Hello everyone. I am a retired person, non British but English speaking. I retired here two years ago in Turre, but I am very familiar with the area because I have owned a place in Vera Playa for many years and have been back and forth, all the while looking forward to retirement to live my Spanish dream . Unfortunately my retirement coincided with falling ill, and to cut a long story short, I am under the care of oncology In Torrecárdenas. We chose Turre to live, rather than use my apartment in Vera Playa, because it is a real town with real people. I have the most amazing neighbors and it helps that I can converse with them in Spanish. I certainly do not wish to depend on ,what I describe, an English speaking ghetto.
That is my background, so I’ll get to the point. Turre is overpopulated by dogs. They are everywhere. I have never minded dogs and have had a dog here and there during my life. I even considered adopting a little dog here in retirement, however, after settling in, we decided against it. We live in a spacious apartment, but no apartment is suitable to keeping a dog. It is unfair to the animal and totally inconsiderate of your neighbors. In fact, what I have experienced here, can only be described as anti social. There is a cacophony of dogs barking where I live... one starts and they all start.
The streets are covered in dog shite. I suffer from respiratory issues and use a mobility scooter and have become adept to steering around the turds. It is everywhere. When I posted in a local Turre Facebook group that I joined, I was attacked and very shrilly abused by a section of people who I can only describe as a dog worshipping cult. Most of them are British ‘expats’ (I disapprove of the expression, they are immigrants). Anyone who has any concerns about this matter is quickly called an animal hater. And as soon as I would try to post an answer to these lunatics, the administrator of the group, a lady who is Turre’s answer to Hyacinth Bucket, would delete the thread, leaving the cult members having the last word. In the past couple of days she has blocked me from the group completely.
My concern is this. These dog worshippers, in the forum are picking up strays and then placing them into people’s homes. Most dwellings in Turre are apartments or terraced buildings! They even fight each other over doing ‘rescues’. They wish to rehouse strays anywhere they can and have said that they do not care about the effects on humans.
I have witnessed the following,
People not picking up when their dog shits.
People allowing the animal to run free with no lead.
People bringing their dogs into restaurants in Turre , kissing them, and allowing them to eat off the plates (which you or I might be served a meal on later).
People congratulating and backslapping a stupid couple for housing two strays and their 8 pups into their motor home. Then attacking the mayor of Turre in the already mentioned fb group, and threatening to have him voted out come the next elections because these two thicks who were illegally parked, were moved on by the authorities. I say, well done Mr, Mayor,
Sending a fb message to a Spanish person, who had a trailer for his hunting dogs which did not meet approval of these ‘Mutt nuts’, threatening him, and then discussing how to sabotage his trailer!
I would like a form a group of people who would like to see Dog Owners indulge in their hobby in a responsible manner which causes no grief to the general public .This is what I would hope our group to achieve..
Make representations to our ayuntamiento in a civilized manner and urge them to implement the laws concerning dogs on leads , picking up shit, bringing them into places where they are prohibited (like the main plaza in Turre). Hopefully the ayuntamiento can apply dog control laws with zero tolerance. Maybe we can help by recording and reporting the violators if the authorities agree.
Approach restaurant and bar owners and request them to not allow dogs in their restaurants, indoor or outdoor, in their premises and to propagate ‘dog free dining’ (The exception being service dogs for the blind etc)
Approach PAWS and request them to vet any potential ‘adoptive ‘ or ‘foster ‘ people, and not to place any animal with anyone who is not in a house with its own garden independent from others . (Recently PAWS gave one of my neighbors 6 boisterous pups to foster. The couple live in an apartment and when I asked them if PAWS had enquired as to their accommodation, the replied that they had not and that PAWS did not care about neighbors etc once the dogs were ok... they were the only thing that mattered)! ... and neither did PAWS care that my neighbors needed to have a kennel license when they had more than five dogs!
To monitor these self appointed rescue people (some of whom are operating illegally and have been embroiled in investigation by the authorities). The SEPRONA would be interested to know about any idiot that had more than five animals in their home without a proper registration as a kennel.
This cult consists of very aggressive and abusive people, they are bullies and need to be stood up to. If you would support my points, please send me private messages.