Dogs roam free in Costa Rica sanctuary

Описание: (14 Apr 2016) Hundreds of once-mistreated and stray dogs roamed free in a Costa Rica sanctuary recently, waiting to be adopted.
The no-kill dog shelter known as "Territorio de Zaguates" (Mongrels' territory) sits in the Santa Barbara Mountains, in the Heredia province.
During the day, the dogs are allowed to roam freely in parts of the mountains, in a property owned by Alvaro Saumet and his wife.
The goal the sanctuary is to improve the quality of life of dogs, especially those that have been abandoned and abused, reduce the number of stray dogs and encourage responsible pet ownership.
The free-range dog refuge was created eight years ago when Saumet and his wife began caring for stray dogs in their home.
The initial idea, Saumet said, was to provide aging dogs a safe and peaceful place to live.
Soon, they began getting abandoned dogs, puppies whose mother had been killed and canines that had suffered mistreatment.
The Saumets transferred the dogs to their Santa Barbara property, where the then-183 dogs could run freely.
"The original idea was that it became a nursing home for dogs," Saumet said during a recent day.
With more than 700 dogs, "Territorio de Zaguates" has now become the largest dog shelter in Costa Rica, according to local media reports.
The shelter pays for the food and medical attention with donations from private companies and the public.
The dogs are neutered to control the dog population.
Volunteers spend countless hours feeding, bathing and showering them with affection.


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