Totally agree Dido, the "patches" you sea close to the Hotels beach on the Balcon de Europa are beyond belief.
Kenny
I Waited 6 Months for a Passport...R.I.P.Rasta.
With regard to taking your dogs for 'walkies' on the beaches...
First..... in UK there are designated dog walking areas on most beaches , even during the summer seasons, and normally from September to April, there are no restrictions..Always better to check with your local town Hall.....
Second .....in Spain, again, in most areas dog walking on the beaches is banned during the main season, some do have designated doggie areas, but better to check with the local Town Hall or Police station....In practice it would seem that most Spaniards ignore the signs and walk their dogs anyway.!
And with regard to cleanliness on the beaches, first in UK, most beaches are now very clean and 'blue flagged', and remember the tide cleans the sand twice a day, and there are strict laws in place with regard to sewage etc....
Spain is a different story, the beaches only see 'a good clean', when it rains heavy or there is a storm, granted, beach cleaning machines trawl up and down daily, removing rubbish and some do spray disinfectant, but the sand is very dirty....And how do I know that ?..
..Well for many years I walked many beaches in Spain, with my metal detector, and believe me the sand is not clean. I've found all kinds of 'nasties' , including used syringes, 'rubber goods..used ', dirty nappies , used band aids..and lots of insects...
..So would I like my grand-kids to play in the sand...not on your nelly !...The Med. in my opinion is a huge cesspit, where unregulated countries dump everything, but to be fair some of the offending countries are now 'getting their act together', but it will be a long time before it will be clean....
All the above facts are 'in my opinion', and based on experience..
First..... in UK there are designated dog walking areas on most beaches , even during the summer seasons, and normally from September to April, there are no restrictions..Always better to check with your local town Hall.....
Second .....in Spain, again, in most areas dog walking on the beaches is banned during the main season, some do have designated doggie areas, but better to check with the local Town Hall or Police station....In practice it would seem that most Spaniards ignore the signs and walk their dogs anyway.!
And with regard to cleanliness on the beaches, first in UK, most beaches are now very clean and 'blue flagged', and remember the tide cleans the sand twice a day, and there are strict laws in place with regard to sewage etc....
Spain is a different story, the beaches only see 'a good clean', when it rains heavy or there is a storm, granted, beach cleaning machines trawl up and down daily, removing rubbish and some do spray disinfectant, but the sand is very dirty....And how do I know that ?..
..Well for many years I walked many beaches in Spain, with my metal detector, and believe me the sand is not clean. I've found all kinds of 'nasties' , including used syringes, 'rubber goods..used ', dirty nappies , used band aids..and lots of insects...
..So would I like my grand-kids to play in the sand...not on your nelly !...The Med. in my opinion is a huge cesspit, where unregulated countries dump everything, but to be fair some of the offending countries are now 'getting their act together', but it will be a long time before it will be clean....
All the above facts are 'in my opinion', and based on experience..
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Miro
- Andalucia Guru
- Posts: 3584
- Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 8:20 pm
- Location: Merseyside, formally Torremolinos
Well, Rasta, your story certainly struck a chord with me. My name is Miro - my humans use my name to post on this forum, I don't know why. I'm one of those "moggies" you referred to - although I used to be a straight forward gato, and I didn't used to have any humans. My humans told me that thing about chocolate cake as well. Strange.
Anyway, my story is not unlike yours. I was one of a big gang of street cats, and had managed to scrape a living for several years, which was pretty good going. But then things went wrong. I lost most of my teeth & got a hole in my upper palette somehow - probably an accident, but I don't remember. And it made it very hard for me to eat and drink. Well, as you know, it's tough on the streets, and I found it harder & harder to compete with all the younger, stronger & healthier cats. I started to get sick. I lost weight quickly, my fur became straggly and matted, and my nose was always running because everytime I drank, it went through the hole in my mouth and into my nose, then down into my lungs. Anyway, you don't want to hear the gory details of my ailments really.
Well, one day I just felt I'd had enough. I was weak & tired, and I found a quiet corner of a garden, curled up and waited for the inevitable. But then a strange thing happened. This human man who had been swimming nearby came slowly towards me, crouching very low and talking quietly to me. I didn't understand anything he said, because I'd only heard Spanish until then, but later I learnt it was English. Normally I used to run away from humans, because I'd learnt that they can sometimes be cruel, but somehow I didn't have the strength this time. But anyway, something told me I was not in danger. I let him stroke me, and it was actually rather comforting. Soon afterwards a woman arrived as well, and amazingly she put some food in front of me, then moved away.
The next day, I was still in the same place, because I still felt very tired and weak. The two kind humans came again, but this time they picked me up, put me in a box, and took me on a short journey to what I later learned was a hospitable for other sick animals like me. I stayed there for a week, and when the humans brought me back to my area, I felt so much better - although a little bit sore in my private parts
I stayed close to where the humans lived. They gave me food every day! I still went to see my old friends, but found that I actually preferred staying around the humans now. I didn't seem to fancy the girls much any more - I'd sowed my wild seed plenty when I was younger so it didn't bother me. Incredibly, the humans (who I already had come to think of as "my" humans), let me come into their core area, which was really cool, because they had lots of comfy things to sit on, and I no longer had to find a parked car to hide under when it rained.
This was all a couple of (human) years ago. Now I spend 90% of my time with my humans, but still pop out to see my old mates at night, and to do my business, although I even have my own tray of gravel in case it's raining! I have a food bowl that always has food in it, a water bowl with water always in it, my own bed (although I often share my human's bed) and when I feel like it, the humans will even play with me with my favourite bit of string.
I'm so lucky, like you, Rasta, to have found some nice humans who are so kind to me. I wish all my old mates could also find some, but there's so many like us and not enough nice humans.
Anyway, my story is not unlike yours. I was one of a big gang of street cats, and had managed to scrape a living for several years, which was pretty good going. But then things went wrong. I lost most of my teeth & got a hole in my upper palette somehow - probably an accident, but I don't remember. And it made it very hard for me to eat and drink. Well, as you know, it's tough on the streets, and I found it harder & harder to compete with all the younger, stronger & healthier cats. I started to get sick. I lost weight quickly, my fur became straggly and matted, and my nose was always running because everytime I drank, it went through the hole in my mouth and into my nose, then down into my lungs. Anyway, you don't want to hear the gory details of my ailments really.
Well, one day I just felt I'd had enough. I was weak & tired, and I found a quiet corner of a garden, curled up and waited for the inevitable. But then a strange thing happened. This human man who had been swimming nearby came slowly towards me, crouching very low and talking quietly to me. I didn't understand anything he said, because I'd only heard Spanish until then, but later I learnt it was English. Normally I used to run away from humans, because I'd learnt that they can sometimes be cruel, but somehow I didn't have the strength this time. But anyway, something told me I was not in danger. I let him stroke me, and it was actually rather comforting. Soon afterwards a woman arrived as well, and amazingly she put some food in front of me, then moved away.
The next day, I was still in the same place, because I still felt very tired and weak. The two kind humans came again, but this time they picked me up, put me in a box, and took me on a short journey to what I later learned was a hospitable for other sick animals like me. I stayed there for a week, and when the humans brought me back to my area, I felt so much better - although a little bit sore in my private parts
I stayed close to where the humans lived. They gave me food every day! I still went to see my old friends, but found that I actually preferred staying around the humans now. I didn't seem to fancy the girls much any more - I'd sowed my wild seed plenty when I was younger so it didn't bother me. Incredibly, the humans (who I already had come to think of as "my" humans), let me come into their core area, which was really cool, because they had lots of comfy things to sit on, and I no longer had to find a parked car to hide under when it rained.
This was all a couple of (human) years ago. Now I spend 90% of my time with my humans, but still pop out to see my old mates at night, and to do my business, although I even have my own tray of gravel in case it's raining! I have a food bowl that always has food in it, a water bowl with water always in it, my own bed (although I often share my human's bed) and when I feel like it, the humans will even play with me with my favourite bit of string.
I'm so lucky, like you, Rasta, to have found some nice humans who are so kind to me. I wish all my old mates could also find some, but there's so many like us and not enough nice humans.
Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often
"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative," Mordecai Siegal 1935-2010.
"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative," Mordecai Siegal 1935-2010.
Miro My Feline Friend,
I've just read your story of woe, and a little tear flowed from my sad eyes as I read it, such a similar tale as mine , but what a fantastic ending.....I'm so glad that you are one of the lucky ones who has found such a loving and comfortable home, with your new Mum and Dad...
Every day I count my 'lucky stars', that I was so lucky to have been rescued from the brink of disaster .....I know , that like you , I was very close to death when I was whisked away from that awful way of living....I will never forget all of the kindness shown to me by new parents, as I'm sure you understand.....
Tonight I couldn't eat all of my dinner , for thinking about all of my mates who at this very moment are starving, on the streets of Spain.....I hope so much that my little appeal last week, touched the hearts of some of the kind people who read these pages....
I send some more L L L L L L L L L, x x x x x..( licks and kisses) to you all....especially you Miro.......from Rasta...the ex-steet Dog.....
I've just read your story of woe, and a little tear flowed from my sad eyes as I read it, such a similar tale as mine , but what a fantastic ending.....I'm so glad that you are one of the lucky ones who has found such a loving and comfortable home, with your new Mum and Dad...
Every day I count my 'lucky stars', that I was so lucky to have been rescued from the brink of disaster .....I know , that like you , I was very close to death when I was whisked away from that awful way of living....I will never forget all of the kindness shown to me by new parents, as I'm sure you understand.....
Tonight I couldn't eat all of my dinner , for thinking about all of my mates who at this very moment are starving, on the streets of Spain.....I hope so much that my little appeal last week, touched the hearts of some of the kind people who read these pages....
I send some more L L L L L L L L L, x x x x x..( licks and kisses) to you all....especially you Miro.......from Rasta...the ex-steet Dog.....
Hola Rasta and Miro L L L L L L L L L, x x x x x..( licks and kisses) back at ya from myself Dougal a cocker spaniel who got dumped in Malaga city at just 4 months old and I don't understand why and was so scared and from my good amigo Hocus a gatitos who's Mum was a street gato and who died when he was born and he was only surviving gatitos but we both have found a new Mum and Dad together and we get on really well and curl up and sleep together but that Hocus does like to hang off my ears on occassions which can be tiring but lots of fun too. So we both hope you will be as happy as we are and we hope all other friends on the streets will be as happy as we all are soon too.
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spanish hopes
- Resident
- Posts: 667
- Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:32 am
- Location: Sabinillas
As it is apparent that you all love a good cat and dog story, and almost on topic, can I reccomend for a good read, Deric Longden's "The Cat Who Came in from the Cold".
Soppy, touching, very funny and a thoroughly good read (even for fellas).
About a very special kitten, apparently based on the truth.
Soppy, touching, very funny and a thoroughly good read (even for fellas).
About a very special kitten, apparently based on the truth.
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Miro
- Andalucia Guru
- Posts: 3584
- Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 8:20 pm
- Location: Merseyside, formally Torremolinos
Can't find the thread about pet passports and rabies vaccinations, and how long it takes to get the results of the blood test back, so I'll post here.
Miro is celebrating today, because he finally has his certificate stating that he is officially rabies free (God knows, he has enough other health issues to contend with) and can therefore legally travel to the UK - not that he actually has any plans to. He's just happy not to have to feel like an illegal alien at Sangatte waiting to cross the channel.
His blood sample was taken, and submitted to the lab in Granada in January this year. When we went to the Oficina Comarcal Agraria a couple of months back, we were told the results were not there. We went again today, because his vet told us that they had spoken to someone there, and the results were definitely in.
When we arrived, we gave the vet's name, our name, Miro's name and chip ID number, only to be told again they had nothng.
Finally, we established that the jobsworth behind the counter was only checking under the vet's name. However, we had given the name of the surgery (i.e. the name of the vet who owns it), not realising that the results were under the name of the asistant vet who had actually taken the blood sample, and who no longer works at the same practice.
When jobsworth bothered to check under our name and Miro's he found it straight away in his pile of at least a dozen others (tricky!) and we noticed that it was recieved by them in May this year. Presumably it's been there all this time.
Anyway, all's well that ends well, and Miro now knows he can nip off to Blighty to visit cousin Molly if he so desires - which he doesn't, because cousin Molly is a 7 stone Staffordshire Bull Terrier who likes to eat moggies for breakfast! (not really - she's a softy, but don't tell anyone....)
Miro is celebrating today, because he finally has his certificate stating that he is officially rabies free (God knows, he has enough other health issues to contend with) and can therefore legally travel to the UK - not that he actually has any plans to. He's just happy not to have to feel like an illegal alien at Sangatte waiting to cross the channel.
His blood sample was taken, and submitted to the lab in Granada in January this year. When we went to the Oficina Comarcal Agraria a couple of months back, we were told the results were not there. We went again today, because his vet told us that they had spoken to someone there, and the results were definitely in.
When we arrived, we gave the vet's name, our name, Miro's name and chip ID number, only to be told again they had nothng.
Finally, we established that the jobsworth behind the counter was only checking under the vet's name. However, we had given the name of the surgery (i.e. the name of the vet who owns it), not realising that the results were under the name of the asistant vet who had actually taken the blood sample, and who no longer works at the same practice.
When jobsworth bothered to check under our name and Miro's he found it straight away in his pile of at least a dozen others (tricky!) and we noticed that it was recieved by them in May this year. Presumably it's been there all this time.
Anyway, all's well that ends well, and Miro now knows he can nip off to Blighty to visit cousin Molly if he so desires - which he doesn't, because cousin Molly is a 7 stone Staffordshire Bull Terrier who likes to eat moggies for breakfast! (not really - she's a softy, but don't tell anyone....)
Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often
"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative," Mordecai Siegal 1935-2010.
"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative," Mordecai Siegal 1935-2010.
hiya Rasta, Miro, Dougal and Hocus. My names Jake. I´m only little even though I am now 3!! i love my mummy and daddy so much. when i was only 12 weeks old, my old mum and dad dumped me in the countryside for being a naughty boy. thankfully my new mummy and daddy rescued me and gave me a nice new home. a few months ago a campo gato left gatitos in a nest at the bottom of our garden when they were just 4 days old. mummy and daddy took them in and cared for them til they were 6 months old and ready to go to new homes. i loved them and wanted them to stay, but my 13year old sister Jemima (she´s english and bigger than me) didnt like them getting attention, so we couldnt keep them. 
When we go for my favourite walkies 
and i see other poor doggies all skinny and dirty, and little gatos with no homes, i tell myself that other nice people like mummy and daddy will come along and offer a home to them. Thats what I hope anyway...L L L L L L XXXXXXX (licks and kisses to all) Jake
When we go for my favourite walkies and i see other poor doggies all skinny and dirty, and little gatos with no homes, i tell myself that other nice people like mummy and daddy will come along and offer a home to them. Thats what I hope anyway...L L L L L L XXXXXXX (licks and kisses to all) Jakevino, sol y aire, y seras rico como nadie
Re: I Waited 6 Months for a Passport
First of all I must apologise for reviving this old post from 7 years ago, but I thought it to be appropriate.
Very sad news, poor old Rasta passed away this morning at my sons house in Scarborough.
Yes we are very sad and upset, but also very proud to have been involved with this little street urchin who turned out to be such a great little friend and companion and a wonderful character.
We are also proud to think that we were able to have given him the chance to have a long and enjoyable life,I know that if we hadn't taken him off the streets he wouldn't have survived much longer.
Thank you for taking the time to read this...
Regards,
Gordon.
Very sad news, poor old Rasta passed away this morning at my sons house in Scarborough.
Yes we are very sad and upset, but also very proud to have been involved with this little street urchin who turned out to be such a great little friend and companion and a wonderful character.
We are also proud to think that we were able to have given him the chance to have a long and enjoyable life,I know that if we hadn't taken him off the streets he wouldn't have survived much longer.
Thank you for taking the time to read this...
Regards,
Gordon.
Re: I Waited 6 Months for a Passport...R.I.P.Rasta.
I am sorry to read that Rasta has passed away, I am sure he had a wonderful loving life since you adopted him. You were all lucky to have had the time together. You should have a book made of his tales 
Re: I Waited 6 Months for a Passport...R.I.P.Rasta.
I am so sorry to hear that Rasta has passed away. He had such a lovely life, all thanks to you though. His friend, little Jakey, is no longer with us either, (neither is Jemima who died in her sleep aged a Todd 18, but we have another Spanish Rescue dog, Kimba, whose Samoyed mother was locked in a Cortijo pregnant. we took Kimba in at 900grams, a few months after your post, driving a 9 hour round trip to Madrid to her her, and is now living with us, in England, a 20kg very happy, but now arthritic doggy. I am certain Rasta will continue to be happy playing on Rainbow Bridge with the other dearly departed pets. Our thoughts are with you Bendorm. Xx
vino, sol y aire, y seras rico como nadie
Re: I Waited 6 Months for a Passport...R.I.P.Rasta.
Thank you both for your kind thoughts and words..Very Much Appreciated.
Regards,
Gordon..x
Regards,
Gordon..x
Re: I Waited 6 Months for a Passport...R.I.P.Rasta.
It's a bit of a nostalgia trip looking back. I have said farewell to a few pets since then and I still miss them. When the thread started I had 4 cats and 2 dogs, now down to 1cat and 1 dog
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