SMALL INITIATIVE, BIG MISSION

The expression “leading a dog’s life” must have originated in Spain. In Spain, a whopping 700 dogs are abandoned daily or end up in one of the more than 5,000 killing stations. Illegal puppy mills and the import of dogs from unscrupulous breeders do not improve the situation. Hunting is also one of the culprits; about 10% of the often-neglected and mistreated dogs come from this sector. Dogateers United Foundation advocates for these animals and gives them a second chance.

After purchasing several dogs, co-initiator and chairman Jifke van Popering adopted her first dog from abroad in 1999: “Faki was so scared when she came to us. And the provision of information, guidance, and coaching were so minimal that I thought: this can and should be done differently!” After participating in a few other initiatives, she co-founded Dogateers United with two others in 2020. The foundation guides “second-chance dogs” from Spain to a loving new home in the Netherlands.

You either do it right or you don’t do it at all

“When we adopt, we don’t take any chances”, says treasurer and secretary Henriëtte Steeghs, taking over from her colleague. “We maintain close contact with our rescuers in Spain, and our mediators always plan a home visit before adoption after an introductory phone call. Only when they are convinced that there is a match and the adopter shares this opinion, we bring the dog to the Netherlands. We also have a qualified dog coach who can offer assistance on location, rely on several foster families, and a boarding kennel whose owner is a dog behaviourist. And if something insurmountable happens and the adopter can no longer care for the dog, we always take the animal back.”

Amy is looking for her forever home

Searching for a forever home

Although the foundation has now placed over 300 dogs, one dog in particular sticks with Henriëtte: Amy, a mix between a Podenco and a Belgian Shepherd. “She was found as a young girl with her big brother, who always protected her. However, a few weeks before her departure to the Netherlands, her guardian angel died, and Amy had to make the journey alone in 2021. From the start of her adoption, she struggled with the changes. We eventually brought her back, and after some time in a boarding kennel, a year and a half in foster care, and an intensive training programme, she now lives with Jifke, along with a pack of five other female dogs. That goes very well, but it is, of course, not the ideal solution. It’s sad to see because she is so sweet and tries so hard, but she still hasn’t found her forever home.”

How can you support Dogateers United?

All help is highly appreciated! For instance, the foundation is constantly looking for shelter families and volunteers. In addition, since the volunteers also bear all costs themselves (except for parking fees), donations are more than welcome. After all, everything goes to the dogs and rescuers, and the adoption fees hardly cover the costs. The advantage is that it is an ANBI foundation, so donors enjoy tax benefits. And last but not least, those coveted baskets are more than welcome. To give the dogs a golden future despite all the misfortune of the past.

dogateersunited.com