The owners of a massive dog sanctuary in Costa Rica called Territorio de Zaguates are appealing for help as they face separate battles in their ongoing work that has saved scores of stray dogs that would have otherwise perished.

Officials at the sanctuary, also known as the Land of the Strays, say intruders have been sneaking onto the property and intentionally poisoning dogs. The sanctuary needs donations so security can be beefed up and the dogs kept safe.

The sanctuary is also facing legal battles as opponents, for reasons that aren't clear, try to shut it down.

Officials at the sanctuary say in a Facebook posting that 16 dogs had been poisoned earlier this month. Nine of those dogs died, and at last check seven more were fighting for their lives. Additionally, 60 other dogs have died under mysterious circumstances over the past few months.

“It is sad to say but we have found plenty of enemies for this project,” Alvaro Saumet, who founded the sanctuary, along with his wife, Lya Battle, said on a video posted on the sanctuary’s website.

“There are many people against this sanctuary. People who make up ill-intended stories about us, and they search far and wide for any legal technicality there might be to shut this place down,” Samuet said. “We have faced many legal processes, but thank God, even the Department of Health, Senasa and other government entities have come to keep an eye on us and have requested some changes, they have never found a reason to shut this place down.”



