J.A.V.A. PROJECT, LOURINHÃ: SEE, FEEL, HELP

The situation of stray dogs in Portugal is dramatic – starving, frightened, injured and marked by illnesses, thousands are wandering throughout regions of Portugal abandoned by pitiless people. The J.A.V.A. project tries to slightly relieve this misery.
We run a private shelter for animals which is financed by means of private donations and voluntary work. We are sponsored by animal lovers, which some times really helps to support feeding expenses of a permanent guest (most of the times an old dog no one wants anymore). Our objective is to find a new “home” for the higher possible number of animals, after having recovered from illnesses, and having been vaccinated, dewarmed, released from flees, and sterilized, in case of bitches, where possible. Animal protection to such a level, costs money, lots of money!... Thus, dear animal lovers we hereby appeal for you to continue backing us, so that we can help as many animals as possible.

We are deeply thankful for what we have already managed to do (i.e. the enlargement of the existing kennel, allowing all dogs to have a shelter against rain, where to be fed and to sleep. The main gate has been repaired and we have been offered a new front shield). Nevertheless we have to go on - many animals are still waiting for our help when after having been run over, they remain at the edge of the road or simply wander because the owner, a so-called “hunter”, has left them behind because they are old or sick. Perhaps they “just” look for something to comfort their stomach.

We have great projects for this year and hope you help us to fulfil them!!! We are planning a building destined to lodge a room for treatments, very much in need, a feeding room, a place to keep medicaments, and a small office, since until this date we lack a space necessary to handle the indispensable “bureaucracy”. If money will be enough we would also like to have a water closet for our voluntarily working people.

Speaking of our voluntarily working people: maybe you can imagine the daily routine of Estela, Carla e José - I greatly admire the moral and physical effort of these generous people who do not get a penny for their work.

Estela is responsible for all medical care and contacts. Carla our “Italian”, helps in daily cleaning of the kennels and perfectly knows the preferences and whims of each dog. Come rain or shine, she is always there! And José, well! He attends to the “remaining” things. He cleans, repairs, looks for construction materials, convinces public services to render their support, and also convinces the most difficult “patients” to surrender to the necessary treatments, this among million of other things… We know that once in a while there are also some masculine hands for heavy work, but all responsibility lies on José´s shoulders. For such reason we have asked to public services to help us by finding us a jobless person and we are awaiting for a reply… but in Portugal this takes too much time. We live HERE and TODAY and the injured dogs or the puppies thrown away in the garbage can have no time for such delaying strategies. They need help NOW and we GIVE such help. The responsible for painting work and money collections is Sabine, and this with considerable success as evidenced by the enlargement of the kennels and the decreasing of debts to the dry food supplier.

In animal shelters in southern countries, feeding and castrating are for sure the most important tasks, but they are only a part of the range of work to be done. Some persons who work in the field of animal protection establish an equivalence between time, expenses and work involved and the animal´s life. Frequently you hear: with such expense it would have been possible to save so many healthy animals. To us such opinions are not compatible with the spirit of protecting animals. Our neighbours from north Europe often comment our requests for donations as follows: in our country we have animal shelters which also fight against huge financial problems! However, there is a big difference between animal protection situation in Germany and in Portugal. Who has ever been in a dog pound in Portugal (with permission to kill right after a few days stay) knows what we are talking about. It is simply unacceptable.

We could tell million stories about animal tragedies. Now he only bring the story of ”Alex”. He was released from an old woman´s fenced yard – if this had not happened he would not have much days left: half of his body and head were hairless and covered with scabies raw wounds.

As this type of dog normally has semi-long hair his owner had tried to cut the remaining hair with a sharp kitchen knife thus making holes in the size of a fist in the dog´s skin. Obviously, the wounds have not been treated and became inflamed the dog having high fever and laying indifferent on the ground. We “stole” him and after an expensive veterinary treatment he stayed for recovery in the animal shelter receiving enough food since he was also rawboned. Nowadays he is a lively dog showing fine hair which, surprisingly, still has found trust in humans.

Present situation is as follows: We have some money – although not enough – and materials have been promised to us to enlarge the totally crowded kennel but public services continue stalling the yielding of a non-cultivated piece of land just behind the kennel. We have, however, a person who does not spare his efforts ever: if necessary José will make a strike in front of the office of the public clerk in charge … and no one easily avoids José!!!

Dear animal lovers, you cannot imagine what has been possible to achieve so far due to your support. Without it, many animals would have died of a cruel death in the last years. They would have starved to death and from maltreatment. Besides, hundreds of animals would have been born, which we “prevented” through castration. To help the animals is for us a task, a major duty and a challenge which has completely changed our lives.


We wait for your support!!! The J.A.V.A. Team

Information, adoptions, donations in charge of:
Portuguese: Estela Tel. 00351966275892
German, English, Portuguese: Sabine Tel. 00351934816053

http://www.projectojava.org/
mail@projectojava.org

Postal address:
Associação Projecto J.A.V.A.
Apartado 43
2534-909 Lourinhã

Bank Account:
Caixa de Crédito Agrícola, Lourinhã
NIB: 004551904016097973602
IBAN: PT50-004551904016097973602
Swift: CCCMPTPL