One day of Abril 1995 our daughter came home with a little dog in her hands, it looked more like a mouse than a dog. It was just born a couple of hours earlier, it was so little that we were afraid to touch it.

We were just staring at it and we didn´t know what to do, we already had a dog at home, Sultán, a male Pekinese, Sultan was looking at the dog, he was a little bit affraid of it, but suddenly he came closer and the little dog began looking for something, then we realized that what it was looking for in Sultán was a mother. We had to do something fast or it would die. First we put it in a little bed with an electric blanket and we went to buy special milk for puppies.

When we gave it it´first bottle, we already knew we wanted to keep it, we asked our daughter where she found it, she told us she found it in a trash can, from that moment we wanted it more, and the worries started. It was so small and so weak that we thought it was not going to survive. Every two or three hours it surprised us asking for it´s food. It was wanted to live. Ten days later we brought it to the vet and he told us our little dog was doing very well and that we had to give it vitamins, we asked wich brud it was but he didn´t know, he said it was a strange thing.

When we arrived home we all decided that we had give it a name, it was very difficult to give a name to something so small, so we decided that because it was abandoned so young we had to give it a big and important name so we called him Duque (Duke). My husband with Sultán in his arms passed hours and hours staring at Duque, he couldn´t belive that there are people who throw dogs away in trash cans. My husband is foreign and in his country people take care of animals, and he doesn´t understand that some people hurt animals. With Duque our concern about abandoned dogs started.

We started picking up needy dogs and we found them a home, we gave all our friends a dog, soon we didn´t have any more friends left to give a dog but we still found abandoned dogs. Our friend Carmen Marin President of Protectora de Torremolinos took in all dogs we brought her. We continuded finding abandoned dogs and giving them to dogs refuges and trying to find them a family. We suffered a lot when we had to leave them in kennels because all of then gave us a lot of affection and made us so happy. At home we already had twenty dogs. My husband wanted to enjoy them so one day he said: "We are going to find a home for our furry babies" We found a 3000 meters plot and equipped it so it would be confortable for the dogs, with plenty of space so they would be happy and the most important thing, so they would have company and so we can spoilt them a little.

We didn´t want to give it a kennel name, because it sounds bad, so we named it "Parque del Duque" in honor of our Duque, because it was who made us realice that we have to help others.

"PARQUE DEL DUQUE" was inaugurated in August 2000.

WHAT IS PARQUE DEL DUQUE?

It's a refuge for abandoned dogs.

What is it's capacity ?

Parque del Duque has a plot of 3000 meters adapted to strays needs. This installation was expected to be for 30 dogs but currently there live here 65 because of the high amount of abandoned dogs so we are taking in more dogs than our possibitities are.

How does Parque del Duque financially supports itself ? Does it has economic help or subsidy?

The owners of the Parque pay all the expenses that is the reason it is not possible to have more dogs in the refuge.

What happens when a abandoned dog is picked up?

First we take them to the vet, then they must stay in quarentine, after that we remove all parasites, then they get vaccinated and castrated. Comply with the law, after 10 days if the dog is not identify or after 19 if it is identify, if its not claimed by the owner, if they are healthy and have a good disposition they can be adopted. If a dog is ill or has a complicated character it stays in Paque del Duque forever.

How do they live?

We have a day-area and a night-area. During the day they are in the open air in different fields separeted by fences. In each field there are two or four dogs and at night we move them to their rooms where they eat and sleep.

Why do they live in small groups ?

To prevent fights. In each group there is a dominant dog that is the leader and command over the other dogs.

Who takes care of them?

Two persons take care of them all day, they are also the owners of Parque del Duque and some volunteers that help them.

What do they eat?

They eat animal feed and quality canned meat. We give them food at seven in the afternoon and they have all nicht to eat it calmly. Twice a weak they eat a hard piece of bread, they like it very much and it´s very good to keep their teeth clean.

What do you need to adopt a dog?

You have to love dogs very much, be an adult and show your identity card.

How much does it cost to adopt a dog ?

The dogs are not for sale, so they are free. Parque del Duque only ask for pay the expenses of the microchip and the vaccines that cost about € 60.

Is it obligatory to give your dog vaccination and put it a microchip?

As required by law (decreto 92/2005) of March 29th of identification of animals,it´s obligatory to put a microchip and vacinate the animal.