress.eu/Projects.html
"ACCOMMODATION"
If anyone has a caravan that they are not using, it would be very gratefully received. We need it as accommodation for someone to live on the plot and keep an eye on the animals.
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| Foxie - A happy ending. Here he is a few weeks later with his new owners. They met him at the airport in Holland. Foxie was rescued during bad rains. (See The article below) |
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FEBRUARY 2009
Mum and 10 pups found in the rain and full of mud.
Wow 10 pups!
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A miserable morning raining as had been all night. We were just about to go out to take two of our stray dogs to the vets for castration, when we received a phone call from Concordia of the CYD Animal Sanctuary for ill treated and/or abandoned horses. Concordia had come across a mum and ten pups living in very bad conditions and telephoned us. Jan (from Animals In Distress) rushed out to find ten pups all cuddled up in a heap sitting in water on the floor of a leaking dog house. Two of the pups had fallen out and were underneath a wooden pallet huddled together shivering in the mud. The mum was on a chain outside soaking wet and full of mud up to her belly and I guess every time she went in two feed the pups, some would have been pulled out of the box by the mum’s chain. We found out from the neighbour that was feeding the dogs that they seldom saw the owner of the plot. The neighbours supplied us with his phone number and after a long discussion with him Jan took the animals away. All of the dogs are now been cared for and are up for homing. |
Cat Enclosure in Coin
This is the new enclosure built for rescued cats that need a 'temporary home'.
It was constructed on the 25th February 2009 by A.I.D. with funds raised from one of the
charity events. Each box sleeps 2 cats
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| 2m x 4m | cat litter & toys |
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| Inspecting our new temporay home | Lid off - showing top sleeping area |
Confessions of a New Foster Mummy!
Having spent the best part of my first year in Spain settling in my children into Spanish school, I decided to do something "worth while" with my time, but what to do? My hubby and I went for a coffee in Alhaurin el Grande and came across the A.I.D shop, so in I went and met Jan and my fate was sealed! I left my details on Wednesday lunch time and "the call" came that evening about "Ben" a small dog who had been attacked by another dog and was in the vets having his wounds dressed and being "castrated". Jan arrived with this scared little dog with stitches and wounds and "tablets!" How do you give a dog tablets? Oh well I was about to learn and quickly. Jan left and it was now up to me and I was determined to do a good job, little did I know just what tricks dogs know, they’re cleverer than children!
First day I leave Ben to do the school run and come home to find Ben sitting on the road outside my house! He had jumped out of my kitchen window! My heart was beating so hard, how on earth could I have phoned Jan and explained I’d lost the first dog on the first day! Next day was Saturday but all the windows were firmly shut. My children took Ben for a walk and a frantic phone call coz Ben had cut his paw so I cleaned him up just like a child! He didn’t like the bandage though! Sunday morning my daughter leaves the door open and Ben does a runner and we end up chasing him up the road, I have certainly got fitter through Ben. Shutting the kitchen window was fine but I forgot about the toilet one and yep you guessed it, there was Ben on Monday morning sitting on the road waiting for me again!, I swear he is laughing at me and challenging me to outwit him. Tuesday, all windows and doors shut and YES I win he is inside the house when I return so I reward him by taking to the school to see the children. He is most intrigued by the guinea pig and sits licking his lips but doesn’t touch her and gets on well with the one eyed cat or else he bats him on the nose! That’s the gossip up to now, So although quite challenging it is very rewarding watching this timid little dog change in front on my eyes into a cheeky chap who now needs a loving home. I am glad that Jan didn’t know my secrets or she'd have never trusted me with anything, so Jan don’t read it.
Love "a little more experienced foster mummy" xxx
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JANUARY 2009
This month has been horrendous.
The majority of phone calls and emails that we have received (from all over Andalucia) are from owners , which are returning to the UK and leaving their beloved pets behind for all sorts of reasons but mainly due to lack of funds.
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Homes in Holland and Belgium
We now have strong contacts for homing animals in Holland and Belgium and have found lovely homes for our dogs and cats. In January we managed to home a total of 40 animals here and abroad.
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DECEMBER 2008
This year we managed to find homes for over 270 animals.
This figure included dogs, cats and others
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Are you abandoning the Spanish Dream - What about your Pet?
All rescues are sinking under the weight of abandoned animals especially from people going back to England, either because they have taken on so many animals out here that it would be impossible to take back with their new home situation or because they simply did not plan on going back and their animals were not ready to go with them.
(photo of Jan from A.I.D. with 'Lady' yet another pet abandoned by English owners returning to UK)
A little forethought can sometimes resolve most cases.
Please remember that before your dog can be taken to England it will need a Rabies jab and a Blood sample taken. One month after the rabies jab the vet has to take a blood sample and then six months after the sample your pet should be able to travel back to England.
We realise that for some people it would simply be impossible to take their animals back but some owners really send a chill down my spine when they phone us and say:
“If you don’t take it I will just leave it behind or put it down”
One owner said; “Well he is not really my dog I found it in the Campo” and when I asked him when did he find it, he replied “three years ago”.
Like most rescues our work is for abandoned, neglected and starving animals, not for peoples unwanted pets. It is also sad to see cats abandoned by these same owners as they seem to think that a pet cat will fend for itself.
The other day we picked up a Boxer, which is only a few years old and it was obvious that he previously had a home but for whatever reason (it’s beyond me) he had been abandoned. He had the look of a dog that had given up, the eyes said it all. One of our helpers gave it food for a couple of days and then when he was approachable we took him in. He is a lovely boy and has now started to play and enjoy the company of other dogs and people and is now looking for a new home
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Max & Tobby - We found two young dogs in a drain pipe, which had come together for warmth and protection from the weather. They are sweet and friendly little dogs and we have hopes that a couple of nice people that came to us looking for a dog the other day will keep them both as they are such lovely mates.
If you feel you could temporarily foster an animal or give it a permanent home?
Please phone Janice on 619 377 787.
Can you help?
We need your old blankets, towels and sheets for our foster homes. Please take them to any of our charity shops in Alhaurin el Grande, 12 Plaza Alta (near the Town Hall) or 76 Gerald Brenan (200mts past Martins newsagents) or if you are local, we can collect them.
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A New Animals In Distress Shop opens in Alhaurin el Grande
A.I.D. opened their second Charity Shop to help Stray/Abandoned animals on Monday 1st December at 76 Gerald Brenan, Alhaurin el Grande.
Nearly 100 supporters as well as passers by visited the shop between 10am & 2pm.
The official opening/cutting of the tape was by Amy Winehouse Experience (Pippa from the T.P.S. Magazine). Hearfm 88.2 the ‘brand new radio station’ (fantastic new supporters of A.I.D.) provided great music during the opening and also live commentary on the latter part of the day.
Jan & Joe cannot thank enough all the supporters and volunteers for all their help.
A.I.D says: Our Charity as well as other organisations needs help and support to protect as many animals as possible especially at this moment in time as the ‘Job Crisis’ worsens and the animals are being abandoned by their owners and left to fend for themselves. The sad thing is that a significant part of this problem is the extra volume created by Britt’s giving up the Spanish Dream and returning home without their “Much loved Pets”.
The Dog Pounds, Rescue Centres/Charities as well as the individual kind persons that do such valuable work to help rescue and home abandoned animals have never had their hands so full.
As we write, we have just been notified of the safe arrival of three abandoned cats, which we sent to new owners in England and are now settling in nicely in their new homes.
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NOVEMBER 2008
Further news on Anita (See September newsletter):
Anita the mum that had been shot & wounded and had her 8 pups under a tree (two of which had died) is doing great. She as well as 3 of her pups are off to Germany soon.
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(Anita now healthy and in Germany
with her three pups) |
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Dog enclousers & Exercise run in Cartama
Renovation work carried out with the funds raised at the
Annual Charity Posh Pets Fun Dog Show & Pet Race
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| The old chicken run | The old pidgeon housing | New portable exercise run |
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OCTOBER 2008
Thank you to Posh Pets Spain
Posh Pets in Alhaurin el Grande held their 3rd Annual fun Dog Show and Pet Race on the 5th October.
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Every year Posh Pets Spain (in Alhaurin el Grande) hold a Fun Dog Show & Pet race to help animals here in Andalucia with all proceeds going to a charity. We at Animals-In-Distress (A.I.D.) are very honoured and very grateful to have been chosen for 2008. We were involved in the event, which was held on the 5th October and we know the great amount of effort that is needed to hold such an event and on behalf of all the stray/abandoned animals that we help we want to thank Rachel and her team. We want to thank all the volunteers, stalls, the businesses that sponsored all the dog classes and the 380 people plus children and pets that turned up to make this a wonderful day and helped to raise nearly 2000 euros for our charity. Dave and the team our sponsors from ACEFM106.8 Radio for inland Andalucia, were live at the event providing great music and chat throughout the whole day for the different classes in the dog show and we thank them for their support yet again. Businesses and individual that sponsored the dog classes: Villapac - Santiago Restaurant - Bedlinen Direct - Spanish Mortgage Brokers – Spiritwood - Duncan and Pete - Scott the Plumber - My Butterfly Bliss – Elegancia - Witham Brothers - Brit Essentials - Lemon Tree - Bars in Spain - Papeleria Cristina - Posh Pets |
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SEPTEMBER 2008
Neglect and abandonment
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We have had very sad cases of neglect and abandonment, English people included. Two pups died but six had survived.The mum and the one week old pups came to us and we are now getting them all on the road to recovery. |
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Five, one week old Yorky cross puppies found in a cupboard box have been successfully hand rear.
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We have had lots of mums and kittens found in boxes and dustbins this Year.
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We have also returned some lost dogs to their owners because they had a micro chip.
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We have homed 30 animals this August.
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Our fund raising has to continue so that we can help more animals.
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HANDBAG THEFT
2pm Tuesday 23rd Sept. Lidl's Car park - Coin
A handbag was taken from a car at Lidl's Car park while shopping was being loaded on. It belonged to Janice from the Charity Animals In distress. Apart from loosing her driving license, mobile phone visa and debit card, which a block was put on straight away.
Janice also lost her agenda in her handbag with lots of contact numbers regarding animal work, but the most important thing she lost was money that she had with her to pay animal bills and to purchase food etc for them.
This is tragic and Janice is devastated. She feels very bad because not only does she work 24/7 to try to raise money but also the hard work that her volunteers always put in.
So people beware as this sort of thing is typical in supermarket car parks and Janice was well aware of this, which goes to show how crafty these thief's can be.
'Never think ‘Oh well, it won't happen to me'
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AUGUST 2008
There are so many little souls discarded like rubbish every year.
We are a small Charity looking after the welfare of Stray/Abandoned animals in this part of Andalucia.
We have some wonderful supporters and volunteers and our small network foster homes are indispensable, as we do not have a dog centre with Kennels. The work they do on the animals is wonderful bringing many back from the edge and giving them the confidence that they are lacking to bring out their characters.
Like e.g. Lexi the boxer from the local wood yard who nobody wanted or cared about, her last puppy dead at her side (poisoned) and no one noticed.
She is now spayed and in one of our foster homes enjoying the care, comfort and security she deserves.
Flanagan a 4 week old Brown and white puppy and the only survivor from a bag being thrown out onto the roads edge. He must have fallen out of the bag and survived as the rest of the puppies were dead. He is now confident and a real rascal and is now looking for a loving home.
Missy was a 10-week old Podenco Andaluz with lovely green eyes and I had to climb up a mountain and down to a riverbed to get to her. Lost and frightened now happy and confident and like so many looking for a kind and loving secure home.
There are so many little souls discarded like rubbish every year and it’s getting worse.
Dogs are being left behind by owners going back to England and even the few that take the dogs with them, some still leave their pet cats behind to fend for themselves and of course they cant because having been a family pet they cannot survive alone.
I know it can be costly to put your dog in kennels for 6 months but if owners think in advance just in case they might have to go back to England then the procedure is simple and no so costly and the animals are always ready to go.
Dogs and horses are locked up or tied up with no food, water or shelter and some never seeing the light of day and living a life of misery.
Things are changing slowly with the new laws that were introduced in 2003 but it’s up to individual that sees any mistreatment or cruelty to first talk to the owner and explain how the animal should be treated or kept.
Don’t forget that if you go to the police and put in a Denuncia they will have to act on it and send out Seprona (Campo Police) especially for horses.
Yes I hear you say ‘Where I live the Police never wants to know and also what about if the animal belongs to my horrible neighbour?’
Well, then I will say to you to search your conscious!
Please remember that out here as in many countries, there are no bodies like the R.S.P.C.A. and the police have no power of entry if there’s no one about, so it’s up to the individual to contact the police when there’s someone in the property so that they can act on the Denuncia or Complaint.
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FEBRUARY 2008
Death in Miralmote.
Some of you might have heard of the English lady that was killed by her partner in Miralmonte, Coin a few weeks ago.
You might think what this has to do with us. Well, we were told that the owners had animals and that the police had called the man that works for the Town Hall and he took away the 2 house-dogs.
This meant certain death after 10 days, as no one knows where this man keeps the dogs that are handed over to the Police?
This is a subject that I hope to inform you about at another time.
There were also 3 house-cats at the lady’s house. We homed the oldest and the neighbours kept the other 2.
After a lot of chasing with the police and also talking to the family of the murdered lady (who arrived from the UK and did not want the dogs), we obtained permission for the dogs to be released to us and we fostered them temporarily with Rachel of Posh Pets
(Photo left - Rachel from Posh Pets Spain with one of the dogs)
The good news is that with help from one of our contacts we managed to find a good home for both dogs in Germany and last weekend I took them to Malaga Airport and saw them off to their new life abroad.
(Here is one of them, now called 'Nino' with new owner Christmas 2008)
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On a last note, the Registry of Associations have acknowledged our application to become a registered charity in Andalucia and they assure us that we will hear within the next 2 - 3 months, so keep fingers crossed for us.
