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Expat owned dog shelter eviction puts abandoned dogs lives at risk
| Published: | 20 Jul at 6 PM |
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An expat-run dog shelter in Spain is desperate for help after being served an eviction notice by their landlord.
The APA Nerja dog shelter was started three years ago by British expat Laura Downes, and has successfully rehomed 800 abandoned adult dogs and puppies to date. Soon after its inception it was overwhelmed by the number of abandoned pets and unable to concrete the land, causing concerns over hygiene which almost forced it to close. Downes refused to give up, and the Spanish shelter has been operating successfully ever since. Nowadays, it works with volunteers and has a sizeable network of rehomers all over Europe, but the landlord has given the charity and its 50 abandoned dogs 15 days to leave.
Should loving new owners not be found for all of them, the remainder will face death at the hands of the Spanish killing stations. However, Downes told local media she would not leave until all the 50 have found new homes. Funds are now running out fast, local dog hotels and the shelter’s foster homes are already full and even if places at the dog hotels become available, there’s no money left to pay for them. Tomorrow, a demonstration will be held in front of Nerja’s town hall as part of the shelter’s fight for survival and the lives of its 50 rescued dogs.
Meanwhile, expats living in apartment buildings in Riviera Calahonda are terrified to leave their homes due to a series of robberies. Two weeks ago, Debbie Charville was looking after her three-year old grandson when she heard a noise and saw two men wearing balaclavas attempting to enter the apartment via the kitchen door. She rushed forward and hit the glass, causing the intruders to give up and run away. She’s now terrified, can’t sleep and won’t leave her apartment.
Another single mother living in an apartment with her teenage son left her balcony door open one night and awoke to find she’d been robbed whilst asleep. Missing were a Rolex watch, 85 euros and two designer bracelets she’d received as birthday presents. She was afraid to report the theft to the police in case they blamed her for leaving her door open overnight.
The APA Nerja dog shelter was started three years ago by British expat Laura Downes, and has successfully rehomed 800 abandoned adult dogs and puppies to date. Soon after its inception it was overwhelmed by the number of abandoned pets and unable to concrete the land, causing concerns over hygiene which almost forced it to close. Downes refused to give up, and the Spanish shelter has been operating successfully ever since. Nowadays, it works with volunteers and has a sizeable network of rehomers all over Europe, but the landlord has given the charity and its 50 abandoned dogs 15 days to leave.
Should loving new owners not be found for all of them, the remainder will face death at the hands of the Spanish killing stations. However, Downes told local media she would not leave until all the 50 have found new homes. Funds are now running out fast, local dog hotels and the shelter’s foster homes are already full and even if places at the dog hotels become available, there’s no money left to pay for them. Tomorrow, a demonstration will be held in front of Nerja’s town hall as part of the shelter’s fight for survival and the lives of its 50 rescued dogs.
Meanwhile, expats living in apartment buildings in Riviera Calahonda are terrified to leave their homes due to a series of robberies. Two weeks ago, Debbie Charville was looking after her three-year old grandson when she heard a noise and saw two men wearing balaclavas attempting to enter the apartment via the kitchen door. She rushed forward and hit the glass, causing the intruders to give up and run away. She’s now terrified, can’t sleep and won’t leave her apartment.
Another single mother living in an apartment with her teenage son left her balcony door open one night and awoke to find she’d been robbed whilst asleep. Missing were a Rolex watch, 85 euros and two designer bracelets she’d received as birthday presents. She was afraid to report the theft to the police in case they blamed her for leaving her door open overnight.
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