Friends of Canil de Portimão are organising the first Dog Adoption Day in the city on June 30, providing municipal kennel dogs with the opportunity of finding new homes.
From 10am to 5pm, the animal welfare association will gather at the Parque Visconde de Bivar by the riverside, between Casa Inglesa and the old bridge, with a selection of rescue dogs in desperate need of a new home.
On the day, Dutch residents and association founders Patricia de Nieuwe and Karin Verhoeven aim to not only seek out as many new homes for the dogs as possible but also to show local people that just because a dog is not a pedigree breed or a puppy, it does not mean they cannot be the perfect companions.
Patricia de Nieuwe told the Algarve Resident: “We invite everyone to come along even if it is just to take a look around, speak to our sponsors and consider the option of adopting a rescue dog.”
Incentives for those who adopt a dog on the day will include one month’s free training with the Alldogs Centro de Treino Canino and a surprise gift bag per adopted dog from the Royal Canin animal food company.
Additional sponsors will include Clínica Veterinária Alcantarilha, Hello Bello Dog Hotel and the Woof Woof Boutique & Spa, who will all be available to offer advice to prospect adopters.
Stalls will provide food and beverages to visitors and all proceeds collected will be donated to the Portimão municipal kennels to assist with ever growing veterinary bills and other essential needs the animals residing there may have.
Karin Verhoeven said: “All donations are so greatly appreciated. The summer season is our most difficult financial period at the canil and we don’t want to let the animals down.
“Even if a cash donation is not possible, we are always in need of dog collars and leads, old or new, plus any other accessories helpful to the recuperation of an animal, such as dog houses or carry cases that someone may have laying around or are planning to throw away. Every little bit helps.”
It will also be a great day out for the whole family. Several donkeys from the Refúgio dos Burros will be there on the day to delight the children who will be able to enjoy donkey rides around the park. There will also be a book sale and signing of the recently released Wild Flowers of the Algarve.
The Associação de Defesa dos Animais de Portimão (ADAP) will be participating in the Adoption Day by taking along several of their rescue dogs. S.M.
For more information, please contact Patricia on 969 802 792 or Karin on 914 862 306 or email on [email protected] . You can also visit www.friendscanilportimao or the group’s Facebook page by searching Friends of Canil de Portimão.
