Buddy arrived at the shelter in October 2023; the police had taken him in from the street as some people were beating him with a stick.

This awful behavior is unfortunately commonplace in Spain. There are many people out there who work hard to help the dogs on the street, but there are also many people who see these dogs as pests and an inconvenience.

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Meet Buddy, a senior rescue dog from Spain, who got a second chance at a new life

Buddy was taken in by the police after they found him being cruelly beaten. The sight of Buddy when he first arrived was heartbreaking, a condition all too common for stray dogs

We don’t know how long Buddy had been on the streets, but we do know the terrible condition he was in when he was rescued. In addition to being beaten, Buddy, this gentle older dog, had many ticks, scabies and an inner ear infection.

Buddy in his concrete kennel when he first arrived at the shelter, October 2023

Buddy was confused and sad when he arrived, but his character would eventually come out once he realised he was safe.
When Buddy started relaxing in the safety of the shelter, his personality shone through; Buddy was a very calm and affectionate dog. Despite the bad treatment he had endured from people while he was living on the streets, he adored being with people.

Thanks to the dedicated care of the vets and Sonia, the President of Animals Help, a shelter in Galicia, Spain, Buddy received the medical attention and love he desperately needed

As well as receiving flea treatment, Buddy was put on antibiotics for 15 days. The vet also had to put a strong antibiotic in his ears. At one point during his recovery, Sonia came in one day to find Buddy had lost a lot of hair and skin, almost like a snake shedding its skin.

Against the odds, Buddy recovered and soon after got an adoption inquiry from the UK

Fast forward to March 2024 and we received a website enquiry about Buddy and the rest, as they say, was history!

Buddy is now safe and sound, enjoying the retirement he deserves with a loving family in a new country he can call home

Adopting a dog from Spain is more straightforward than you might think: we deal with everything for you and with full Rescue Back-Up, we are there for you from adoption and every day after that. Our visit has listings of dogs that are currently available for adoption. Once you complete an application, we will let you know if you will move on to the next step, which is a home check. Depending on your location, these may be done in person or by video call. Once your adoption is confirmed, we check ID and ask you to complete our contract, and then we’re good to go! We will book your dog on to the next available transport and they will travel from Spain to you in the UK: from a stray dog sleeping in the cold and scavenging for food, to a loved family pet snuggled up on your sofa.

We held a virtual home check on a Saturday, there happened to be room on the next transport to the UK the very next week and Buddy arrived in the UK just 7 days after his adoption was confirmed.

Buddy at home with his new sister, Sally

Buddy’s adopters were looking for a companion for their older dog and they wanted to rescue an older soul who still enjoyed gentle walks. It was a perfect match and the way it all worked out, we had their home check on a Saturday and Buddy arrived with them exactly 7 days later! Buddy travelled with Wawapets, a fully licenced and experienced dog transport company that takes care of all the rescue dogs they help on a monthly basis. Buddy enjoyed breaks along the way to stretch his legs and started to settle in at home incredibly quickly.

Buddy has adapted amazingly well to his new life in the UK, and his wonderful adopters have sent us updates that have had us all grinning from ear to ear. We are thrilled for Buddy to have found such an amazing home and we are so grateful to his new family for opening their hearts and home to a senior rescue dog from Spain.

Buddy’s story proves that senior dogs, no matter their past, can find happiness and security with a little love and a second chance

Rescue dogs from Spain may seem a million miles away but we do what we can to make the process simple and make adopting a dog from Spain easy. We are also there to support you from when your rescue dog arrives with you and every day after that. If you would like to adopt a dog, please consider rescue dogs from Spain.

Thousands of Spanish stray dogs roam the streets, facing hunger, illness, and danger of being hurt. Several factors contribute to the high number of stray dogs in Spain. Unlike in the UK, neutering and spaying aren’t as widely practised. It is estimated around 300,000 animals in Spain are abandoned each year and a third of them are euthanised. Some traditional attitudes in Spain view dogs more as working animals than companions, leading to them being cast aside when they’re no longer needed for herding or guarding. An example is Galgos: at the end of hunting season, thousands of them are abandoned or killed inhumanely. Spanish stray dogs that are picked up by animal control often end up in overcrowded shelters with limited resources. These shelters, while doing their best, can’t offer the individual care and attention these dogs desperately need. Here’s where a Spanish dog rescue like ours steps in. The journey for these rescue dogs from Spain is a chance for a new beginning. There’s a misconception that Spanish rescue dogs are somehow less desirable than their UK counterparts. This simply isn’t true. Many Spanish dogs are perfectly healthy, playful, and eager to please. Some may have had a rough start in life, but with love and understanding, they can blossom into wonderful companions. If you are looking to adopt a dog, please consider adopting a rescue dog from Spain.