Rick Beauchamp is a volunteer for SARA Protectora on Lanzarote, Canary Islands. He helps rehome rescued podencos in the UK. He writes about why he does it.

Very often people ask us why we bother rescuing dogs from Lanzarote when there are so many homeless here in the UK?

Our answer I feel rarely convinces, as you have to see the suffering of the dogs to really appreciate why we feel that we have absolutely no choice but to try and help.

Recently we came across this article on the SARA website www.saraprotectora.org.
I have transferred the article verbatim as it adds to the poignancy.

Please keep this in your mind( or better still your PC) for the next time someone asks you why you bothered to rescue a dog from abroad.

FRODO, JUST SKIN AND BONES AND TERRIFIED

Yesterday a man came to the shelter to tell us that he had seen a Podenco in a very bad way. He asked if we could rescue the dog. So we went to the place together with this good citizen who did not look the other way when he saw an animal who needed help. When we arrived we were confronted by the sight of a dog that was just skin and bones and so weak that he could not even stand.There, alone, abandoned, without any strength, surrendering to a death which would soon arrive if nobody intervened.

As we picked him up to take him to the shelter, he could not help but go to the toilet with fear.

We do not know where this poor dog has been living but without a doubt he has had a difficult life, betrayed by those who should have been his friends, human beings.

When we arrived at the shelter we were able to see how starving and dehydrated he was as he threw himself on the food and water that was waiting for him.

We started initial assessment and found that he is a young dog around 2 yrs old. He was not chipped so it was impossible to say who his owners are. He was covered with parasites and full of worms. It was incredible to see how he was being eaten alive by flies and fleas including around his eyes!

As you can see in the photos the fleas are attached to him.
We also saw that his legs are covered with wounds.

After initial assessment he was able to eat until he was full and drink until his thirst was quenched.Frodo lay down to rest quiet and safe in the hospital at SARA.
Now Frodo needs to regain his trust in humans, his normal weight, mend his wounds and above all remember that he can be happy in a world of humans.

FRODO needs a home forever, please contact me if you can help.