Elisa Menendez
A KIND-hearted expat has made an incredible donation to a Costa del Sol dog home in need.
Dean Bateson-Payas, 35, has donated a whopping 300 tins of food to long-standing and well-loved dog sanctuary, ADANA.
It comes after the Estepona-based shelter made a plea on Facebook on Monday for tinned food, following an abundance of new ‘very skinny’ and ‘timid’ arrivals.
With the help of fellow Manilva expats, Bateson-Payas rounded up hundreds of tins and dropped them off the next day.
An ADANA volunteer posted on social media thanking the expat for his generous contribution, which received hundreds of likes and a flurry of heart-warming comments with expats calling him a ‘hero’ and an ‘angel’.
Reg Winkworth wrote: “This is not the first time for Dean, he helps continually the dogs of the shelter and the dogs of Manilva. And he helps to make everything worthwhile.
“From all the volunteers at ADANA, absolutely brilliant.”
Bateson-Payas, from Oxfordshire and now based in Estepona with his husband, said he has ‘always been a dog lover’.
The expat, who works for a gaming company in Gibraltar, said he was compelled to help ADANA after seeing how poorly dogs were treated after moving to Andalucia 11 years ago.
“Attitudes towards dogs in Spain shocked me with regards to their daily care and how they are viewed here – mainly being working dogs in the campo areas.
“They are so often left neglected and needing medical attention and without basic food and water.
“Dogs with teeth smashed out starved half to death, poisoned and full of parasites, they are all brought back to health (where possible) by the dedication of the ADANA volunteers who spend endless hours both at the shelter and at home caring for these dogs,” he added.
But the expat insists its the work of the local community that keeps the shelter alive.
“It’s important to me that everyone in the community knows how much ADANA appreciates their donations, it’s all well calling me a “hero” but there are people who do a lot more than I do. Every single person and the businesses that donate deserve a special thanks.”
The expat is still on the hunt for dog food and treats for his furry friends at the shelter and added that all are welcome to walk the dogs, help clean or even socialise with the puppies.
Anyone who would like to donate food is asked to drop off donations at Duquesa Business Centre in Manilva.
