Chloe Glover (Reporter)
A BRITISH couple have pleaded for help after eviction left them living between their car and a shed.
Leslie and Paul Dunt are desperately hunting for somewhere to live for themselves and their 17 rescue dogs after being thrown out of their home in Coin.
Paul, 56, who has a pacemaker, and Leslie, 63, who has a serious back problem, now fear for their health, as they struggle to survive on a small plot of land of a friend in Alora.
“We can’t believe what’s happened,” said Leslie, who comes from east London.
“We are really grateful we have this hut for now, but it has no running water, electricity, heating or gas.
“I’m really worried what effect living in these conditions will have on Paul’s health and my own,” she continued.
The couple, who moved to Spain 15 years ago, had fallen into financial difficulties last year when Paul had to stop working when he had a pacemaker fitted following a heart attack.
As he was unable to continue running his mobile car valeting service they quickly fell behind in the rent.
“The heart attack left him dependent on crutches to walk which meant he couldn’t work for 18 months,” added Leslie.
After receiving a letter in January from the landlord telling them he was taking them to court, they were evicted on March 7.
“It was horrible to find police and bailiffs banging on our door telling us to leave.
“Fortunately we were able to move our belongings to our neighbours’ houses temporarily and live in our Ford Fiesta, but we are desperate and don’t know what to do.”
Their good samaritan, a local Spanish landowner, jumped in to help after seeing a plea a friend of theirs had posted on Facebook.
He quickly offered blankets and dog food and allowed them to live in the hut on his land.
“But now we need something permanent and would be over the moon if anyone out there could help us.
“We almost have enough to pay a deposit and would find enough money somehow.
“We just need a little help to get us over this hump. It is incredible how quickly you can fall here.”
Anyone able to help can contact Leslie and Paul via newsdesk@theolivepress.es
I would suggest the first thing they do is get rid of the dogs, as these must be a massive drain on any income. Why have 17 dogs ??
WHY?
Because they care. If you know anything at all about animal abuse in Spain, you wouldn’t ask.
I do hope they find help.
I live in UK so unfortunately I can’t but I can put out appeals for help to people who may be able to.
PJ – evidently it is obligatory for every British expat to have dogs. Virtually every FB profile I see of expats is not pictures of their grandchildren or even themselves but a dog or dogs.
I wouldn’t have one as I want to travel and think it ultra cruel to leave the dogs in kennels every time you go away.
As regards this story I am torn between thinking these people are mad and that they are good people housing abandoned dogs. Either way 17 is very over the top and yes the cost of maintaining them must be large.
The landlord was right to throw them out of course as paying your rent is what you have to do when you rent somebody’s property. Sympathise of course if this has all happened following an illness.
They are clearly kind compassionate people. Sunny Spain is a lovely country, but the day to day realities of life exist there as they do anywhere in the world, and you can’t live on weather. Sounds like they did not think things through properly before they left the UK 15 years ago….we all get older, some of us become ill, and without some securities life can become very frightening. I hope they find a way through their present situation, and life becomes secure for them again.
alison if you live in the UK, I hope you have a good number of dogs too, since animal cruelty and dog abuse in the UK is one of the worst in Europe.
The http://api.worldanimalprotection.org/ index shows the UK received an overall A rating and Spain received a C rating. El Pais reports that in 2016 alone, over 500 people were arrested in Spain for animal cruelty – see http://elpais.com/elpais/2017/01/23/inenglish/1485175440_747686.html.
there are some horrible up their own a r s e people on here.
But what can you expect from Britain when they have invented dog fighting, cock fighting, dog racing, fox hunting and other barbarities?