Veterinarians and Pet Shops in Javea

We all need a bit of extras for the dogs now and then. Maybe they need a health check or an injection, maybe you want some diet dog food or some need dog toys … whatever it may be, its worth knowing good veterinarians for emergencies with the dogs and a proper pet shop for all the accessories.

Pet Shops in Jávea
There are a fairly good selection of pet shops in Javea and the surrounding areas. However I will recommend only 2. This does not mean that I consider those not mentioned bad, but simply that these are the 2 I use myself, they do not sell puppies or have any other malicious practices that I would object to. They are simply good pet shops that I use myself and am happy to recommend!

El Palau De Les Mascotes
Located on the Arenal nearby the Lancashire Bruja on the main entrance road towards the beach, El Palau De Les Mascotes is my favorite place to go for anything pet related in Jávea. They have a super selection of accessories for dogs (and other pets), the service is very friendly and you just get the feeling they love animals.

pet shop javea

Of course, El Palau De Mascotes does NOT sell puppies (which is good), but they do have a selection of other smaller pets for sale such as a strong selection of aquarium fish and reptiles. I am not an expert on other types of pets, but they seem to be looking after them well and the reptiles are all presented in terrariums sympathetic to their preferred habitats. El Palau De Mascotes can also help with basic over the counter remedies for pets such as flea spray and pills etc, which many pet shops in Spain do not carry in their stock.

Overall, this is a highly recommendable pet shop in Javea with a good selection in stock, a willingness to order in anything they do not have in stock and friendly service all around.

Animals – Pet Shop On The Arenal
Animals is a much smaller pet shop with a more limited choice than El Palau De Mascotes, but it is conveniently located in the main shopping area of the arenal so quite handy if you just need a little goodie for your dog, a need food bowl or maybe some food for the aquarium fish.
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Animals do not sell live pets generally, sometimes theres a bird or two in there, but it is by all accounts a pet accessories shop. If you are new in town and havent yet learned Spanish, it counts on the plus side for Animals that the staff speak English.

Veterinarians in Jávea
In Javea there are plenty of excellent veterinarians ready to help you maintain the health of your dog. If you need to relocate away from Spain, the veterinarians will also be able to provide you with all necessary health checks, blood works and passports. Exactly what is needed differs depending on the country you are headed to, but the veterinarian knows.

There is no excuse not to take your dog with you when you move, all it takes is a short trip to the vet to get the dog prepared!

La Nao – Centro Veterinario
La Nao are simply lifesavers in my book. The friendly vets are brilliant will all kinds of pets and have the facilities to perform largely all types of treatments and operations necessary.

The vets at La Nao are Spanish but speak English fluently as well, which means that even if your Spanish is limited you can easily communicate and get the problems experienced with your pet across.  The main vet inthere has shown an incredible magic touch with the animals I have brought in. A feral cat I brought in for treatment tried to shred me for just looking at it, but the vet managed to calm him down to an extend where she could examine him without any form of sedatives. I was amazed!

veterinarians javea

In terms of pricing La Nao have almost been very modest in their bills to me, but of course it depends on the treatment how big the final bill is gonna be.

The vets at La Nao are skilled and knowledgeable. If you are going back to England, Germany or indeed anywhere in the world, ask them what exact papers your pet needs – they will know and they will be able to perform the necessary tests and produce the documents needed for you.

The veterinarians shop is located right in the middle between the 3 parts of Javea, the port, the old town and the Arenal with easy parking right outside by the Dia supermarket.

Javea has English speaking vets, proper pet shops with a good choice who do not sell puppies – make use of them. Have some happy times with your dog – and dont forget to support good local Javea veterinarians and pet shops!

Dog Walking in Jávea – Questions Answered

Dog Walking in Jávea. Frequently asked questions about taking dogs from APASA for a walk in the nature of Javea:

Can anyone do it?
Yes, if you love dogs and want a nice walk with one – just head down there and ask for a dog to walk. They will always give you a dog that matches you, so if you are a little elderly lady you dont need to fear equipped with a giant energetic pitbull terrier.

Is it necessary to book in advance?
No, just go round the kennel during opening hours.  They are open from 11am-1pm and 5pm-8pm. Take note that the sign on the door is deceptive, you are not limited to walking dogs from 11-1 as the sign indicates – its perfectly fine in the afternoon too.

Do we need to be members?
No, anyone can do it.  Of course supporting the kennel by becoming a member of APASA, giving a donation or sponsoring a dog would be nice, but there is no pressure or obligation to do so … by talking a dog for walks you make that particular living create really happy for the day.

What if I get an aggressive dog?
You wont be given an aggressive dog. The people at the kennel seem super knowledgeable about dogs and able to determine which one would be a nice match for you. There is nothing to fear in that sense and of course if you do encounter a problem you can just take it straight back to the kennel

Do I need to sign up for a weekly appointment?
No, just turn up during opening hours, no need for appointments or solid commitments

How do I find the kennel?
Check the How To Find The APASA Kennel post

Is it allowed for people on holiday too?
Yes! Resident or tourists, expat or Spaniards, young or old … by all means go take a dog for a walk. It might in fact be a really nice way of exploring the nature round Javea during your holiday to do it with a doggie companion.

Dont Leave Your Dog In The Car!

Temperatures are hitting 40degrees in Spain. The beaches of Costa Blanca are full of Spaniards, expats and tourists enjoying the warm sand, the sunshine and the sea … but what about your dog? You didnt leave it in the back of the car, did you?

heat-kills-dogs

Cars are no less than death traps for dogs in the Spanish summer! The car will warm up to unbearable temperatures in just minutes under the Spanish sun, even if in the shade, and a dog trapped in there will dehydrate and die within a very short timespan. DO NOT leave the car locked with the dog inside, even if you are just going inside for a bit of shopping or heading to a restaurant for a bit of lunch – a extremely dangerous to the dog and it will die much quicker than you think!

Your dog probably loves to come along when you go out, but remember:

  • Heat Kills Dogs – The Extreme Spanish Heat Kills a Dog in a matter of minutes!
  • NEVER Leave your dog behind in a locked car
  • Rolling down the window a bit does NOT help – its the heat, not the lack of air killing the dog
  • Take your dog with you on a leash when you go out – and remember it gets thirsty too

dont-cook-your-dog

It may seem like common sense, but dogs die every day in Spain in tragic events where owners have left them in their cars. The owners intent is rarely malicious but the outcome is a horrible death for the dog nonetheless!

Leader Of The Pack – Assume Responsibility!

A dog is generally a social being with lots of loyalty and affection to spare for those it gets attached to and shows it respect. That only makes it even more sad when the bond of trust between the dog and its family, the humans, is broken. A dog is happiest when it belongs to a pack in whatever role it might fit into. In the case of a pet, the humans are the pack and one of those humans is the leader of the pack in the eyes of dog. As a consequence taking on a dog as part of the family is a responsibility, not unlike having a child.

The responsibility is yours to look after the well-being of your dog, keep it happy and healthy, and in return it will go out of its way to please you, adore you and show its uncompromising love.

This means that suddenly abandoning your responsibility and cutting off the dog from its beloved family is a clearcut act of cruelty. You may have a million more or less valid reasons for wanting to rid yourself of your dog, but the dog has now chance of understanding them. To the dog, being abandoned by its family or pack is the most heartbreaking and devastating blow it can possibly experience. Whichever way you abandon your dog is an act of cruelty to it, but some are less cruel than others. If you find the dog a new permanent loving home when having to part with it, it will get over the loss eventually

… it may seem like a lot of hassle to search for a new family for the dog, but it is after all a responsibility you chose to take on.

…and to those who do the opposite, escape all responsibilities and ignore the welfare of the dog: You are committing a malicious crime! If not in the eyes of the law, then at least through my lenses. Even in a small Spanish town like Jávea there are numerous examples of such violations of the most basic needs of the dog:

  • Dogs found alone and confused in the streets after being abandoned
  • Dogs chained to the rubbish bins … like the rest of the trash the family couldn’t be bothered to take with them
  • Boxes of puppies randomly dropped off somewhere in town
  • Dogs thrown over the fence to dog kennels
  • Dogs found, sometimes still alive, locked in villas vacated without notice

The list sadly continues with every line depicting another disgusting crime against an animal that was up until then a loving member of the family. And these are not cruel acts committed by uneducated third world people who simply doesn’t know better. A vast number of the abandoned dogs stem from expats going back to England, Germany or where ever they may be headed and simply not bothering to make arrangements for their dog to come along or find a new home in Spain.

Imagine the guy who locked the dog in a villa. In 40degrees with no water or food and without giving notice to anyone. The dog only to be found weeks later when the rental agent comes round to check why no rent is being paid and emails not being answered. That guy is now sitting in his local pub in Bournemouth or Bristol telling people how he was heartbroken he couldn’t bring the dog with him and he hopes it found a new home. Well it didn’t! It died a horrible death of starvation or thirst whilst in despair about its beloved pack having gone missing.

The dog that was found chained to the rubbish bins. A week earlier it was having the time of its life playing in the garden or round the pool of the big villa in the expat urbanization with the family kids. The kids are still playing in the garden with a dog, only in another country and with a new dog the parents kindly gave them as the kids were sad about the old one not being able to come. Why wasn’t it? Because it was just too much hassle to go to the veterinarian and get a passport? Too expensive to book it on a flight to England? Whatever the reason, the responsible adults chose the most vile and horrid solution of all. They took the dog out with the trash and left it there to die.

Do I need to continue?

The examples are scarily easy to find, disgustingly common and those capable and willing to commit these crimes are not sent away to a prison cell, in fact, they rarely even have to be confronted with their sickening acts of malice towards a living soul who loved them and depended on them.

Break the chain dear leader of the pack. Assume the responsibility that is yours!

PS: All the examples above are real and sadly from Javea. I hope none of you reading this will ever add yourself to the list – but further it would be nice if you could in some way support the efforts of those fighting tooth and nails to help these abandoned dogs, get them back to health and happiness, find them new loving homes … please head over to APASA Javea and give them whatever support you can!

Meet Suzy ! A Lovely Dog For Adoption

I went and met Suzy for the very time when I took her for an afternoon of walking, running and playing around Jávea. Suzy lives in the APASA kennel and really should find a new permanent home with people who love her. Because the thing is, as long as we were in the kennel with lots of dogs barking and pouncing about, Suzy was acting all nervous and wild. She jumped in all directions, wouldn’t let me touch her and was visibly scared.

adopt a dog in Javea

It all changed completely as soon as we had walked for 5 minutes alone. She calmed down, became talkative and as we had spent just a little time talking and playing she became very placid and affectionate.

Of course, every dog is an individual little personality with its own experiences and preferences. Some probably love the social life of the kennel and the company of all the other dogs. In Suzys case it clearly makes her crazy and scared to have so many dogs around her at all times. All I could do was take her for a couple of hours of relaxing fun on her own and the hard working people of the kennel of course do not have the resources to give her a special kennel home away from the other dogs.

adopt a dog in Javea

The APASA people clearly love dogs – and they do an incredible job, but for a dog like Suzy I think the only solution to give her a happy life is for YOU to help out. If you live in the Javea area and consider adopting a dog, go and meet her. Take her for a walk and get to know her. You will very soon find out that she is a wonderfully affectionate dog with an adorable personality. Please give her a chance for a bright future with your family, I promise she will give you plenty of rewards back in form of love, loyalty and fun times!

Please consider going to the APASA Javea Dog Kennel and meet Suzy or some of the many other lovely dogs waiting for a new home with a family to love!

Dog Walking In Javea

Saw this yesterday from APASA Javea: “Supporting Apasa Javea Dogs Home. There are 230 dogs who would just love to go for a walk and some have never left the pound in 4 years. Spare an hour and make a dog very happy. Thank you”

Went and took two dogs, Sawa and Rupa, for a walk in the orange groves near Garden Center Road … and played around in fields and bamboos at the dry riverbed for a couple of hours. I had a great time with the dogs, they seemed to enjoy it too and even found me a dead snake that was proudly handed over as a present hahaha

dogs in javea

If you can spare an hour its a very small help to the local dog rescue. The dogs love the opportunity to get out and explore – and its good excercise as well. You can just turn up at APASA between 11am-1pm and 5pm-8pm and they will instruct you from there.

Heres a few shots from roaming around with Sawa and Rupa at Javea Photos – APASA Dogs

With 230 dogs and very little funding, I suspect any help is appreciated at APASA. You can be a member for 20eurs, sponsor a dog for 25euros, adopt a dog if you would like a loyal companion – or as I did, simply go and take one for a walk.

dogs for walks in javea

Look for Protectora de animales Jávea APASA athttp://www.apasa.eu/

Dogs On The Arenal Beach ?

The question keeps getting asked: Is it allowed to take your dog for a walk on the Arenal Beach ?

The simple answer is no. The local council of Xábia will issue you a fine via the local police if you take your dog onto the actual Arenal Beach. The reason is fairly simple, the council spends enormous resources keeping the beach clean, tidy and welcoming for tourists and even though you might responsibly collect any remains your dog leaves behind, experience show that others do not, and stepping in a dog poo isn’t really a nice ingredient of a days at the beach for visitors from around the world.

dogs on arenal beach javea

But I see people walking their dogs on the Arenal beach all the time? Yes, it is very common to do so but it is not permitted. Out of the tourist season and late at night the enforcement of the ban on dogs on the beach is quite relaxed. As with most things the Spanish are generally quite easy going and pragmatic about their laws and regulations  so if you are walking your beloved dog on the empty beach during an evening in November, odds are nobody will lift an eyebrow. However, you do risk a fine doing so at any time.

There are plenty of nice places to walk your dog in the picturesque nature of Javea. Doing so on the Arenal beach is at your own risk as it is not permitted!