Tom PowellAN urgent appeal is being launched by the Olive Press for the animals at Kim’s Rescue Centre in Mijas, following our front page story this Wednesday.
Former volunteers, vets and fellow rescue centres came forward to denounce the ‘filthy conditions’ suffered by animals, prompting our investigation.
Comments have been flooding in online since, as well as from other local rescue centres, with many emphasising the need to reduce the number of animals at the centre and make a positive change.
Yesterday the Olive Press visited the centre yesterday and discussed in depth with Kim Halliwell, her daughter Kelly and several supporters, the best way to improve the unacceptable conditions.
These include overcrowded cages, uncleanliness, severe lack of funding and resources, as well as a total lack of volunteers.
“Things are at tipping point now, we have no water or electricity here at the moment and it’s out of control,” admitted Kim.
“When people just dump puppies at my gate there is nothing I can do, if I complain they tell me it’s my job to take them.”
“I want to halve the number of animals to make it manageable, so that I can have a more normal life and we can begin to work on the centre.”
One point is clear. The most vital thing needed at Kim’s Rescue Centre right now is volunteers.
Friends and supporters of the centre attending the meeting too, including Costa del Sol singer Laura Elen.
It was agreed the best form of help is not donating money, but to offer services or supplies such as building materials, a generator or a water pump, volunteering or, of course, re-homing an animal.
“This isn’t about which side you are on, it should be about coming together to help these animals and Kim and Kelly who work non-stop,” explained Mark Bajerski, who has lived in Mijas for eight years.
“This isn’t a normal life they have; they desperately need to reduce the workload by getting volunteers in, re-homing animals and improving conditions.”
There are currently around 80 dogs at the centre, but Kim admitted that number needed to be 40 or below to be manageable.
While she is also desperate for the cats, around 120, to find new homes as they are a large financial burden.
Contact info@kimsanimalrescue.com or call +34 603 13 87 15 to arrange volunteering, offer any kind of service or inquire about re-homing.
Find full details of the appeal and work being done at Kim’s Animal Rescue Centre in the next issue of the Olive Press, out on October 1.
We’ve all told you its not for lack of money….I have no idea where the money is eing spent she had over 50000 in donations last year?? Where has it gone?? Its not spent on treating sick dogs I know that!!
World veterinary services do the neutering for free …
SoS get donations of feed and many many people have tried to help, but she will not pay for experienced staff only wants volunteers will not treat sick animals so they get sicker or die!
What you need is people with knowledge and experience to show her the best way forward or get some professional help. It really isn’t acceptable in this day and age!!
The dogs welfare has to come first!!!
They have had numerous donations of materials and of labour throughout this year from the Spanish volunteers, they gave lots of building materials and did weeks worth of building and improvement work down there. Also the Lions club I believe it was donated them a brand new generator last year. Where this has gone is anybody’s guess??? This seems to have moved away from reducing animal numbers and making the ones left safe and turned into a “do up the centre” thing. As mentioned above, plenty of money was paid into KAR last year, but without proper management this also does not help the animals.
Obviously the money given is used for the owners wages and lifestyle primarily and secondly for the animals .
It makes sense for the owner to receive a wage for running the centre but I assume primarily people believe they are giving to the welfare of the animals and not for the daughters private education or horses .
If the centre had proper management and accounting and was a registered charity or business then all of these funding issues would be resolved without people feeling misused as they obviously do .
Perhaps the olive press could first assist in the establishment of a registered charity and accountancy for the funding .