Jo xxx

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I love Killer!

On the taking dogs back to the UK note,
I'm sure that many people who took in stray dogs fully intended to keep them and care for them, it's just that they have no choice now but to move back to the UK.

Add this to the fact that many of them will be going back to nothing, apart from a rented flat at a low price they can just about afford, and I'm sure that leaving their dogs behind adds even more to their distress.

It's sad, but it seems to be the way things are for many people right now.

LOL - no, I just googled Norwegian Beer Hound images!

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Read about life in the pueblo: La Vida Alcalaina

We are seeing an increase in the number of dogs in our perrera over the past couple of weeks. We never refuse to take in a genuinely abandoned dog and have increased our capacity by adding on pens.
We do try to persuade people not to leave their dogs when they return to the UK though. Many people are unaware that the regulations have changed.

It's so sad seeing a dog that has had a home sitting by the door of the pen waiting for its owner to return.

I would live in a tent rather than lose Our Little Azor.

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'The Owl of Minerva spreads her wings only at the onset of dusk'.

I just couldn't do it.

When we come up to the perrera, or the local boarding kennels or where Fraggle has his hair cut - anywhere he can hear many dogs barking, he sits as far away as he can in the car shaking and making little crying noises.

Heartbreaking.

On a slight tangent I noticed the other day that the pet shop in one of the Carrefours down here in addition to the 400 Euro Yorkies and Perros de Agua is selling puppy crosses (about 50 Euros) and kittens (about 20 Euros).

Seems utter madness but I suppose if they're not being specially bred (surely not!) it's a way of getting otherwise unwanted animals homed.

the cat charity I got 3 of mine from, will only rehome once they have done the jabs & spayed the cats

if they are too young when you take them, they register you with their vet, & when the kittens are old enough, you take them in for their jabs & then later for the snip - all paid for by the charity

most people will give a donation to the charity when they take a cat/kitten, but I had to insist very strongly to get her to accept anything from me this time

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I think this is wrong and should be banned. When there are so many unwanted dogs in shelters anyone who is a genuine animal lover should look there first.
OK, so we didn't do that when we got Our Little Azor but we lived in a country where there are very few such shelters - there were none where we lived.
The dog we had in the UK, our Ferdinand, a GSD, was adopted from Dogs Trust, though. But we bought OLA from a very reputable breeder not a shop and we wanted a Ridgeback. We prefer big dogs - nothing to do with 'status' (I've never understood how owning a particular breed of dog confers 'status') but because we like them..

I've been told that the dogs supplied to our local Garden Centre are puppy-farmed by local Czech immigrants - that wouldn't surprise me. These dogs are sold without microchip, passport or neutering so there would be considerable additional cost iof they are to be legal.

We at ADANA charge 120 euros for our dogs and that includes microchip, vaccinations, neutering/castration and passport plus a free training session for new owners. This just about covers our costs.

We also have around a dozen older dogs that we will give free of charge to a good home.

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'The Owl of Minerva spreads her wings only at the onset of dusk'.

I think I would fall into that category this week Mary...Mrs Country Boy has deserted me for a quick "re-bonding" with the Ninas back in soggy Blighty!
Comfortable home for me anyone? I'm well trained!!

I think that the puppies on sale in Carrefour are from puppy farms (but registered ones...). and I would guess that the cross-breeds they have for sale are the result of a few unexpected liaisons by enthusiastic dogs and cats...

I hate the idea of animals being sold in a hypermarket, but every time we go to Carrefour, I feel 'obliged' to look at the puppies. Just cant help it!

All the puppies and kittens that are for sale at our local branch have been wormed and have had their first lot of injections, so that would account for part of the price charged for crosses.

But I agree, that those who want a puppy or kitten would be much better going to a shelter than buying one with their weekly shop!