We support the sterilisation of pet dogs and strays in the East Algarve area
About us...... What we do
StreetLife is a non-profit organisation staffed and run entirely by unpaid volunteers. We started in September 2017 as an initiative from a group of animal lovers who want to reduce the number of stray and abandoned animals in the East Algarve through a programme of sterilisations. Click here for a poster handout about us..... please print and distribute to your family and friends. We want to reach as many people as we can, to encourage them to sterilise their pets.
There are several shelters across the Algarve and they are all overflowing with abandoned animals, many of which come from local families. We have worked in / with some of these shelters so know the problems first-hand.
Fund-raising groups and volunteers do a great job supporting the shelters, but our idea is to try to reduce the number of litters in the first place, through a programme of sterilisation of both pets and strays.
Litters of puppies from unsterilised pets are a particular problem because many pet owners will
not have unplanned pregnancies terminated, preferring to dump the puppies in waste bins,
cardboard boxes, plastic bags or at shelters to get rid of the problem.
Many pet owners do not sterilise their animals because they simply cannot (or will not) afford the
veterinary costs involved, and so the problem continues, unfortunately.
This is where StreetLife comes in: quite simply, we subsidise the cost of sterilisations from money
raised through donations. For example, if a vet charges us (say) €120 to sterilise a dog, but the
owner can only afford €50, then StreetLife will pay the extra €70 to the vet to ensure that the animal is sterilised and will not produce (more) puppies. Please note that these figures are just examples – actual costs depend on a number of factors.
There are other organisations elsewhere in Portugal doing similar things, but we want to focus on the East Algarve, where little is being done.
If you want to see the problem for yourself, just visit a local animal shelter. StreetLife is happy to help you arrange a visit because we have worked with some of the shelters and have first-hand experience. Just ask!
What we don't do....
Please...
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Do NOT ask us to help catch dogs (or cats) or to rehome them - it's NOT what we do! We understand everyone is desperate for help but we simply do not have the resources.
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We help fund and organise sterilisations of dogs to prevent more unwanted puppies and strays and that's what we focus on.
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We do NOT sterilise cats - ONLY dogs.
Sorry but we cannot do everything, it's just not possible.
Thousands of unwanted dogs are born each year, many of which end up abandoned and/or die of starvation or disease (.... and not in a good way). Others will be shot, poisoned, mutilated or run over. All of this because some owners do not sterilise their dogs. StreetLife wants to help pet owners to become more responsible.
Sterilisation is proven to be the ONLY effective answer to reducing stray animal populations.
