THIS is the canine paradise known as “Land Of The Strays” in Costa Rica where nearly 1,000 dogs are allowed to run free.

    Territorio de Zaguates is a privately funded, volunteer-run haven for stray dogs that have the free rein of an area of stunning countryside in a country with year-round sunshine.

    More than 900 animals live in the sanctuary with dog-lovers coming from far and wide to adopt a new pet.

    Visiting the refuge does not mean there is pressure to adopt a dog and access to the site and meeting the dogs is free — locals often come by just to enjoy the facility.

    The dogs get to run around all day in a green, grassy, well-maintained outdoor space, but they also have access to a modern indoor facility with cozy bedding and designated feeding and bathing stations. To keep the dogs hydrated, troughs of fresh flowing water are installed at various points on the property.

    Explaining how the idea for the shelter came about, founder Lya Battle said, “I would often come across dogs on the way home.

    “Those that looked in need of help I would take home for as long as it took to nurse back to health, sterilize and find families for.

    “Many were lucky but many adorable dogs were overlooked and turned down because they simply lacked desirable qualities. Too big, too old, to energetic, too lazy, missing a limb, missing an eye.

    “I realized then and there that these wonderful animals had few chances in this world.”

    The center refuses to let mixed-breed dogs be looked upon as inferior, working to find their pups safe and loving homes.

    To help them get adopted, Territorio de Zaguates celebrates the one-of-a-kind traits unique to mixed breed dogs.

    “When you adopt a mutt, you adopt a unique breed,” reads the billboard and advertisements of the shelter, which has helped challenge public opinion that pedigree breeds are superior.

    One of the biggest challenges faced by the organization is finding people to adopt the dogs.

    “In Costa Rica we have an estimated 1 million abandoned dogs,” said Sergio Chinchilla, dog-lover and advertising professional at Garnier BBDO. “And the problem is most adopters tend to favor adopting pure breeds only.” (SD-Agencies)