A pop-up charity shop in Lagos has raised €8,349 for Cadela Carlota & Companhia, the Algarve association that cares for abandoned dogs and cats around the western Algarve. The temporary space at the Armazém Regimental was made possible with backing from Lagos City Council and the Parish Council of São Gonçalo de Lagos.

The total breaks down into €6,820 from sales and €1,529 in straight donations. More than 30 volunteers ran the operation, with a coordinator nicknamed Red managing the project and a small behind-the-scenes team — Marija, Brigitte, Anja and Glenna — handling the background work. Volunteer Karin spent countless hours making handmade items that were sold in the shop.

The money goes towards the unglamorous essentials of rescue work: vet bills, food, shelter and foster care, plus a buffer for emergencies. The need is constant. The association's most recent arrivals were four puppies found hiding under a bush inside the shelter, apparently thrown over the fence. All four are now in a foster home being treated for fleas and skin irritation, and will be up for adoption once healthy.

There's a push to bring more shelter dogs into Lagos itself, so residents and visitors can meet them in person and find out about adoption. More fundraising events are planned over the coming months, with updates posted on the association's Facebook page alongside dogs looking for homes.

For travellers, this is a quiet but real way to plug into the place you're visiting. The Algarve's stray animal problem is visible to anyone who spends time here, and associations like Cadela Carlota run largely on volunteers and donations rather than state funding. If you're holidaying in the Lagos area, keep an eye out for their events — buying a second-hand book or a handmade trinket is an easy, feel-good errand. Longer-staying visitors and expats sometimes go further and foster or adopt; shelters across the Algarve are generally open to enquiries from people spending a season or more in Portugal.

It's also a nice example of how a town's seasonal visitor economy and its community charities overlap: the shop sat in a council-supported space in central Lagos, staffed by locals and foreign residents alike, and supported by shoppers including tourists. If you'd rather help from afar, the association accepts donations directly.

Full credit for the original report goes to Portugal Resident.