Vila do Bispo

About Mayday

A volunteer-run sanctuary giving abandoned dogs safety, care and second chances.

Protecting up to 100 animals at any one time, in private woodland in the national park is a small charity called Mayday. Karen Breen and her husband opened up their home, created the refuge and started taking in abandoned animals in 2010 from the streets, fields and a local municipal kennel to keep them safe.

Life at Mayday

Space to run, recover and learn to trust people again.

All the dogs live in large spaces with other dogs where they are free to run and play. They have warm, comfortable houses beneath covered structures to protect them from bad weather and give them shade from the sun.

Although the dogs have happy lives here, we work hard to find good homes for as many as possible, all over the world, where they can become part of a family, loved and well cared for.

We have previously rehomed dogs in Portugal, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, Spain, Poland, Norway, Sweden and France.

A Mayday dog exploring the Algarve coast2010Mayday Began

Powered by kindness

Mayday is powered entirely by donations.

We are very grateful to everyone who decides to help us. We clean the pens daily, provide clean bedding in the dog houses and make sure every dog gets the food and treatment they need.

When necessary, we also bottle feed puppies and socialise them as they grow. Every donation helps us keep doing this work, every day.

A dog in the care of a Mayday volunteerA small rescued dog at Mayday
A rescue dog at Mayday Algarve

Mayday is donation funded

Help us keep this place safe for every dog who arrives.

Mayday survives entirely through donations. Every gift helps us feed the dogs, keep their spaces safe and pay for the treatment they need.

See every way to donate

Questions about Mayday