Tiny Shelter – the little refuge for mistreated and abandoned dogs in Albufeira – is under new attack after being given a November deadline to quit its premises (click here).
The best way forwards now is to try and find foster families for the 23 dogs in the shelter’s care.
Seven to 10 days is all that organisers need. In the meantime, they are on a 24-hour rota to protect the animals from the latest ‘disgrace’, which came in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
After six years with ‘no troubles at all’, the shelter was ‘broken into’ by someone who then let all the animals out.
It wasn’t simply a question of opening the dog cages, but more of terrifying them to flee.
Said organiser Isabel Searle: “The dogs were PETRIFIED . some hiding in corners and cowering when we caught up with them, others in the sugar cane field. One looked as if he had been stoned. Blanc, the dog we have running free to protect the shelter was limping…”
Exhausted volunteers have managed to rescue the animals back, but they know now that Tiny Shelter is no longer safe.
The “new owner” of the land originally gave organisers until November to find new premises. Now, suddenly, this has all changed.
“Miraculously” – and thanks to widespread appeals – the shelter has a new site ready to move to, but it needs time now to construct the runs and cages.
“We need 10 days max”, explains Isabel Searle. “If people could come forwards and each take one dog for that small period of time, it would mean we don’t need to take turns sleeping in our cars to protect the dogs from new attacks”.
Anyone willing to take an animal should get in touch with Isabel via her Facebook page – or go along to the fund-raising initiative at Iceland supermarket in Albufeira tomorrow (Friday).
Meantime, the shelter’s campaign to raise money to pay to equip its new premises can be found here (click here), and has already raised 56% of its €5000 target.
