The Goldra Dog Sanctuary

The Goldra Dog Sanctuary is located at Goldra de Baixo, near Loulé in the Algarve, where over 50 dogs need daily care. The sanctuary is run by volunteers and supported by fundraising events, sponsors and donations. Jan Henderson lives on site and cares for the dogs every day. Most of these dogs have been abandoned and many arrive needing medical attention. Most are ready to be adopted and can go to new homes — all they need is for someone to love them. The sanctuary cannot care for every street dog in the Algarve, but those taken in are nursed back to health and always have a home at Goldra if they are too old for adoption or need ongoing support.

The Goldra Dog Sanctuary cares for over 50 abandoned dogs at Goldra de Baixo near Loulé, nursing them back to health and finding them loving homes — and giving a permanent home to those too old or too fragile to be adopted.

The sanctuary is run as CANIGOLDRA – Associação para Defesa e Recuperação de Animais (NIF 510454607), a registered Portuguese animal welfare association that receives no state funding. It survives entirely on donations, monthly sponsorships, fundraising events and its Goldra Goodies shop. Alongside adoption, the sanctuary runs a sponsorship programme for dogs who are old or ill and unlikely to be rehomed, a fostering programme, and regular volunteer dog-walking mornings on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The sanctuary is at Goldra de Baixo, in the hills between Santa Bárbara de Nexe and Loulé (GPS N 37.11483, W 7.99109), reached by a dirt track off the road from Loulé towards Faro. It serves adopters across the Algarve and welcomes enquiries from further afield in Portugal and abroad, with visits arranged by appointment.

Goldra is home to more than 50 dogs of all shapes and sizes, from young dogs ready for family life to seniors who will live out their days at the sanctuary. All dogs are sterilised (except young puppies), vaccinated and tested for Leishmania, heartworm and tick fever before adoption. Weights and ages listed for each dog are estimates. The team knows every dog individually and advises on which one would best suit your home and lifestyle.