Costa Animal Society News
June 2009

 

Scruffs Cómpeta raises €1,947

 Scruffs Cómpeta, the first of this year’s two dog shows arranged by the Costa Animal Society, has raised 1,947 euros for the charity’s funds.  The crowds turned out to the Pavo Real on Saturday, May 23, with entrants and stall holders from Spain, Germany, the UK and the Netherlands making it a truly international afternoon.
 

More than 60 pedigree and non-pedigree dogs were entered in the 12 classes, with this year’s Best Pedigree in the show winning more than just a trophy.  The internationally renown portrait painter and founder of the Portrait Society of Andalucía, Heather Gail Harman, has undertaken to produce a portrait of Pippa owned by Caroline Hicks of Taurus Real Estate in Sayalonga (pictured left).

Entrants for the Best Six Legs class strutted their stuff to the music of The Stripper while the Fancy Dress contestants were accompanied by Hey Big Spender on a cool, cloudy day which helped to avoid dogs, owners and judges over-heating.

CAS wishes to thank all who helped, particularly the day’s main sponsor Dynamic Broadband – Nerja Solutions.

A complete list of the winners from Scruff's Cómpeta can be found on the CAS website.

The second of the summer’s dog shows, Scruffs Nerja, will be held on Saturday, September 5, at the Punta Lara urbanisation.
 

Click on the logo above to visit the website of the Costa Animal Society

Residents chip in for stray cats

 There’s no doubt that feral cats can be a nuisance.

Exasperated residents have been known to catch them and dump them unceremoniously in the countryside or on an industrial estate. However, a couple of urbanisations in Nerja have recently developed a novel and far kinder way of controlling the problem.

Cat lovers there have agreed that each will catch one of the little rascals, then take it to the vet where it will be provided with an identifying microchip. Then it will be released back into its own, known territory. Each participating household has agreed to pay for this to be done to just one cat at a cost of around €30. Anyone who then catches one of the microchipped cats and removes it from its home area is committing an offence which could lead to prosecution.

People who rent out holiday accommodation are also recommended to advise visitors not to leave out food for feral cats. Apart from breaking a local bylaw in several municipalities, such action only encourages the animals to hang around properties looking for a free meal as well as attracting vermin intent on stealing the food.

The Costa Animal Society already operates several cat feeding stations on urbanisations around Nerja where volunteers leave food at sites chosen to cause the least inconvenience to residents. Anyone who would like to become a volunteer for this daily task should call Karen on (+34) 95 252 6312.

Feral cats which have a v-shaped nick taken out of the tip of one ear are those which have already been spayed to help prevent a population explosion. It’s a painless process which saves a second trip to the vet and also lets CAS volunteers identify and catch any newcomers quickly.
 

Tale of
 four tails

 

 

 Over 100 dogs have now been rehomed in northern Europe through agreements between CAS and other animal welfare charities. During May, however, the intervention of a local fiesta in Nerja resulted in a logistical nightmare for the volunteers.

 


Dippy

   

Four dogs were due to fly out to the Netherlands on a very early morning flight on Saturday May 16, the day after San Isidro which is a holiday in Nerja. They therefore had to visit the vet the day before with an overnight stay arrangement in place. Unfortunately, each of the quartet due to travel was living with a foster family who could not have lived further apart, and bringing all four together meant numerous car journeys.

First, there was Dippy who was collected from a popular rendezvous spot at El Ingenio commercial centre and taken to the vet in Nerja where he met

 


Merlin

Tinky Winky. After being checked over, both were taken to the home of a CAS volunteer in Cómpeta. Then it was back to El Ingenio to collect Scottie who had been beamed down there by his fosterers. Luckily, he’d already been to a vet, so he was taken straight to Cómpeta to rendezvous with Dippy and Tinky Winky.


Scottie

   

The fourth dog, Merlin, had been staying with Herbert and Brigitta, and it was Herbert, off to the Netherlands on business, who had agreed to travel with all four dogs. It made sense, then, for the group to assemble at their house on the day before flying, so Dippy, Tinky Winky and Scottie were taken to meet their travelling companion.

After a very short night’s sleep, the party made its way to Málaga airport, arriving later, tired but happy, on Dutch soil en route to their new homes.

  


Tinky Winky with his new Dutch family

 

Beware of fraudsters who claim to work for CAS

In the past, the Costa Animal Society has warned that individuals, purporting to be CAS members, have been offering to arrange cheap veterinary treatment. Some have even taken money from people before organising non-existent appointments. An individual was also learned to be coldcalling members of the public inviting them to contribute to CAS funds and offering to call and collect the cash.

CAS does not undertake either of these practices.

In the most recent case, news came of a woman who planned to open a charity shop in the Viñuela area, saying she intended to raise funds to support the work CAS does there. However, it transpired that she was not willing to obtain permission from CAS to operate in its name.

CAS adheres rigidly to the procedures laid down by law for such societies. Observation of the accounting and auditing rules is particularly stringently maintained with every cent raised going into the bank and every cent spent accounted for. Raising money to support the work of rescuing and rehoming animals is a highly worthwhile endeavour and CAS always offers its support and good wishes. However, access to the name of CAS and its registration information can only be offered if the Society exercises total control over fund raising activities carried out on its behalf.

There’s only one way to be certain that people are genuinely acting in the name of CAS: ask the President, Wendy Thorne (+34 95 203 7095) or Jane Kirk (+34 616 530 071). They would also like to hear from you if you suspect you’re being subjected to a scam in the name of CAS.

 

Having a clear-out?

 Having a clear out before summer arrives? Then perhaps you could help CAS - they are always looking for secondhand goods which can be sold to raise money for the funds.

Any bric-a-brac you supply will find its way onto one of the CAS stalls at three regular venues around the area. Volunteers are at the Sunday car boot sale in Nerja every weekend, in Cómpeta every Saturday morning near Bar La Esquina de Miguel, and on alternate Tuesdays at the El Trapiche Farmers’ Market, near the airfield.

Goods can be delivered to the CAS Shop in Calle Dr Ferran, Nerja, between 10am and 1pm, Monday to Saturday. Alternatively, call Richard on (+34) 95 203 7095 to arrange collection.

 

CAS Archives


Read previous CAS News pages by clicking on the pictures
 

January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009

 
     
May 2009