Marisa’s Story: I’m a volunteer with Sofía El Refugio Escuela, in Seville. Since I was a little child I have had a special love for animals.
Since the moment I’ve been able to help them actively, I started helping at a temporary dogs home and after that I found Sofía, and so I help also as a volunteer in the refuge.
Now I have 5 dogs at home and 2 cats. The cats and two of the dogs are mine and another 3 are waiting for a permanent home.
I also have Hallo, who desperately needs help.
I’m a sales representative for a medical laboratory and I work with all the Andalucian hospitals, which means I drive a lot of kilometres each day. When I get up in the morning, I feed all my animals and let them out in the small garden whilst I clean up the house after them! After that, I get ready and leave for work.
Because of the distances I travel, I don’t normally get back home until late, and then I have paperwork to do. After that the dogs and I go for a walk! Sometimes it’s a handful, with 4 dogs!
By the time the animals have had their dinners and walk, it’s nearly 10pm , time for me to have some dinner, and see what has come in on my computer and try and help other animals in danger.
If I have to travel greater distances, and can’t get home that night, my boyfriend looks after the animals, but he works from 9-7pm, so they are on their own at home for a long time each day.
I’m desperately looking for a home for Emi, the greyhound in the photo, and Valentina, a husky I found recently who has a personality problem because of human violence.
Not in the picture are Norte and Dali, my cats, and Menta, a boxer with leishmania looking for a permanent family, who has already been abandoned three times.
As well as all this, I also do volunteer work at the Sofia refuge at the weekend.
It’s a very hard life for animals in Spain and what would happen to them without all the volunteers?
If anyone can offer these dogs a permanent home, please get in touch with the Sofia Refuge.