One of Portugal’s largest animal sanctuaries is being built in the central Algarve.

The sanctuary will consist of 3 rescue centres, jointly able to offer refuge to 600 animals in all in the boroughs of Loulé and São Brás de Alportel.

The recently formed Animal Rescue Algarve is behind the project and British businessman and animal lover Sidney Richardson has launched Animal Rescue Algarve and brought the project to life.

“Our mission is to help abandoned and sick animals by providing veterinary treatment, neutering, socialising and re-homing them” Richardson explained. 

Work on the Cabanita rescue centre should complete in October, whilst the second rescue centre was unanimously approved by the municipal assembly on Monday 25 June.  This second centre should be completed within 8 months.

The third phase is waiting for approval from the local council.

ARA is very concerned that it treats animals with dignity, respect and comfort, so they are building a modern re-homing centre from scratch with an eco-friendly design.   Even the sewage system is eco-friendly as all the waste from the dogs goes to a container that filers the detritus.  This means the sanctuary can both save water and reuse it in other works.

The facilities will include a reception, veterinary practice with operating theatre, sections for puppies, adults and senior dogs, a quarantine area, a training ground to allow for interaction between volunteers and animals, and a cat shelter.  Accommodation for employees and volunteers will ensure the rescue centre is efficiently run and surveilled around the clock.  Volunteers from abroad can help with daily tasks in exchange for accommodation and food.

There are about 10,000 abandoned animals in Portugal and the sanctuary appreciates it cannot help them all and it pays tribute to the other rescue centres in Portugal are working with very limited resources to help animals.

Support will be needed to help the ARA with on-going income to help care for the animals and look after them, so donations and volunteers are very welcome.

And it wants to raise awareness of the importance of neutering in the local area and to allow the public to visit and volunteer to enable the animals to socialise with people.   They hope to allow local school children to visit the shelter and see what work it does and how much love and companionship caring for animals can give people.

Richardson is doing an amazing thing by spearheading the project.   He came to Portugal from Essex 25 years ago, attracted by the climate and lifestyle and his passion for golf.  And 12 years ago, he rescued a dog who has become his best friend and changed his life.  “Instead of leaving a substantial sum of money in my will, I decided to use some of it now and see this project through,” he says.

Which just goes to show there’s no point in waiting for the right time to help animals around the world.  The right time is now to get out there and make a difference.  

We wish the Animal Rescue Algarve sanctuary well.   You can find out more here and donate here.

Animal Rescue Algarve is registered charity 514692049, and registered in the council of Loulé in Faro.   Its registered name is Abrigo dos Animais and the charity name is Animal Rescue Algarve.

Images ©Animal Rescue Algarve

The RSPCA has launched campaign to encourage people to do their bit for animals of all sizes.

An online survey undertaken by YouGov of 2,142 adults in March this year showed that 85% considered themselves to be animal lovers.

But 20% felt a lack of money and 32% said a lack of time were barriers to doing more to help animals.

A particularly worrying discovery from the survey was that 11% of people felt their actions couldn’t make a difference.

The top animal welfare issue people were concerned about was animals being used in blood sports – such as cockfighting, dog fighting and badger baiting.  40% of those surveyed were concerned about this.  

35% were concerned about the destruction of or damage to natural habitats for wild animals.  

29% were concerned about puppy farming – that is, businesses which breed dogs on a large scale to be sold via the internet, pet shops and newspaper advertisements. 

The animal issues people are most concerned about in the survey were:

• 40% - animals being used in blood sports
• 35% - destruction of or damage to natural habitats for wild animals
• 29% - puppy farming
• 27% - litter and plastics being hazardous to animals
• 24% - testing on animals (e.g. for scientific research, cosmetics, drugs testing etc)
• 23% - foxes hunted for sport
• 17% - conditions animals are kept in on farms
• 13% - recognition of animals as sentient beings (being able to feel and perceive things)
• 12% - live transport of animals for slaughter
• 11% - wild animals in circuses
• 11% - conditions animals are kept in when being bred as pets, not including puppy farms
• 10% - people not being fully informed on how to look after their pets properly
• 8% - not concerned with any animal welfare issues in partiuclar
• 6% - a lack of homes for pets
• 3% - other
• 3% - don’t know

Yet every single one of us can take any number of actions to help animals and collectively we can make a huge difference. 

Join in the #AnimalKind campaign

So this week, the RSPCA is launching a new campaign called #AnimalKind.  The aim is to encourage people to join it in creating a world which is kinder to animals.

There’s advice on what you can do to ensure all animals are better protected and cared for.

And there’s a free guide to show how small acts of kindness can make a difference.

It doesn’t take a lot of time or money to help.

In fact, you can save yourself money and help animals.   For instance, you could…

• be kind to polar bears and switch your heating down or off, saving you money.
• buy a water bottle once which you refill instead of buying plastic bottle after plastic bottle.
• help walk dogs at a local rescue centre or join a local conservation group and get active, instead of paying money to take out a gym membership 
• take a flask of coffee with you instead of stopping for a take-out coffee with a single use coffee cup
• ask people to make a donation to your favourite animal charity for your birthday rather than get you something you don’t want or need, or to sponsor an acre or adopt an animal

Other ways to help which take no time or virtually seconds to do:

• sign a petition to add your voice to help animals who have no voice
• save stamps to help animal charities
• put out bird feed every day – this takes just a few minutes and you can then enjoy a nature show for free
• switch your plastic toothbrush to a bamboo one. 

Every single action will make a difference to animals all around the world.

“Never underestimate the difference YOU can make in the lives of others. Step forward, reach out and help. This week reach to someone that might need a lift” 

Pablo

Click here to find out more about the campaign and to download the free guide