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Costa
Animal Society News January 2012 |
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Costa
Animal Society News January 2012 |
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Caterpillars on the march
To visit
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Processional caterpillars are covered in fine white hairs which can cause at least skin irritation and at worst anaphylactic shock. The caterpillars can travel along the ground for long distances so the menace may be apparent far from the nearest pine tree.
Unfortunately, the inherently curious nature of dogs and cats may lead them to investigate these unusual creatures. If a pet was to sniff, lick or bite these caterpillars, it would almost certainly suffer a severe allergic reaction which, in the worst scenario, can cause airway closure and death. Other, luckier pets have lost part of their tongues after licking a caterpillar.
The symptoms of exposure to caterpillar hair are excessive drooling or frothing at the mouth, difficulty in breathing and/or white spots in the mouth or tongue. If you think your pet is suffering from these symptoms, vets recommend that the animal’s mouth is flushed out with as much water as possible and that the animal is taken immediately for emergency treatment.
Avoid contact with the animal’s saliva because the toxin can affect humans as well. The young, the elderly and those who suffer from toxic allergies should be kept well away.
To minimise the problem, farmers cut down the nests and then burn them in a metal bucket to prevent as many of the hairs as possible being left to float off in the air. Treading on the caterpillars does not destroy these toxic hairs.
And anyone thinking of taking a preemptive strike against these nests should bear in mind that they too are full of caterpillar hair, which can easily fall out when disturbed. Exposure by humans has been known to cause a severely itchy rash that can last up to three weeks, temporary blindness and/or respiratory problems. Take appropriate precautions or hire a professional.
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CAS's new Treasurer |
Maree Vanderlaan has now taken over from Richard Thorne as treasurer of the Costa Animal Society. Richard has spent several years in the position and will be on hand to pass on his invaluable experience in managing the charity’s finances.
Maree is from Australia and has spent the last four years in Spain. She now lives in Nerja and with her background in finance working for a large computer company, she is the ideal person to keep a tight grip on the purse strings!
CAS’s long-serving president is to retire from the position in the spring, and the search is on for her replacement. Wendy Thorne will be a hard act to follow but anyone interested in taking on a challenging role in difficult times is invited to get in touch. For an informal chat about what this voluntary role involves, give Wendy a call on 95 203 7095.
And CAS is always interested to hear from those willing to help with fund-raising activities. This is a vital role as the charity receives no aid whatsoever from official sources at local or provincial level. Please call Wendy if you could volunteer some time to help.
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Another succesful year for CAS |
The number of animals which found new homes thanks to the Costa Animal Society in 2011 ran into the hundreds. The charity volunteers united between 30 and 60 dogs with new owners every month, with many flying to new homes in northern Europe thanks to the on-going cooperation with other animal charities including HzH in the Netherlands and Ayuda in Germany.
The number of cats is more difficult to quantify but Sue, the CAS Cat Lady, did a sterling job in re-homing dozens of kittens and mature cats during the year.
One of the important news stories of CAS’s year was the decision of the British government to relax the regulations on taking animals into the country. From January 1, the waiting time for pets wanting to enter the UK was reduced from six months to just 21 days, after the decision to update a law which was introduced to combat the threat of rabies in the 19th century.
Under the new rules, pets entering the UK from Spain and other EU countries, as well as about 50 approved non-EU countries, no longer need a blood test and only have to wait 21 days after being vaccinated before being able to travel. The government in London has estimated this could save owners £7 (€7.8) million in veterinary fees and boarding costs.
Tick treatment for pet animals returning to the UK is no longer required, but a microchip and pet passport are both essential. CAS is hoping that with the much shorter waiting time and the consequent drop in expense, more Britons returning to their home country will take their pets with them, and not simply abandon them when they leave Spain.
However, there will always be cats and dogs which need care and CAS already has a network of around 60 fosterers who kindly take in an animal on a short-term basis until a permanent home can be found. Hopefully, this number will increase during 2012 and anyone who thinks they might become a CAS fosterer is invited to call Wendy on 95 203 7095 for a chat.
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Can you help CAS?
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The Costa Animal Society is always in need of more helpers in a number of areas, so if you have spare time to fill, please make contact! In particular, more fundraisers are needed to work with our team, people are required to help with the feeding of the cats at the numerous feeding stations maintained by CAS, and animal lovers who could undertake a monthly airport run are necessary to take animals being re-homed in northern Europe to catch their flights. In addition, fosterers are always required to take short-term care of animals until a permanent home can be found for them. Even if you are only here for few months a year, CAS would appreciate your help. For a no-obligation chat, contact Mike (fund-raising) on 95 252 6312, Wendy on 95 203 7095 or Vera on 95 252 9670 for general enquiries. Simone on 619 903 815 can answer queries about airport runs in English or German. And despite the tough times, money is still needed to cope with the continuous flow of abandoned dogs and cats requiring help from the Costa Animal Society. If you could donate a little to help the animals
Bank: Cajamar. Or visit the CAS Charity Shop at Calle Dr Ferran 12, Nerja. It's open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 1pm.
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CAS Archives |
2010 Archives
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