Refugio dos Burros

Refugio dos Burros is a private animal refuge on a small farm in the Algarve countryside near Estômbar. Its Portuguese name means donkey shelter, which is how the refuge began, and it now cares for around 150 rescued animals of all kinds, each with its own name and story. In 2014, with the help of volunteers and generous donors, the refuge raised enough money to buy the land it is built on, securing its future. Beyond finding homes for the animals it can rehome, Refugio dos Burros exists to give lifelong care to the ones that most other places cannot take on: the old and the sick, animals missing an ear, an eye or a limb, and the ones with difficult temperaments. Whatever the reason an animal cannot be adopted, it stays at the refuge for the rest of its life, with the aim of giving it the most comfortable and enjoyable life possible for however long it has left. The refuge relies heavily on public donations to stay open, and welcomes contributions of food, blankets, collars and toys as well as money, which can be dropped at one of its charity shops or at the refuge itself by prior arrangement. People can get in touch by email to ask about donating, sponsoring an animal, volunteering or visiting.