Joshua Parfitt
SPAIN’S ‘first ever’ multi-charity adoption website for cats, dogs and horses has had its launch on the Costa Blanca.
More than half of all dogs and cats in the Marina Alta comarca spend at least six months before finding a new home, according to a survey of 23 animal shelters by new adoptapet.es owners Mats and Caroline Rennstam.
The husband and wife, who live in London but have owned a house in Moraira since 2015, told the Olive Press they wanted to use their marketing expertise to slash waiting times for rescued animals.
“The animal charities here are great, but their turnovers are atrocious,” said Mats, 50.
“In one charity in particular, every single animal there had spent over a year at the shelter.
“They are really well-run—but it’s still no fun for a cat to spend a year in limbo.”
Mats, who sold his business six months ago, felt compelled to help these charities, many of whom have ‘no online presence’ whatsoever.
He told the Olive Press the online service is completely ‘self-funded’ and is the only online portal of its kind offering free marketing for animal shelters in the Marina Alta region.
Mats said that six charities have uploaded profiles of dogs and cats to the website since its launch last Friday, March 29, namely: Adopta Bernia, APAC Campello, Pets in Spain, APAD, APAC Caballos and PEPA.
However, he says there are around 20 more planning to upload profiles in the near future.
Mats, who comes from Sweden, though lives in the UK with his British wife Caroline, 42, estimates there are 1,000 pets in rescue centres in the Marina Alta region.
He says that at least three dogs have been re-homed since the launch five days ago, but has hopes to bring charities on board ‘region by region’ as the word spreads.
