SOLtalk : News from the Costa Animal Society

The
Cat Lady retires

The Costa Animal Society was concerned that when Karen O’Brien retired from the front line of the charity (see last month’s Soltalk), her years of hard work with cats in the area would not be continued.

However, CAS is delighted that Sue Baldwin (pictured left) has agreed to take over responsibility for the feline fraternity.

There’s always room for an extra pair of hands, of course, so if you could lend Sue a paw or two, please contact her directly on 95 253 1587 or 691 706 534.

CAS is delighted that Sue is its new Cat Woman!

However, there remains a need for more volunteers to help with other aspects of CAS’s work, especially fundraising. Everyone has been affected by the economic downturn and this has directly impacted on the charity’s income.

The group is currently without a fund-raiser and desperate to find people who could help co-ordinate all the quiz nights, outings, special evenings and other events which help generate cash.

If that sounds like you, please contact CAS President, Wendy Thorne, on 95 203 7095 or email here.

Meanwhile, CAS members are reminded that the AGM will be held on Friday, March 5, at 2.30pm in the Nerja Club Hotel.

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

Woman
fined for abandoning dog

In the first case of its kind in Spain, a woman has been fined in court for abandoning her dog outside a rescue centre. Loa, a six-year-old Rottweiler, was found with her papers outside El Refugio animal refuge in El Espinar, 35 kms south of Segovia.

Loa’s owner, a Madrid woman, was traced through the microchip in the dog’s neck, but when contacted said she did not want Loa back. She was fined €120 and ordered to pay the refuge €2,688.50.

CAS has noted an increase in the number of abandoned animals in recent months and has attributed this to families who can no longer afford to keep a pet and to those foreign families who have decided to return to their countries of origin.

Loa

Under any circumstances, abandoning an animal is cruel and the practice is illegal in Andalucía where it can attract a fine of up to €30,000.

CAS is always searching for foster families willing to look after abandoned dogs until a permanent home can be found. Anyone interested should contact Wendy on 95 203 7095 to find out more.

Loa’s case has a happy ending as she has now been adopted by a new family, but not all abandoned animals are so lucky. If you are tempted to abandon your pet for any reason, please speak to CAS before taking steps you may regret. The charity may not be able to help directly but is always happy to give advice and information.

Fund raising events

An evening of verse in Cómpeta last month raised €415 which was shared between CAS and a local family who recently lost everything in a house fire. Poems by authors as diverse as Shakespeare and Pam Ayres were read to a highly appreciative audience.

Cómpeta's mayor reads Spike Milligan!
One highlight was a recitation of Spike Milligan’s “On the Ning Nang Nong” by José Luis Torres Gutiérrez, Competa’s mayor. He had previously asked for a Spanish translation of the nonsense rhyme so that he would know what he was talking about!
The town’s councillor for culture, Adela Ruiz Martín, read poetry in Spanish with help from members of the audience who also learned that Cómpeta has a long history of celebrating poetry and writing verse. Further similar evenings are now being planned.

Meanwhile, another quiz night was held in All That Jazz on Nerja’s Burriana beach during February, raising more cash for CAS. The next quizzes at the venue are on March 19 and April 16.

However, the nights have become so popular that reservations are essential on 699 552 714.

The new owners of the Sportsman Bar at El Zoco de Nerja, Andy and Mel Dixon, also held a quiz in aid of CAS during February. The sold-out event was a great success and raised over €200 which will be used exclusively for the care and welfare of the cats on the urbanisation. CAS would like to thank Andy and Mel for all their hard work, as well as all the quizzers who took part.

CAS fund raisers

It’s good to report that the two elderly cats featured on this page last month have now settled into a new permanent home. Jasmine and Jeeves were orphaned after their owners died but now have a comfortable retirement assured.

This month, CAS wants to find a home for this delightful Pug. He’s five years old and desperate to find a new home. He had to be left behind when his owner returned to the UK but quickly found a new home.

However, his new owners’ five other dogs did not take kindly to a newcomer, and poor old Pug was unhappy with being bullied. So, it was back into kennels until another, more suitable home can be found for him.

Could that be yours? If you’d like to meet him, please contact Wendy (who is secretly in love with Pug) on 95 203 7095.

Can you help CAS?

We know times are tough but, sadly, that does not prevent the continuous flow of abandoned dogs and cats requiring help from the Costa Animal Society. This, in turn, costs money which is as tight for CAS as it is for everyone.

However, if you could donate a little to help the animals, CAS would be most grateful.

Bank: Cajamar.
Account name: Costa Animal Society.
Account number: 3058-0839-68-2720000283.
BIC-Swift Code: CCRIES2AXXX.
IBAN: ES58 3058 0839 6827 2000 0283.

Or visit the CAS Charity Shop at Calle Dr Ferran 12, Nerja, open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 1pm.

CAS Archives

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