Who we are and what we do
The Early Days
S.O.S was set up in 1997, on a plot of land 10 minutes inland from Fuengirola/ La Cala on the southern coast (Costa del Sol) of Spain. Two years later, the organisation received charitable status.
In the early days, S.O.S began with an intensive programme to spay feral cats and worked closely with hotels and holiday complexes on the coast – cats with nicked ears spotted basking in the sun in the grounds of local hotels are probably former SOS clients!
The refuge was originally planned to take 50 dogs - but since it opened literally thousands have passed through our hands, and at one time we were caring for up to 220 animals. The refuge is busier than ever, now, with an influx of dogs caused by the credit crunch.
And still working as hard as ever is one of the original founders, Tony Byford – pictured right.
Our Sister Organisation
Part of our mission (see below) is to re-house the animals and the majority are found a home in northern Europe, specifically Sweden. We have been finding homes for dogs in Sweden since October 1997 and two years ago, SOS Sweden became a registered charity.
Our helpers in this picture are, from the left, Christina, Malin and Maria.
This sister organization has been invaluable in our rescue work. Click to see Swedish Website.
A Summary of our Mission
To alleviate the suffering of unwanted cats and dogs by a program of neutering. We do not turn away from our gate any animals in need, especially those that have have been abandoned and clearly need urgent medical attention. We do not put to sleep any animal that can be saved unless there is no medical alternative or the animal shows clear, unequivocal signs of aggression, and then only on veterinary advice.
Some of the Key People
A small, dedicated committee oversees the work of the refuge. Committee members:
Sandy Tash: President
Tony Byford: Joint Shelter Manager & Secretary
Therese Rantzow: Joint Shelter Manager & Swedish liasion
Gill Lilley: Rehoming
Gerry Tash: Spokesperson
Also, supporting the committee:
Richard Joss: Webmaster.
