Monique Gieling, a member of the Friends of Canil de Portimão charity, will be walking the Camino de Santiago, starting 16 May. Not only as a deeply personal challenge, walking along and ticking off a bucket list item, but also to raise vital funds for the puppies at Puppyland (@puppyland.fcp).

In Monique’s own words: “I am walking the Camino from Porto to Santiago de Compostela and I feel that I have to walk it alone, not to prove anything, but simply TO BE.... This journey has lived inside me for years! Always 'later', always 'someday', as I was 24/7 busy with the abandoned puppies for 10 years. Until the moment came last year when 'someday' quietly turned into SOON... And I am connecting this journey to my passion - the puppies of Puppyland.”

As we have all experienced, this winter has been brutal, one big storm after another, and the small plot of land where Puppyland is located took a big hit. Monique will be raising funds to fix the structures and pens, and make it a more safe, secure and nice place to be for the gorgeous pups and the volunteers of the Friends who look after them.

On 16 May, Monique will start near Porto and during two weeks walk her way up to Santiago de Compostella, a 280 kilometre hike. A very challenging quest, which means she has been, and still is, doing lots of practice walks to make sure she can do the 20 kilometres a day that she will set out for. Testing her endurance, clothes, and above all trying out various shoes to get the absolute right ones, a couple of which have given her some serious blisters.

Mental and financial support for Monique and the puppies


As she is not just doing this as a personal challenge, but also to raise funds for the reparations that need to be done to fix Puppyland and make it a happy place again for puppies and volunteers alike, Monique hopes to get lots of support and sponsors, not just from the members of the Friends, but from you too, dear readers of The Portugal News!


Below you will find the link to follow Monique’s trip, see what she has already written about her training walks, and how to donate and help the puppies.


Every cent that is donated will go to them and to the so much needed fixing of their safe haven, Puppyland.


You can do it Monique! 🏃‍♀️


Follow Monique’s journey, from training to the walk, as she blogs along the way: https://moniquecaminho.waarbenjij.nu (In Dutch and English)


And please don’t forget to sponsor her (info in the link!) and help the puppies get the facilities they deserve.

#adoptdontshop #caminosantiagodecompostela

16 May 2026

A date to put in your diary.