A doggy paradise that houses thousands of rescue dogs is tackling “humungous expenses” – but it should be back open to visitors soon.
Territorio de Zaguates, which translates to ‘land of the strays’, takes in all kinds of dogs from puppies and healthy mutts to senior dogs and disabled pooches.
The sanctuary is strongly against euthanasia as a solution to the problem of abandoned animals.
READ MORE: Photographer who caught idiot tourists with TODDLER approaching BISON says ‘it’s not a petting zoo’
Instead, it offers a lush landscape for the dogs to thrive.
There is an indoor area with beds, bathing facilities and feeding stations.
Water stations are also placed around the property to ensure active pooches remain hydrated at all times.
The privately funded, volunteer-run organisation has a huge number of supporters, with 299,000 followers on social media.
It was founded by Lya Battle and her husband Alvaro Samut in 2004.
The pair adopted dogs together and eventually created a place where they could offer refuge to dogs in need.
But Territorio de Zaguates was forced to close to visitors a couple of years ago after government authorities prohibited it from accepting people inside.
“We were given a list of infrastructural requirements to keep functioning that, at the time, seemed impossible to meet,” the non-governmental organisation told Need To Know.
“However, with a massive effort, we began the renovations and completely transformed the farm, but time and time again, they’ve asked us for more.
“This, in addition to the pandemic, caused our donation income to drop dramatically while animal abandonment was at its highest point in years.
“We’re now struggling to finish most of the construction projects but we will hopefully open our doors to visitors and volunteers by the end of the year – maybe sooner.
“We’re very hopeful about it.”
Since the closure, it hasn’t been easy for the dog haven as it solely relies on donations.
Some of its renovation projects have faced delays as caring for the animals is the home’s priority.
Territorio de Zaguates added: “It’s been hard because we’re 100% donation driven and some months are better than others because our expenses are just humongous.
“As you might expect, sometimes we are forced to prioritise food and veterinary attention to the dogs and the projects get delayed, but we keep working and still going strong at it.”
Based in Costa Rica, Territorio de Zaguates acts as a temporary home for dogs looking for a second chance.
They are also the permanent home for some who never find their own family because of their looks, age or special needs and treatment.
According to the website, the organisation has rescued 26,700 dogs in the last 15 years.
About 14,200 dogs have been adopted into their forever homes so far.
