Thank you to our partners whose support makes our work possible
1985–1989
The early years
- In 1985, Karen Polansky and a group of dedicated friends laid the foundations for what would become the area’s first animal welfare society near Mojácar.
- Vera Town Council offered a piece of land next to the cemetery, where the group began to build a basic shelter. Within just three days of fencing it off, 25 dogs had already been abandoned there — prompting the shelter to open early, despite being unprepared.
- Starting with only two handmade kennels and the help of a local vet, the team rallied together. Despite limited resources and tough conditions, they built a community of volunteers deeply committed to improving animal welfare.
One of the most painful realities in those early days was having to euthanise dogs that couldn’t be treated or rehomed. This heartbreaking experience helped shape the future vision of PAWS-PATAS: to become a no-kill shelter where every animal receives a second chance, unless a medical condition leaves no alternative.
1995
Celebrating 10 years of rescue — and the occasional tortoise!
A decade in, PAWS-PATAS had rescued and rehomed hundreds of dogs and cats — and even some unexpected animals, including tortoises, donkeys, and a horse. These early efforts laid the foundation for what would become a far-reaching and compassionate mission.
1996
Official registration
26 November 1996
PAWS-PATAS officially registered as an Association.
With the Junta de Andalucía, PAWS-PATAS was registered with the number 4-1-1928
Karen Polansky became President and Enrique (Ric) Arias Vice-President — a milestone that legitimised the charity’s mission and opened doors to future growth.
1998
No-kill policy adopted
The no-kill shelter vision becomes official.
Inspired by the possibility of rehoming dogs in Holland, PAWS-PATAS adopted a no-kill policy. This vision was supported and developed by Renée Fortuin, who later served as our Netherlands Director until her retirement in 2023.
1999
First international adoptions
Dogs begin their journeys to new homes abroad.
2001
Sudden eviction
Sudden notice forces shelter closure
Vera Town Hall unexpectedly gave four weeks’ notice to vacate the original site. With 42 dogs on-site, the pressure was immense.
30 dogs were rehomed through PAWS-PATAS Netherlands, while the remaining 12 found temporary refuge with local fosterers and volunteers.
2001 - 2002
Homeless but not helpless
Despite having no shelter for 15 months, the team continued operations by working with a local vet and fostering network.
An incredible 135 dogs were rehomed during this difficult time — a testament to the volunteers’ resilience.
Land secured between Turre and Los Gallardos, thanks to a generous donation of 28,000 Dutch Florins (≈ €15,000).
Construction on the new shelter began — a fresh start, built on determination.
Media spotlight and big impact
🎬 Documentaries aired in Holland helped raise €60,000 for the new shelter
Belinda Meuldijk, a Dutch singer and actress, became Patron and raised awareness through media outreach.
BAFTA-winning filmmaker Jim Franklin collaborated with Mike Dornan and Belinda to produce documentaries, raising an incredible €60,000 towards building the shelter.
2003
A new home
The new shelter opens near Los Gallardos and Turre
After 15 challenging months without a physical base, PAWS-PATAS opened its new shelter — a huge milestone that reaffirmed the team’s commitment to animal welfare.
2005
Rehoming expands to the UK
First UK adoptions take place via Ibizan Hound Rescue and Dogwatch UK
International adoption expanded further as dogs found homes in the UK, made possible through growing partnerships with rescue organisations abroad.
2006 - 2007
Record-keeping
Dog record-keeping begins
2006 marked the start of structured record-keeping at the shelter, a key step in tracking outcomes, planning rehoming, and ensuring better animal care.
Consistent growth
A steady year for rehoming
📊 Rescue snapshot
2006
🐶 Dogs homed: 242
2007
🐶 Dogs homed: 246
2008
PAWS-PATAS Cattery opens
The PAWS-PATAS cattery officially opened following the completion of building work in 2007.
Initially intended only for post-neutering recovery, it quickly evolved into a rehoming centre as more people brought in cats for care.
Led by Margaret Moffett (later by Ruth Wood) and managed by Diane Hopwood, the small but passionate cat team laid the groundwork for feline rescue at PAWS-PATAS.
📊 Rescue snapshot
🐶 Dogs homed: 242
2009
Cat garden
Communal “cat garden” added
Generous supporters funded a safe communal area for cats — fondly referred to as “the garden.”
Neutering numbers began to grow steadily, though still funded through local fundraising.
📊 Stat Block:
🐶 Dogs homed: 202
2010
Near closure, but saved
PAWS-PATAS faces potential closure
After PAWS-PATAS Holland closed, the shelter faced severe financial strain. An urgent appeal raised €20,000 through local radio, plus a €2,000 donation from Mojácar Town Hall — just enough to stay afloat.
Even during a two-month intake pause, the shelter still took in 51 dogs. The spirit of the community carried PAWS-PATAS through its toughest year to date.
📊 Rescue snapshot
🐶 Dogs homed: 208
2011
Expansion and international growth
Cat adoption records begin, and rehoming expands across Europe
2011 was a turning point:
Cat homing records and feral cat neutering (TNR) officially began
A new Dutch partner, Reddingsboei, rehomed 28 dogs on the first transport
Germany became a key partner for cat adoptions thanks to Sandra Marshall and ALStrays
A second fundraising outlet opened in Mojácar’s Multi-Centro with support from the local council
The town’s Mayoress, Rosa María Cano, inaugurated the new outlet (33)
- 📊 Rescue snapshot
🐶 Dogs homed: 299
🐱 Cats homed: 48
🐾 Feral cats neutered: 148
2012
Record-setting year
Highest number of dog adoptions to date
Adoptions surged, with more transports to Holland, Germany and the UK. The TNR programme continued steadily thanks to fundraising and volunteer effort.
📊 Stat Block:
🐶 Dogs homed: 311
🐱 Cats homed: 62
🐾 Feral cats neutered: 123
2013
Third outlet opens
Third fundraising shop opens at the Las Buganvillas roundabout near Garrucha
The expansion of fundraising outlets continued with a third shop in Las Buganvillas. This created a stronger community presence and generated extra income to support daily operations.
📊 Stat Block:
🐶 Dogs homed: 232
🐱 Cats homed: 37
🐾 Feral cats neutered: 157
2014
Challenges and innovation
Parvo outbreak, education campaign, and UK arm launched
- A severe parvovirus outbreak temporarily shut down dog homing. “Paco’s Kennel” was built in response, and a grant from WVS and the Marchig Trust supported the construction of a dedicated intake unit.
Other 2014 highlights:
The UK branch of PAWS-PATAS was launched (closed in 2020 due to Brexit)
Education programmes were introduced in local schools
The Dutch partner ‘Reddingsboei’ closed, but alternative transport partners were quickly secured
Image suggestions:
A school classroom with animal posters
Paco’s Kennel
Volunteers in PPE during lockdown
📊 Stat Block:
🐶 Dogs homed: 229
🐱 Cats homed: 50
🐾 Feral cats neutered: 137
2015
Big partnerships and improvements
New partnerships and major support
- PAWS-PATAS secured a sponsorship with MedicAnimal, supplying free food and essentials
- Babs Williams was appointed UK Director
- WVS issued a report praising the shelter and gave a €6,500 grant for a new dog intake unit
- Record progress in cat homing and neutering
📊 Rescue snapshot
🐶 Dogs homed: 223
🐱 Cats homed: 92
2016
New builds and better organisation
New cat quarantine block and upgraded fundraising outlets
In response to an increasing number of sick or abandoned cats, a small quarantine block with 3 pens was built.
A new boutique-style outlet opened in Turre, and the previous Mojácar shop was repurposed as a “bargains” outlet for low-cost goods.
📊 Rescue snapshot
- 🐶 Dogs homed: 163
- 🐱 Cats homed: 95
2017
Going digital
Digital records, new van, and Parvo setback
The shelter began using the ASM system to manage animal records and daily operations.
A new branded van improved transport operations, and renowned local photographer Indre Sveikauskiene volunteered to shoot professional images for the 2018 calendar.
However, another Parvo outbreak forced a temporary lockdown, halting dog transports. Cats were fortunately unaffected.
📊 Rescue snapshot
- 🐶 Dogs homed: 200
- 🐱 Cats homed: 121
2018
Health management for cats
Managing Calici virus with adapted facilities
To protect healthy cats, three unused dog kennels were converted into a special area for cats carrying the Calici virus. This allowed the team to maintain a separate “homing” population suitable for local or international adoption.
2019
Heartbreak, hope, and a campaign
Panleukopenia outbreak, and push for TNR expansion
Cattery outbreak sparks emergency response
The cattery faced a devastating outbreak of panleukopenia, a feline virus similar to parvo. 21 kittens died, and the facility was forced to close. The story made front-page news in Euro Weekly. Volunteers worked tirelessly to sterilise the cattery in summer heat.
To address the root cause of cat and kitten abandonment at our shelter gates PAWS-PATAS began developing a feral cat TNR programme in partnership with WVS and sought support from the College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Unfortunately, this plan was later overtaken by a national scheme post-COVID.
Jacqueline Morris became the new PAWS-PATAS president, taking over from Karen Polansky after 30 years of service.
📊 Rescue snapshot
🐶 Dogs homed: 184
🐱 Cats homed: 104
2020
COVID lockdown and resilience
Full shelter lockdown and online fundraising
With Spain’s state of alarm declared in March, the shelter and all four fundraising outlets were closed. Shelter manager Vanessa Maipauw and two volunteers locked down on site to care for the animals.
The shelter lost over €15,000 in revenue, but online fundraising helped recover €4,212.
Grant family legacy
A €30,000 legacy from the Grant family kickstarted a full-scale TNR programme, leading to over 1,200 cats neutered.
2021
Overwhelmed by kittens
New homing block created for kittens
A surge in abandoned kittens—many sick or carrying contagious fungus—forced changes. A third clean zone was built: the new “Homing Block” for cats preparing for adoption.
In May, Karen Polansky opened a new, larger Turre fundraising outlet.
📊 Rescue snapshot
🐶 Dogs homed: 215
🐱 Cats homed: 73
2022
Floods & cattery collapse
Spring floods
Severe rain made access to the shelter difficult. In May, the Cat Quarantine Block collapsed—luckily no animals were harmed. The area was immediately demolished and cleaned.
Without a Quarantine Block, the Homing Block had to double as a space for newly arrived kittens.
📊 Rescue snapshot
🐶 Dogs homed: 240
🐱 Cats homed: 95
2023
Volunteers & Seprona
VolunteerWorld & emergency shelter extension
PAWS-PATAS joined VolunteerWorld, improving international volunteer recruitment.
In late 2023, Seprona asked for our help following denuncias against the Kim Halliwell shelter. With just 48 hours’ notice, PAWS-PATAS built a temporary shelter extension to house 76 dogs and several cats, all in poor condition. WVS supported the emergency response by providing vital medical supplies.
Solar panels were installed, cutting electricity bills by 50%. Long-time donor MedicAnimal ceased food shipments due to warehouse closure.
📊 Rescue snapshot
🐶 Dogs homed: 284
🐱 Cats homed: 69
2024
Expansion, tragedy, and progress
Shelter lockdown, new blood tests and Asprodalba visit
The intern programme expanded, and with 2 new caravans added, 12 international volunteers could be housed.
A parvovirus outbreak in puppies claimed 15 lives early in the year. Later, PAWS-PATAS mourned the sudden death of President Richard Brotherston-Barnett.
Two new blood tests were added for dogs (filariasis and anaplasmosis), improving diagnostic care.
Asprodalba residents visited the shelter in a successful community event, donating handmade pet beds and interacting with animals.
In December, Kim Halliwell was found guilty of animal cruelty.
📊 Rescue snapshot
🐶 Dogs homed: 277
🐱 Cats homed: 55