Animal charities throughout the country are suffering badly in Portugal’s State of Emergency.
As many have explained over social media, fundraising now is even more difficult than before, and no-one is visiting shelters to look for an animal to adopt.
“It’s a drama,” said a source for one of the charities in the Algarve. “We used to be able to rely on a steady income from our charity shops, but these have had to close, so now we’re in limbo, with animals needing vaccinations and sterlisations that we cannot pay for.”
Volunteering, too, has been dealt a blow as many are retired people, now under even stricter orders than younger groups to ‘stay at home’.
Certain charities and associations appear to be ‘toying with the idea of remote adoptions’ and the ‘fostering of dogs against a small fee’, but right now it’s a learning curve, full of ‘empty animal bellies’ and concern.
In the Algarve, association Cadela Carlota tells us it has 83 dogs in the shelter and seven puppies, and needs to put out a plea.
The situation is mirrored by everyone working in animal rescue.
Says ARA, Animal Rescue Algarve – working flat out in the face of a threat of demolition by municipal authorities – right now their “desperate need” is for Royal Canin milk, wipes and pads, particularly for the seven tiny puppies they have who are being bottle fed.
Anyone keen to step in to help, either as a volunteer or with a donation, should look up their closest animal charity on social media, and get in touch.
