MEET OUR DOGS
If you require any further information or would like to register your interest in adopting one of our OSPA residents please contact OSPA via email or Facebook
DOB- 2021
A shy but playful young boy, Ziggy first came into our care when he was only about 4 months old, in February 2021.
Initially he was called Brob, which is a Krioulo word that basically means savage, as Ziggy did NOT like people and would make that very clear!
Nobody was allowed to touch him, let alone stroke or play with him.
Over the years, Ziggy has learnt that people aren't that bad after all, especially when they come with treats in hand.
He definitely has his favourites of people among our volunteers, however, he's still wary and will keep a distance of people he doesn't know.
But for those he DOES know, he gets all excited for a greeting!
Ziggy has been undergoing some training and we are over the moon that he has finally allowed one of our volunteers to get a harness on him meaning he is starting to enjoy regular dog walks from our volunteers.
We believe that there's a special family out there for Ziggy who will welcome him with love and patience and continue to help grow his confidence that we know he has within him.
Ziggy
Brownie Bob
DOB- 2017
He arrived as a small puppy and has been with us at OSPA since December 2017.
He is the OSPA receptionist, as he loves to take a stroll outside the centre gates where he welcomes arriving visitors and volunteers.
He absolutely adores people's attention and is always in for a cuddle and a play
Brownie does have a naughty side to him around other dogs. So a bit of training and preferably a home without other dogs to start with would be reccomended.
He is a really great companion, and would make a lovely family dog but Brownie has not been lucky enough yet to find his forever home.
Everyone who meets him agrees that he's a lovely dog, so we hope that soon he will find his family.
Peaches
DOB -
Peaches is a very shy dog due to people treating her so badly in her short life, living on the street. She now feels like she needed to hide and make herself invisible as much as possible.
When in group, Peaches is a happy, playful girl who loves to explore.
When it comes to human presence and attention, Peaches will mostly still remain in the background, not really confident enough yet to come for cuddles herself but she will let the occasional visitor close enough for a pet on her head.
Recently she discovered the exciting world outside of OSPA when she went on her first walk!
We hope that with her growing confidence, her chances of finding a loving home increase!
Makia
DOB -
Makia was found at the beginning of the pandemic just skin and bones. Makia has experienced real hunger. So now when food is infront of her she likes to make sure its all gone before any other dog can get to it.
Makia is very sociable, active and would make a great companion one day. Makia is also very playful but at times can be dominant towards other dogs.
We would just advise if Makia is going to be rehomed with other dogs, she would needs some training on eating habits around other dogs.
Rocco
DOB-
Rocco is a rather shy dog, however one of our previous residents at Ospa, it helped make him more confident and certainly got him out of his shell.
He will still shy away sometimes, especially with people he doesn't know, but he loves to play with the other dogs, enjoys a good walk and is a gentle soul to be around.
We believe Rocco would make the perfect addition as a second dog in a home with a confident other dog who he can copy and grow more confident from.
We hope he'll be just as lucky as most of his other siblings who all found a loving home.
Hope
DOB - 2019
Hope was found as a small puppy, alone on the streets in Santa Maria in April 2019.
She was very tiny and fragile with not much hope for the future if she would stay where she was.
Hope is a very sweet and docile girl, playful too. A little hesitant at first, but very affectionate once comfortable and she WILL demand her love and cuddles from you for as long as she wishes to receive them.
Her only "negative" trait is that her affection for humans makes her bossy/defensive towards other dogs, snapping at them to keep them away so she can have all the attention to herself.
Therefore she would fit best in a family where she doesn't have to share the attention and can receive all the love.
She is good with kids and loves to go for walks.
Mica
DOB -
He was rescued off the streets of Espargos where his owner had abandoned him because he was suffering from mange and had a poor health overall.
In the beginning, Mica would often get very worked up from the fuss of all the other dogs around, feeling he needed to stand his ground and defend his place, when all he really wanted was just some peace and quiet.
Nowadays he has found that peace and just enjoys his stroll around the yard, minding his own business, with an occasional playful moment with his roommates or visitors alike.
His membership to the senior club increases with every passing year, but he still likes to go out for a walk to the beach every once in while, but is also equally happy just staying in the yard.
He is very easy-going and accepting towards new roommates, and often helps them to 'tone it down' a little.
With his thick coat, Mica is one of the dogs that always struggles the most when the summer comes around.
Cabo
DOB -
Cabo has been in our care since December 2022, when we were asked to help him recover from a minor injury on his front leg.
The initial plan was that he would be treated for his injury at the veterinary clinic and after released back home onto the beach of Hilton hotel.
However when his injury had healed, the people who had found him were heartbroken of the idea that he would be back on the beach and decided that they wanted to adopt Cabo instead.
So Cabo was moved into our rehoming centre and the preparations for international travel were made.
Unfortunately after that the adoptive family went radio silent.
So Cabo is now looking for a new family to welcome him into their loving home.
Cabo is a very easygoing dog with a laid back character. He is gentle and sweet, loves both human and dog company and walks great on the lead.
Mel
DOB - 2022
Born with 7 other siblings, Mel was dropped off at our gate in a bucket when she was just a couple of days old.
The "luck" of the situation was that they were dropped off together with their mama Nina, who has done an absolutely excellent job at making sure her puppies always had everything they needed, even after the puppy phase was over.
The first 3 puppies were adopted quickly, and with that they escaped the wave of parvovirus that the remaining 5 pups endured at 6 months old.
Thankfully, they all survived.
In the last year, Layla, Sam, mama Nina and Dotty all found their forever homes, leaving Mel and Rocco as the last remaining of the family.
Mel is often overlooked, as she's a rather shy girl and usually a little insecure around people she doesn't know.
Once she's comfortable, she's a very playful and docile girl who loves affection.
Lars
DOB -
Lars was found as a tiny puppy on the streets of Santa Maria. He was tired, dehydrated and terrified and can only imagine what he went through from such a tiny age.
Lars sadly is scared of people. However thanks to his room mates guidance he is growing confidence and slowly opening up and getting curious to explore people's kindness.
Rocky
DOB -
Rocky was dropped off at our gate in December 2021, when his owner just literally, with suitcase in hand, abandoned him and moved to another island.
Our number one charmer!
I mean, how could he not... have you seen his cute face?
Rocky has a very cheeky and playfull character and always wants to show his affection through hugs and kisses.
He gets along well with other dogs, although does like to show who's boss from time to time.
Going on walks is one of Rocky's favourite activities, but cuddling definitely wins the top spot!
He is still a young boy with a lot of energy and playfulness in him.
He does well around kids too and would make a good family dog!
Kira
DOB-
Kira and her brother Simba came into our care after they were abandoned by their owner.
The owner just got up and left the island without caring to find a solution for the dogs.
Luckily someone was aware of the situation and made sure the dogs were not left to die.
And so they joined the OSPA family.
Being used to living with a family for approximately 7 years, Kira is a very docile and well-behaved dog around people and kids.
She's an expert in walking on a lead and knows basic commands.
Whenever she gets the chance to play in the yard, first she needs to make sure that she teases the other dogs, barking at their pens as if to say "nananana be jealous" to then go on to explore the new smells around.
Paul
DOB -
At some point in the first 3 years of his life, Paul had become a victim of a car accident, leaving him with immobilised back legs.
Because he was unable to put weight on his back legs, he would either hop around like a bunny or drag himself on his front legs. This inevitably caused sores on his paws and back legs.His limited mobility caused him to be restricted to a small area, one where food sources were scarce, so when volunteers of OSPA found him he was just skin and bones.
Paul was still a young chap at the time giving him advantages for rehabilitation and with intense care and lots of love, he made a (almost) full recovery!
He still walks with his back and hind legs very slightly bent, but this is only noticeable if you pay attention to it.
Paul was diagnosed with CTVT, better known as sticker sarcoma, a sexually transmitted cancerous tumour.
He received the necessary chemotherapy and thankfully also this challenge Paul won with success
Paul is a happy and affectionate lad. He is easygoing with most other dogs but over time we've noticed that he doesn't like men of colour and will go into defense-mode when in vicinity of one. This is most likely a trauma related to his early years.
Nevertheless we hope that Paul will still be lucky enough to find his loving forever home soon.
Callie
Jolanda
DOB-
Katie came into our care in 2019 after been captured on the Riu beach for neutering.
We realised the traumas she had of living on the beach and decided she would have better chances at OSPA where she could find a loving forever home.
She used to be extremely scared of people and other dogs, but after settling in she quickly learned to grow confidence while playing with the other OSPA residents.
Today she's still a little wary of people, although she loves to go for walks, but in the presence of other dogs she is absolutely THE BOSS.
Katie
Tonina
DOB-
In the midst of the pandemic we were contacted about 2 puppies who were in terrible condition at the livestock places near Serra Negra.
Only a couple months old, they were starving, covered in fleas and ticks and on the verge of death.
By the time our team arrived Tonina's brother had unfortunately passed away already.
We knew then that leaving Tonina there wasn't an option! So she joined the OSPA family.
Tonina has grown into a beautiful young lady, and although she's very shy of people she doesn't know, she'll have the most exciting greetings for those she feels comfortable around.
She is very particular on which dogs she likes, which makes it difficult to pair her with new roommates. Luckily her room mate is her best mate and they love to run around the yard together.
Tonina still has many active years ahead to explore and grow.
We believe that in the right environment with patience and love she can blossom into a very confident and happy girl!
Ruby
DOB-
She came to join the OSPA family in May of 2019, after her original family could no longer keep her.
With only a couple weeks of age, the then still little ball of fluff soon grew to be a gorgeous girl full of joy.
We don't understand how Ruby, just like her roommate Liana, gets overlooked so often, as she's the absolute sweetest soul.
She is always a little hesitant at first, but soon comes around and curiously checks you out.
She measures your friendship in belly rubs, as she absolutely LOVES them!
As she came in as a puppy, Ruby has practically known nothing but OSPA her whole life, so we'd love for her to find a forever home where she can finally learn what it's like to live life to the fullest.
Ruby is ready for international travel, so all that's missing is a family with a place in their heart and home for her.
Rainha
DOB -
Rainha came into our care after her owner abandoned her, literally tied to our gate, in September last year.
She was slightly underweight and her ears were being eaten by the flies that were attracted to the awful smell she was carrying.
Her overall health was okay.
With the help of a good bath and some dear old sudocrem, the ear problem was soon fixed, but emotionally Rainha had a hard time getting over the heartbreak of the abandonment.
The first week she hardly wanted to eat and would lay in the same spot all day.
Then, thankfully, things turned around and Rainha started to feel at home.
1 year later we can say that Rainha definitely feels like the Queen her name reminds her to be!
She's a confident, sweet and playful young lady who loves running around the yard with her roommates.
Fabiana
DOB -
In August 2023 we got a call for help.
A dog was giving birth inside a restaurant in Santa Maria.
A sleepless night and 6 beautiful pups later, Fabiana (and of course her babies) joined the OSPA all inclusive.
Even though the beginning was a bit rough, Fabiana has been, and still is an excellent mum to her puppies.
Even though each and every pup gets their very own plate of food every morning, Fabiana still sacrifices her breakfast to feed her babies.
On the other hand, just like any good mum does, she tell her pups off whenever needed.
Fabiana is a very affectionate dog, seeking cuddles from visitors as much as she can, very gentle and sweet.
However, coming from the beach, she's learned that towards other dogs she needs to be defensive and sometimes even offensive, to stand her ground.
Fabiana and her pups have settled into our Woof's Welcome area, joining Branca and Brownie Bob as the OSPA front office team, welcoming all guests into our rehoming centre.
She is currently learning how to walk on a lead and will soon get her rabies vaccination to prepare her for international travel, in hopes of finding her own, loving forever home
Pablo
DOB- 2023
In April 2023 we received a call for help, after a month old puppy was dropped on a random doorstep in Espargos after having been removed from his mother way too soon.
Luckily, the person owning the house of that particular doorstep cared enough to seek help, and so Pablo joined the OSPA family.
A good half year later, Pablo has grown into a beautiful young dog, full of character!
Pablo is an absolute charmer and loves to greet visitors.
We didn't manage to record it on video yet, but sometimes Pablo smiles when you call his name!
He helps his shy roommates to come out of their shell and enjoys to run around the yard with his buddies.
Even though many visitors have already fallen in love with this goofy boy, Pablo hasn't found his loving forever home yet.
Simba
DOB -
Our sweet boy Simba came into our care in April 2022, together with his sister Kira, after they were abandoned by their owner.
At first we didn't think Simba was that nice of a guy... He would growl and bite when we'd approach him.
Little did we know that he was in an immense amount of pain.
Unfortunately Simba suffers from heavy chronic ear infections in both his ears and on top of that he had a tooth root problem.
Thankfully with the help from Dr. Marga and the Italian vets from
Clinica Veterinaria Rigacci Giannini Cesena we managed to remove the problem tooth and relieve Simba's ear infection, for a little while at least.
After his tooth removal and the temporary ear pain relief, we got to know a whole new Simba.
Unfortunately the healing of his gaping hole is a very slow-evolving progress with lots of setbacks, BUT after getting worse for a while it is now evolving in the right direction again!
Hopefully soon Simba's face will be all healed up and he can enjoy a buster collar-free life again
Stitch
Clifford
Honey
Please keep checking for updates. We will adding more of our OSPA dogs profiles soon