The cost of saving a life
When most people find a lost dog or cat their first instinct is to leave the rescue at the door of a local animal charity thinking their good deed is done . Frequently though they do not consider the cost of caring for the animal going forward . The charity first must arrange shelter for the dog or cat and if no foster home is available then they have no choice but to put the stray into kennels . However , before this a responsible charity will have the waif checked by a vet , treated for worms and have it fully vaccinated .
The cost of initial vet care alone , including neutering , is between € 150-200 depending on what is done and even though the kennelling fees are greatly reduce for charities they still come to around € 100 per month . Needless to say , each time a charity takes in a stray their financial burden increases by hundreds of Euros and groups such as the Costa Animal Society ( CAS ) can receive several calls a week so the costs run into the thousands each month .
One way to mitigate the financial impact is to ask the rescuer to contribute to the vet bills and kennelling expenses but this is usually a one-off donation that only covers a portion of the animals ’ care . In addition , charities usually require the people who adopt a dog or cat to pay a set adoption fee but again this is a one-time payment that often just pays part of the costs involved . If , however , the rescuer and adopter both give generously than the vet bills might just be covered . This highlights the importance for animal societies to constantly increase their foster care network in order to minimise their kennel costs . Also fosterers are a big part of preparing the dog or cat for living in a household which then makes finding a permanent home that much easier .
Unfortunately , our local animal societies receive little or no government funding so they rely solely on donations from the public and support from volunteers who contribute their time . Donations often come in the form of money but equally important , people often give unwanted clothing and bric-abrac to sell in the charities ’ second-hand shops .
In many ways the time volunteers give is more valuable than money because their efforts help the charities run on a daily basis . If someone organises a fundraising event on their own they can make much more money than can be found in a single pocket . Therefore , during the upcoming holidays please remember to give to local charities and even consider volunteering as part of your New Year ’ s resolutions . Money is always welcome but also sort through your closet and storage for clothing and items that can be sold . A good rule of thumb is if you did not use the item in 2021 give it away to charity .
Thank you for all of your support in 2021 and best wishes to everyone this holiday season and in the coming year . CAS will continue on as we have for over 30 years , hopefully with more in-person events where we can meet up with all of our supporters and business sponsors . Happy Holidays , we hope to see you soon .
Available for Adoption
Buzz ( pictured right ) is a young Border Collie type dog who was found on the San Juan de Capistrano urbanisation in Nerja last month after wandering the streets near the tower for a few days . His photos and story have been shared on social media as a found dog but no owner has come forward . CAS is now advertising Buzz for rehoming . He is an 18 monthold male who has the coat , colouring and size of a smooth Collie with the temperament and good nature to match . Buzz is a sweet boy who loves to please people and he gets along well with other dogs . He would make a wonderful companion for a single person or a family of two or more and he will be easily trained .
Patch ( pictured right ) was rescued by CAS just before lockdown last year along with her brother and two sisters . At the time they were five month-old pups who were living rough in a field on the Frigiliana border and had very little human contact early in their lives .
All four were a bit shy , lacking the socialisation which is so important for their future interaction in a domestic environment . After a few months of learning to trust people her siblings all found their forever homes in the Netherlands last year as each was chosen by a family looking to adopt a dog from Spain . Unfortunately , Patch has proven to be special case because her initial reaction to being touched was to snap out of fear and she needed much more time to be socialised . After more than a year in kennels with daily human interaction and bi-weekly sessions with a dog therapist , Patch is now ready for the next step in her development . She needs to live with a single person or couple who have the patience , time and love to show her how wonderful living in a home can be . Patch is a very sweet little , playful dog that enjoys her cuddles and gets along well with other dogs and cats .
If you would like to meet one of the animals under the care of CAS , and are looking to adopt or are willing to foster a pet please contact Kurt and Laura at 95 252 1426 or view the CAS website or Facebook page .
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