18/05/2018
"THE HOUSE OF TERROR"
Rua Fernando Pessoa, Pateo, ALBUFEIRA
Responding to a call from a distressed member of the public, animal rescue volunteers from GIDA (Grupo de Intervenção e Denuncia Animal) entered a house occupied by long-term squatters and their animals on Rua Fernando Pessoa, Pateo on the evening of Monday 30 April.
Well-known to locals as 'the dog house' and a scar on the landscape because of its unkempt appearance and assortment of barking dogs on upper floor balconies, anyone asking would have been told by locals that these were rescued dogs, eliciting sympathy and prompting no further investigation... until now.
Entering the rat infested, filthy, debris filled house - a warren of closed up rooms, four dogs were found living on the upstairs balcony and one confined in a sealed, airless room. The dogs’ situation was dealt with by SEPNA together with an independent dog volunteer rescuer.
THE CATS
Seven traumatised, sick and malnourished cats were discovered, enclosed in rooms piled high with faeces, rotting food with the dead bodies of new-born kittens buried deep in the filth. The smell was appalling. The situation overwhelming, the rescue, time consuming and extremely difficult.
Over the next three days, four cats were rushed to the vets for treatment. One, blinded through disease and in a very bad way sadly did not make it, the other three are suffering from a range of neglect related conditions. Another cat (thought to be breeding stock(?) a Russian Blue) was taken to Guia Vet, and the two more cats trapped Wednesday afternoon and late that night were taken to Algarvet.
ALL the animals found in the house have now been removed. The owner of the animals has also left.
These brave volunteers have not only taken on the responsibility (negotiating their way through a difficult situation involving filthy conditions and unstable people to rescue the cats), they face the URGENT and daunting task of finding TEMPORARY PLACES OF SAFETY (and later foster homes) for the cats - and money needs to be found to pay for their medical treatment.
I would like to appeal to everyone through Mr No Ears’ story, who has a little piece of their hearts here in far away Albufeira, (as well as those living locally) to please help in any small way in this appalling situation.
Your support advice/suggestions and any donations, no matter how small to pay the vet’s bills would be gratefully received.