Meet Paka
Meet Dora
About Paka Dora Association
PDA Algarve-based animal charity was founded by me, Gabi Shepherd, with support from my partner, Alastair Huddart. Named after our beloved furry friends, PDA gained its name from our first adopted Portuguese ex-street cat, Dora, and our adopted rescue cat, Paka, who came with us when we moved from the UK.
About Paka Dora Association
PDA Algarve-based animal charity was founded by me, Gabi Shepherd, with support from my partner, Alastair Huddart. Named after our beloved furry friends, PDA gained its name from our first adopted Portuguese ex-street cat, Dora, and our adopted rescue cat, Paka, who came with us when we moved from the UK.
Paka Dora Association: Our Purpose as a Cat Charity
Paka Dora Association: Our Purpose as a Cat Charity
Paka Dora is a legally constituted Portuguese charity founded in 2022 to protect stray, abandoned, ill or at-risk animals, ensuring improved access to veterinary care and sterilisation to provide the animals with a happier, healthier, and more sustainable future.
Welcome to our page and thank you for your interest in our work!
How Our Local Cat Colony Found Us
Having arrived in southern Portugal to start a new life, we settled in a sleepy village near Benafim, Loulé. Warm locals and even warmer weather welcomed us, and we soon felt at home but couldn’t help but be taken aback by the scale of cats and dogs living on the streets. Either born there, abandoned, or strays who never found their way home, they seemed to seek us out, their meows melting our hearts as we got to know our local street cats.
We soon decided that we had to take responsibility for the colony of street cats in our village and were lucky enough to see the villagers open their hearts to both the cats and us.
As of September 2023 we now manage 8 street cat colonies, over 120 cats and this is increasing weekly. We also supply food and sterilizations to other colonies by request.
After two years of self-funding sterilisations, feeding and caring for our village street cat colony, we officially founded PDA cat charity to help feed and care for the village cat colony, help other street cat colonies with TNR (Trap Neuter and Return) as well as individuals who need to care for street cats.
How Our Local Cat Colony Found Us
Having arrived in southern Portugal to start a new life, we settled in a sleepy village near Benafim, Loulé. Warm locals and even warmer weather welcomed us, and we soon felt at home but couldn’t help but be taken aback by the scale of cats and dogs living on the streets. Either born there, abandoned, or strays who never found their way home, they seemed to seek us out, their meows melting our hearts as we got to know our local street cats.
We soon decided that we had to take responsibility for the colony of street cats in our village and were lucky enough to see the villagers open their hearts to both the cats and us.
As of September 2023 we now manage 8 street cat colonies, over 120 cats and this is increasing weekly. We also supply food and sterilizations to other colonies by request.
After two years of self-funding sterilisations, feeding and caring for our village street cat colony, we officially founded PDA cat charity to help feed and care for the village cat colony, help other street cat colonies with TNR (Trap Neuter and Return) as well as individuals who adopt stray or abandoned cats.
Cat Colonies in Portugal
Cat Colonies in Portugal
Life on the street is hard for cats and dogs. Over our time here, we’ve seen first-hand that street cats have nowhere to sleep, nothing to eat, and are often subject to abuse from those who don’t want them around. They get injured and often killed from dog attacks and hit by cars, and cases of cat colonies being poisoned have even been known. Several animal diseases are rife throughout the Algarve, and there is also a huge Feline HIV issue here, spread further by mating and sometimes injuries from fighting.
Some of the cats (and Cara the Dog) when we found them
Some of the cats (and Cara the Dog) when we found them
Our Work with Our Cat Colony So Far
Our Work with Our Cat Colony So Far
From our first day in our village two years ago, we have supported and paid for care and veterinary procedures for our own as well as many other street cats in Portugal, from the Loulé district as far north as Porto, all from our dwindling savings. And we have to say – it has warmed our hearts knowing that we can save some of these souls from a life of disease, injury, and starvation on the street and reduce the number of cats born into these tough conditions.
Having sterilised nearly 40 cats in our area, we have become more structured, organised, and targeted with our work over time, coming up with policies and systems to reach more cats in need of our help.
Prices range from €60 to €120 for sterilisation, increasing for testing, worming and flea treatment, so the costs add up quickly! More than anything, we want to continue doing what we love and caring for our cats, as well as helping other compassionate people who may find themselves in the same situation but don’t know what to do or where to start.
That’s why we founded Paka Dora Association: to help fund our work and make it easier to find for those who may need our help.
Paka Dora Association: Our Policy
Here at PDA, we go the extra mile of testing every cat for diseases so we can manage and sustain our local cat colonies, ensuring the cats are kept as healthy as possible. We also Trap, Neuter and Return (TNR) cats, as well as supporting other animal welfare charities in making the lives of street cats better and more sustainable.
When PDA comes across a cat we don’t know, we follow a strict procedure:
Catch
Check them over, including whether they have a microchip
Test
Sterilise
Paka Dora Association: Our Policy
Here at PDA, we go the extra mile of testing every cat for diseases so we can manage and sustain our local cat colonies, ensuring the cats are kept as healthy as possible. We also Trap, Neuter and Return (TNR) cats, as well as supporting other animal welfare charities in making the lives of street cats better and more sustainable.
When PDA comes across a cat we don’t know, we follow a strict procedure:
Catch
Check them over, including whether they have a microchip
Test
Sterilise
No Judgement
No Judgement
As well as our own work, PDA is here to assist individuals who take on street cat colonies, regardless of their personal status. We have a no judgement policy. We know we’re all doing our best and do our work for the love of every animal who could benefit from our care.
We also, however, ask the same in return, as we have no sanctuary. We are volunteers and have jobs and families. We provide our time and expertise relentlessly and freely for the love of animals.
Some of the cats (and Cara the Dog) when we’ve helped them
Some of the cats (and Cara the Dog) when we’ve helped them
Paka Dora Association: What 2023 has in Store
Paka Dora Association: What 2023 has in Store
Helping Other Animal Charities
PDA will continue to fund and collaborate with other animal welfare charities in Portugal and the UK when funds allow.
In fact, in the last year, PDA has donated €365 to other animal welfare charities in the Algarve.
Helping all Animals in Need
Though our focus is cats and trapping, sterilising, and caring for street cats in our local district of Loulé, PDA has been set up to help all animals in need. In fact, so far, we are proud to have:
- fostered kittens for adoption
- helped pay for pigs to be sterilised
- donated to horse welfare
- taken our first street dog, Cara, off the streets and successfully rehomed her
- contributed to fuel costs for TNR, vet visits and treatments, and welfare checks.
We can’t wait to see which other animals we can help in 2023!
Making our Cats More Comfortable
Despite the challenges, we are excited about several projects planned for the coming year! Our first priority is a shelter and feed station for the village cats and to resume TNR in February.
Other larger projects are currently under wraps but watch this space!!
How You Can Help and Make a Difference
If you would like to help us continue with this work and help us fund the projects, please click here
If you would like to Volunteer when we TNR, please email generaldpa@gmail.com
If you would like to buy a can of food starting from just €1, click here
If you would like to make a donation for sterilisation or sponsor a colony, click here for PAYPAL or our Multi banco details are below:
IBAN: PT50 0045 7211 4036 9826 5419 3
BIC/SWIFT: CCCMPTPL
Amazon Wishlist – click here
To donate dried food small 7 euros, large 34 euros, please only in person at 124 vet, Messines stating PDA account
If none of the above, please share our fb /Instagram page and spread a bit of PDA!
How You Can Help and Make a Difference
If you would like to help us continue with this work and help us fund the projects, please click here
If you would like to Volunteer when we TNR, please email generaldpa@gmail.com
If you would like to buy a can of food starting from just €1, click here
If you would like to make a donation for sterilisation or sponsor a colony, click here for PAYPAL or our Multi banco details are below:
IBAN: PT50 0045 7211 4036 9826 5419 3
BIC/SWIFT: CCCMPTPL
Amazon Wishlist – click here
To donate dried food small 7 euros, large 34 euros, please only in person at 124 vet, Messines stating PDA account
If none of the above, please share our fb /Instagram page and spread a bit of PDA!
Contact Us
Contact Us
Telephone
+351 913 721 004 – please check your telephone provider charges before calling us
Address
Postal address for correspondence only. Please email us at generalpda@gmail.com
Facebook Posts
Problem displaying Facebook posts. Backup cache in use.
Click to show error