The reasons for abandonment are endless, some understandable, others unforgivable and it is organisations like Triple A in Marbella who are left to pick up the pieces. Since January, 60 dogs have been brought to the compound, 52 picked up in the streets by Town Hall employees, eight brought in by their owners.

In the current economic climate owners are feeling the pinch and for some the family pet is the first to go. Moving home to look for work or to return to their country of origin, or simply unable or unwilling to care for it anymore, they turn to the dog pounds to solve their problems or, in many cases, simply abandon it in the streets. Equally callous are those who want to go on holiday and are unwilling to pay kennel costs or those whose pet is old or ill, these are simply cast aside. The problem of strays is multiplied even more when money is tight, people don´t have their animals sterilised and litters of unwanted puppies add to the numbers adandoned.

The situation has now become critical. At Triple A, as with many others, the number of adoptions is far below the number of new arrivals and space has run out. Many dogs were previously re-homed overseas, but with every country struggling with the financial fallout, potential adopters are few and far between.

José Carlos Cabra, president of the Malaga Animal Protection Society said. "We are inundated, the outlook is very black." In an era when animal rights and new protection laws have come into force, there is still little that can be done in the face of crippling economic problems. The centres treat the animals that come into their care, but the costs are enormous and most are supported solely by donations. Despite the problems they face, Cabra called on all owners to act as responsibly as possible and take their pet to a proper centre, not just abandon it to almost certain death on the roads. Cabra confirmed that many dogs belong to foreigners who take them in and then, when circumstances change, leave them behind. Just think how many times you have seen the words "returning to the UK, cannot take him with us," in ads looking for homes for their pet.

Starvation

In Malaga alone last year 1800 animals were abandoned, 1200 of them dogs. "We are in a very bad state." said Cabra, "We cannot just keep piling dogs in, eventually they will fight and kill each other. People are shirking their responsibilities, they cannot have a conscience, because life on the streets is very hard, many animals starve or are killed. How can you just cast aside an animal that has given you loyalty and love for many years simply to suit your convenience?"

In Rincón de la Victoria, José Antonio Villodres, who runs the local animal protection society, said that they still had space and had been prepared for the summer increase. They take in an average of 1.700 animals each year and home around 50 each month.