Benafim Dog Shelter – About the shelter and Our Dogs

Bamboo enjoying a fun run

Our Shelter

Benafim Dogs is a privately run dog sanctuary in the hills of central Algarve. Our large and spacious kennels are surrounded by hectares of securely fenced hilly countryside for the dogs to explore until their heart’s content. Within the land there is also a small lake for our water loving dogs to enjoy all year round.

At any one time we care for up to 30 dogs of all shapes, ages and sizes. All of whom have been rescued from the local area. The dogs have either been abandoned, surrendered or rescued from situations of cruelty and abuse. In addition we provide support to municipal kennels in the Algarve by taking out dogs who have, for the majority, been incarcerated for years. Sadly conditions in many of the municipal kennels are basic, kennels are overflowing and many dogs spend their entire lives there.

Our runs are big, each have kennels inside for the dogs to sleep in and a covered area to protect from the rain. Normally there are two dogs per run.

Our Website

We hope you enjoy our website www.rescuedogs.co.uk . We would like to thank Chris from Leggings for Days who has helped us out hugely for no charge in putting the website together. Check out his site for cheap leggings and get your exercise gear from a shelter supporter 🙂

Our commitment to the Dogs

Benafim Dogs is ALL about the dogs. Our commitment to each and every one of them at all times is to show respect, love, kindness and to ensure their health needs, both physical and psychological are met on a daily basis.

No dog is overlooked which is why we are very strict with the numbers we can care for at anyone time. Every dog deserves to be seen and to be heard; every dog deserves a home. Until this happens, we do the very best we can to ensure their quality of life is as good as it can be during their time with us.

Pebbles enjoys a daily swim at the shelter

Every dog in our care is vaccinated, chipped, sterilised, receives regular worm, tick, flea and sandfly prevention treatment. All of our dogs are regularly checked by us and will always receive the veterinary care they need.

View within the shelter of the runs in the distance.  The land is fully fenced for the dogs to enjoy in safety

Every day we ensure dogs have a good amount of physical exercise, whether that is in the shelter, or on walks in the local area. We do our very best to socialise the dogs within our care and to ensure they are exposed to many different social situations, including travelling in the car, meeting other dogs, animals and people (including children), visiting busier areas, joining us for a coffee or lunch and where possible introducing them to a home environment prior to their adoption.

Black Nero & Ariel on a day out at the park.

We assess all of our dogs, we take the time to get to know them to ensure we find the perfect home for them and the right dog for you. Likewise, we take the time with potential adopters, we want all adoptions to work and are thorough in our adoption process. We are here for the dogs and we are here for you, the adopters.

We are hugely grateful for all your support, whether that be in person or on social media – our facebook page www.facebook.com/BenafimDogs if you would like to follow us and see our daily posts on life with the dogs in the Algarve countryside.

Our emphasis is on our dogs being able to explore and exercise in safety and be dogs