K9 Animal Refuge, Las Chafiras, Tenerife

For animal lovers, Tenerife can sometimes seem a rather cold-hearted place. There are feral cats everywhere and more stray and abandoned dogs than you will hopefully ever see.

What you also probably won't see are the locals who care for the feral cats, taking them food and water and rounding  them up for neutering before letting them loose again. You will see many cats with one ear clipped. That is a sign that she or he has been sterilised by a local charity to at least try to stem the flow of unwanted animals on our streets.

Just past Las Chafiras, tucked up a little back road, another team of stout-hearted individuals battles the tide of unwanted souls. Amidst a cacophony of excited barks and howls, Sarrie Sharrock, kennel manager of the K9 Animal Refuge described how after years of working with sick, abandoned and abused animals in Tenerife, she can still be reduced to tears. Most often the most heart-rending cases are those like Ember's - a little poodle cross who was viciously set on fire - where humans have had a direct hand in the animal's misery.

A walk down the aisle of kennels reveals about 60 dogs. Sarrie knows the name of every one. An island of calm in the frentic atmosphere she quietly tells how one  hound is actually a rather rare breed of Spanish hunting dog. Sadly he has been rehomed twice but is yet to find his special forever home.

Another type of Spanish hunting dog - a Podenco - can be seen behind the wire fence. Podencos are always very lean but this  poor boy is a bag of bones after foraging for who knows how long in the hills.  Finding that he was micro-chipped, K9 thought they could easily return this animal to its delighted owner. Unfortunately, phoning him with the happy news they received only a curt reply -  'He is 8 years old! Why would I want him back?'

One jolly looking little dog with bright blue eyes reminds Sarrie of Basil Brush. She and husband Ian  chased the little devil across the hills for hours before bringing him back to K9 where he is assured of food and shelter and maybe some day - if he is very lucky - a new family.

There are so many dogs and so many stories that it would not be possible to cover them in one article on eTenerife. That is why we will be starting a new section bringing you news about dogs brought in, happily rehomed dogs, K9 fund-raising events, Kid's Club and other items of interest regarding K9, eTenerife's chosen charity.

In the meantime, please, if you are considering adding a new dog to your pack, take a drive to K9 at Las Chafiras and just look at some of the beautiful abandoned animals there. And if you are a business owner in Tenerife, you might want to give K9 a call regarding their fund-raising activities. Remember donations to charity are tax deductable.

Visit the K9 website. K9 Dog Rescue Tenerife

Book your tickets for the K9 Animal Refuge Annual Charity Gala (Sat. July 15th)

Call K9:

Donate to K9 Tenerife:

Banco La Caixa, El Trebol, Avda. J.A.Tavio Alonso-El Trebol, 38640 Arona, Tenerife.

Account Name: Asoc. Refugio Animales de Tenerife
Account No. 2100 1524 90 0200339889

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Home remedies  for Common Ailments
Getting Baby to Sleep
Death of an Expat in Tenerife
State Schools in Tenerife - application documentation

Pets

Lost Pets in Tenerife

Which Dog Type is Right for You?
Picking From the Litter - Choosing Your Puppy
Picking From the Litter - Picking a Healthy Puppy
Bringing New Pup Home
Puppy Socialisation
Dog Training: Come!
Dog Training - Housebreaking
K9 Animal Refuge, Tenerife

Living in Tenerife

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Removal Company Directory
Retiring to Tenerife
10 Reasons to Move to Tenerife
10 Tips About Moving to Tenerife
Death of an Expat in Tenerife
State Schools in Tenerife - application documentation
The Social Security System in Tenerife

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