 With the aims of lessening the suffering of abandoned animals and in particular neutering, the society for animal protection AAAA was created on the 25th of June 1981, at the 1st Notary Office in Loulé, registered at the Civil Governor's Office in Faro "Diário da República".
Two German and three Portuguese women were at the time the "driving force" of the project, but it was only on the 19th of February 1983 that the sanctuary "CANIL SÃO FRANCISCO DE ASSIS". Loulé" opened its doors. Many a party, dancing-ball and market-stalls etc. had to be laboriously organised until finally there was enough money to buy the intended plot of land. Animal friends and the local Municipal Administration helped with the fencing, the sheds and a small administration building. The stress has always been with neutering. It was an enormous problem at the beginning, but there is good evidence of positive progress. Many new veterinary clinics have opened since then and it seems to be a more "normal" thing to have their pet vaccinated and neutered. Unfortunately pedigree-dogs are now more in demand..... and what shall become of all the animals, an average of 7 per day, that we rescue or that are brought to us??? More than 30.000 animals - cats, dogs , donkeys and horses have been in our care over these long, difficult years. Most were and still are being rescued from the streets, the beaches or the countryside, or are thrown over the shelter-fence by their owners, left outside the door or, at best, handed over to us. Out of the carelessness or disinterest of their owners, most animals already suffer very bad health. In many cases, the dogs have distemper or leishmaniosis, heartworm also being a frequent ailment. Unfortunately, an effective isolation of the newcomers is not yet possible, as the financial means for building a quarantine-station is sorely lacking. In southern countries, the disease LEISMANIOSIS means mostly death for the stricken dogs. PLEASE GIVE A DONATION HOWEVER SMALL TO HELP END THE SUFFERING. |