Cookie, Gaspar and Naya, along with their six siblings, were found, tied up in a plastic bag, in a litter bin when they were under two weeks old. They had all been left to die slowly of starvation and dehydration. Unfortunately, one of the puppies later died from pneumonia. Sadly, all the Algarve rescue centres witness this inhumane treatment regularly. Fortunately, these puppies were taken to Cadela Carlota.
We quarantine all new arrivals to prevent them from passing on a life-threatening condition, such as parvovirus. Then, they need to be seen by a vet to ensure they are healthy, dewormed, and given a gentle treatment for fleas.
The next stage is finding a foster home, and we never seem to have enough. The puppies will need to be fed every three hours until they are weaned. At six weeks, they are microchipped and given their first vaccination. At nine weeks and 12 weeks, they receive the second and third vaccinations. At 12 weeks, they are given the all-important rabies vaccination. But 21 days must pass before they can travel outside Portugal.
Throughout their stay at a foster home, Cookie, Gaspar, and Naya were monitored every two weeks by Cadela Carlota to ensure they were being handled regularly and would settle quickly into a home environment. To stimulate all their normal responses, toys and playtime are encouraged.
When the puppies were ready to be rehomed, we naturally ensured that this was a happy and permanent experience for them, which is why each puppy comes with five free training sessions with Gail Skinner at Awesome Dogs Training School.
Prospective adopters were interviewed, and home visits were made. But at Cadela Carlota, our responsibility does not end there. We are always ready to help with advice at any time. After all, we have invested a great deal of effort, not to mention money, in ensuring that each puppy has the very best start in life that we can provide.
If you would like to support Cadela Carlota in this invaluable work, please visit our website and make a donation or ask about becoming a foster carer.
Main photo: Cookie with Armando and Marilia
