Where do you draw the line between between a noble drive to protect animals and coexistence with your neighbours? Good question!

Take the case of the animal refuge over in Axarquia called Tail Torrox (Torrox Animal International League), which was set up about eight years ago. Two-hundred locals are up in arms about the alleged constant barking, especially at night, coming from the installations.

They have reported the animal home to the police, who invariably answer that as it is a private residence and there are no cases of animal cruelty, they cannot do anything.

On the other hand, the volunteers at the refuge point out that the animals are kept in good conditions and besides, they are there because they have permission from the Town Hall. They would quite happily move to better installations if such a facility existed.

The Policía Local and the Guardia Civil always turn to Tail Torrox if they come across abandoned or mistreated animals, so the refuge carries out a very necessary and appreciated function.

Besides, the animal refuge soldiers on without any official help; i.e., funding, despite having running costs of around 2,000 euros a month, which goes on medicine and food for 130 dogs, of which around 60 are in the said home next to the access road to Torrox Pueblos – others are in temporary homes.

The Mayor, Oscar Media says that he is aware of the complaints and laments the situation, but points out that there is nothing that the Town Hall can do; they are looking out for a piece of land and collaborating with the Nerja and Frigiliana town halls in the hope of being able to set up a joint facilities for the area.

He is disappointed that the Junta objected to the first locations that the three town halls came up with, at the lower end of the Río Chíllar riverbed as it was a area liable to flooding, despite the fact that there are already three buildings there.

You can find out more about this animal refuge set up from their web page. Oh, and you can support their cause for only one euro month!

(News: Torrox, Axarquia, Costa del Sol, Malaga, Andalucia)