We have returned form our 5^th trip to volunteer at Scooby and every time we see so much progress. This year, there were a few of us so we were able to get busy with some painting that Fermín wanted doing to protect the metal doors from rusting . We had fun in their equivalent of Homebase trying to buy the correct colour and type of paints, brushes and rollers. Not easy when our Spanish was mainly limited to ‘Ola, Une Grande Cervesa pour favor’ (A large beer please). After an hour, a lot of pointing at paints and colours and a very patient shop worker helping us, we had drawn quite a crowd who had come to stare at the strange English people but miraculously we left the shop with everything we needed  for the job.

Most of the front of the shelter needed a 2^nd coat of paint and some areas which were (oh so absorbent!) new breeze block walls also needed their first coat. With several of us on the job, it didn’t take long and was very satisfying to see Scooby get smartened up, especially when we got started on the bright colours that Fermín had requested so that it was a colourful happy place for workers and dogs alike. You can see from the pictures, we did go a bit mad and 2 suns, 2 coloured  murals and a rainbow later, it was certainly looking brighter!

Also whilst we were there, there was the usual routine of cleaning to be done and dogs to be fed but on one of our last days another fun time was had when Fermín decided it was time to castrate the latest new arrivals of goats. Bearing in mind the field they are kept in was very big, the goats were very nervous and the only way to sedate them was with a blow dart filled with sedative …well, you can imagine the rest!

Many hours of chasing, coaxing, missed darts and comical moments followed but amazingly eventually all of the goats were asleep and had their operations expertly performed by Karl (a volunteer vet from Germany) and his ‘helpers’!

The goats were then carried round and laid with us in the sun so we could keep an eye on them whilst they came round from their sedation .Meanwhile we toasted Fermín’s birthday with some cake and said goodbye (but hopefully not for too long!) to Jenny who has been living at Scooby as a volunteer and done a wonderful job of looking after the animals during her time there.

We hope to go back again in the Summer when Trev also returns to build the Education Centre at Scooby which will be another huge step forward – that is what is so wonderful about Scooby, it doesn’t just look to today, but to making the future a better place  also for all the animals in Spain.

Bye for now,

Louise

The beautiful drawings on the wall are made by Karl.