EN32 Sep 2014 Return to cover-page
Portugal: Of irresistible dogs, precious fish and trusting foxes
Do you love animals and wish you could think of an activity you and your fellow TOS members could engage in together to help them in the face of human exploitation, neglect or abuse? The members of the TOS in Portugal are doing surprising and touching things, both individually and collectively.
Once a week for several months, the members met at the animal refuge “Associação Focinhos e Bigodes” to offer treats to all the abandoned dogs in the kennels and to take for a walk two dogs assigned to them for special loving attention.
Buddy
Lottie
The members have been collecting funds for the refuge for some years now but the sponsorship of individual dogs is a closer form of cooperation that has had a very happy outcome. Buddy was adopted and Lottie’s life has changed a lot too. She found her way into the loving family of the coordinator of the TOS in Portugal! On 31 January 2014 José António Machado Alves and his wife, Isabel Nobre Santos, adopted Lottie. A family member now and a sister to Astérix, Lottie’s loving presence by their side is a permanent reminder of the love that should link the various kingdoms of nature.
Lottie already at home
Astérix
Asterix and Lottie co-existed at first, studying one another, as can be seen in this photo. Finally they became good friends and now they choose to share the same bed!
When you support a refuge and sponsor two of its residents, beware of the risk of becoming attached.
José António continues to take the philosophy and practice of vegetarianism out into the community, offering delicious food samples at the conclusion of his presentations. He speaks at municipal and university locations where his programmes are warmly appreciated.
Koot Hoomi branch member, Paulo Carvalho Silva, has a deep love of nature. The expertise he has acquired as a volunteer in conservation projects has led the Sesimbra City Council to ask his help in preserving a race of very small fish that exist only in the rivers of Portugal. To the right is the Portuguese boga.
Paulo is also a protector of the small foxes that live in the Arrábida sierras in Sesimbra. These foxes trust him so completely that they let him photograph them even in broad daylight!
Two of Paulo’s friends
Members of the TOS in Portugal engage in a variety of activities, gently supported by their previous Coordinator, the ever active Alida Rodrigues. All are guided by the spirit of loving service and hope to awaken people to a deeper understanding of the One Life pervading all the kingdoms of nature. They see their TS, TOS and personal activities as a seamless garment, as a single, integrated way of theosophical living.