Our 4-legged friends need all the help they can get, especially after Christmas when ‘presents’ stop being cuddly and become a burden.

Up in the western part of the province there is a group of locals that banded together back in May to do something about strays in the area, and they need all the help that they can get, too.

That’s why around mid December the main park (Los Ángeles) in Loja was the venue of a fund-raising mercadillo. The association had several stalls selling T-shirts, balloons, and cups with their logo. They had also organised workshops for kids, as well as display put on by a professional dog trainer, José Carlos Rivas.

The fact is that taking in strays, even temporarily, is expensive, having an average cost of 200 euros per animal in order for it to have the necessary veterinary treatment, jabs and chips. This is financed by membership fees and private donations.

The association doesn’t have a office so the animals they take on are farmed out to temporary foster homes. These temporary homes only take on the accommodation of the stray as all expenses are covered by the association, including its food.

So what they need is a network of foster homes and private donations.

Do you live in the area and want to help? Good! You can read more on their website: sosanimalicosloja.blogspot.com.es.

If you want to make a donation, their account details are 0182 3520 7502 0158 9755 and if you want to email them: sosanimalicosloja@gmail.com.

(News: Loja, Poniente de Granada, Andalucia)