There is an understanding, that helping hands are always around to take care of someone else’s problem. Sometimes a problem of someone else’s creation. “The problem is of course obvious.” Jenny nods. “Spaying and Neutering as fast as you can get hold of a feral cat or abandoned dog!” Catching them is the problem. Zélia Santos runs the cat colonies across several areas of the Algarve. “She gets help, of course, as much as we can get!” Volunteers are always needed. But money is the answer to the problem. SNiP’ing costs.

Three puppies have just been retrieved from the cold pre-Christmas, night air, they had just been born. The cords still attached and freezing. “Carina, is helping them now to get properly weaned. But I had them for the first couple of nights. It was touch and go. No proper feed until the morning.” Fearfully Jenny acknowledges the animal's problem continues, with the chaotic money situation. “Why not do the honourable thing? Take them to a local sanctuary or vet.” Help is always at hand.

“How on earth can we expect to look after each other, as humans, when we can’t even look after our animals?” Good question, Jenny.

Contact Jenny Clarke info.apaaportugal@gmail.com. Check their website www.apaaportugal.com and on Facebook! Always looking out for helpers with cat colonies around the Algarve zelia.santos@live.co.uk any bored moments that can be spared?

Jenny’s ‘Pop-Up’ team will be prepping up for the spring. New locations? “Perhaps. We don’t know. Just need a friendly spot with some space and we’re ready to go!”