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Chico visits to the vet
Today is a day that Chico and I will remember for the rest of our lives, it is to have the SNIP, as the Spaniards say it is "castrada" (he did not need to translate). It's painful, even if the vet me insured (while it takes me 170 euros), it is not. She hopes that the Spanish people to follow my example and their dogs "castrada. This would help reduce the number of dogs and cats, but to be fair, the situation has improved considerably since our arrival here.
We sit in the reception area, smiling and nodding at the other dog owners, however, we are both in shaking involuntarily. Dogs seem to know that a visit to the vet will not be a pleasant experience. Our names were called and I take him surgery. I have a terrible sense of betrayal, I say goodbye to Chico promise that I'll be back and then I make a dash for the nearest bar, a quick Brandy should do the trick, and suddenly I remember that I gave up drinking for Lent.
The boy smiled – Buenas dias
I answer "Café con leche, por favor"
I thought writing this article on the subject that is probably closer to a heart Mans. No. it is not his portfolio, but is very close, it is his dog. Now, the Spaniards have a reputation tarnished when it comes to animal care. In the past, they have inflicted cruelty to animals that we in Britain can not accept.
I still think that bullfighting is horrible if you have the opportunity to go, and then no, you have been warned. Regardless of what people say about the tradition and art, Bullfighting is the gore, but it is a big deal, there are a lot of money involved, some of them, even from the EU in the form of grants. Surprisingly, the majority of Spaniards are in fact against or indifferent to bullfighting and the shameful behavior of so-called "hunters" frightens them. After the Madrid bombings, there was a change of government and the PSOE in power now plans to introduce the much needed national legislation to protect animals, we have to wait and see how.
However, the good news is, it is getting better, helped of course by the British, who open charity shops, rescue centers, and do a wonderful job. Here in the southeast corner of Spain, in the small coastal town of Mojacar, there is a charitable relief organization called PWAS (Peoples Animal Welfare Society), which since 1990 have done an outstanding job in rescuing and caring for animals abandoned. Their work was recognized in 2000 when they received a prestigious certificate of Association by the RSPCA
When we arrived in Spain, we brought our two dogs with us, two Yorkshire terriers, brother and sister. In a moment of madness called my wife and Cagney (James Cagney apparently after, because the dog looks like a little tough, bless him) & Lacey (I'm still not sure if the name came from, but she is cute, the dog is not the wife).
Before coming to Spain, we had to go through the procedure for obtaining passports for dogs. The Pet Travel scheme has been introduced in February 2000 for dogs and cats traveling from some European countries and was then extended to some countries long-haul. There is an information site government and a helpline 0870 241 1710. The pet passport is a great idea because apart from exceptional cases, it eliminates the need for quarantine, which is a painful experience for everyone.
Our experience with obtaining passports could not have been easier. The local veterinarian in our hometown in Ormskirk knew exactly what was needed and the time involved. Therefore, it was just a case of shooting with dogs and pay him. Bye the way, veterinarians are excellent in Spain, where he is a popular and professional most have a smattering of English, so a visit to the vet is not a language nightmare. In addition, fees and drugs are less considerably cheaper than in the United Kingdom. Pet insurance is also available from a number of insurance companies, with premiums are much less expensive than the UK and provide coverage against all usual risks.
There are a number of ways to transport your dog, rail, ferry or plane, the animals are allowed to travel to most airports in Spain. Everything you need to notify before your departure. We decided to combine our trip with some sightseeing and left England via the Channel Tunnel, which was excellent, but the plan was flawed, our route took us by Paris, an absolute nightmare, it is not romantic, I can tell you. However, the French hotels were excellent and when I asked a room for four of us, they would not have been more accommodating.
Not quite the same story once we've had in Spain, hotels pets allowed here and we ended up staying in motels, mainly used by businessmen and long-distance truck drivers. Then delivery was a bit old, food and drink was fabulous, everything you can imagine: food for 10 euros. If you are not rushed to get to your final destination, then this easy driving is recommended, the scenery is incredible, and do not worry about the roads, they are quiet and especially dual carriageway.
If we are there, four of us (me, wife and two dogs) sit on a beach in the midday sun, thinking that might be a good idea to find some shade to watch some Spanish boys tease a dog. The dog was obviously starts to be struggling a bit, so the wife goes to offer his help and returned with the little guy, he is obviously not a pedigree, we call a "Bitsa", a bit of this and a little of this, but it is very friendly and even our two dogs seem to love. He shares our meal, a drink drinks and decides he likes us. Thus, when the time to go home to our friend decides he fancies New Found the challenge of learning a new language and coming home with us. He has been with us, we call "Chico"
At this time we where living in a room two, one bathroom apartment in the center of Aguilas. Rent an apartment or a villa in a prime location for a stay of long duration is very difficult. The property owners are very happy to have you for the winter but come summer and the prospect of high short-term lease, means you need to find another place to live. When we rented the apartment, the owner said "no pets or animals company ", we said" no cockroaches. Surprisingly, in our block, almost everyone seems to have a small dog. This flagrant violation of rules of behavior is typical in Spanish, they often say one thing, then either ignore or do the opposite.
About the Author
Tony Roberts has lived in south east Spain since 2001. He is now an established estate agent in the region of Costa Calida and has written a free e-book “Buying a Property in Spain”, to receive your copy contact Tony at http://www.pocomed.com
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