A very special place
Welcome to the very first post on the A.C.E. English Blog. If you know about A.C.E. and the wonderful work being done there, it will need no introduction. If you have recently discovered the website, you’ll see that there’s an English version. There you’ll find the history of El Refugio, adoption procedures, volunteering and much more. Plus, in Fabienne’s Diary and in Lucky Dogs, a record of the daily struggle to save as many dogs as possible. And theheart-warming success stories too. It’s called El Refugio. Rightly so - for it truly represents salvation for thousands of abandoned and abused dogs. They come in all shapes and sizes - some are old, some are hardly born, many are damaged physically. All have been traumatised in one way or another. But every single one of them is a beautiful soul, yearning for a second chance. These lovely dogs deserved better than to be beaten, thrown away, flung out of cars, shoved into the garbage or condemned to roam the streets, to be rounded up and gassed.
Despite their terrible experiences, they just want to trust again. Courageous and gentle, they are eager for a cuddle, a kind word. Others will take a little longer, they are still timid and scared, but little by little they see that now they are safe. From the moment they come into the Refugio or into foster care, every single dog is treated with kindness and care – a visit to the vet, a nice bath, good food, kind words and above all a cuddle. And, soon, very soon we hope, the golden basket – a loving family of their very own and no more sadness and pain.
Little Tanish was flung out of a car on a busy road. Luckily someone saw what happened and now she’s safe at El Refugio and recovering well.
It’s hard because you can’t save them all and it never stops. Every day, Fabienne and her volunteers and helpers go to the killing stations and visit breeders hit by the recession, trying to save as many dogs as they possibly can. Add to those the dogs and puppies found dumped outside the Refugio, tied up, pushed through the bars or thrown over the wall. And the stream of people coming with dogs they can no longer keep, or don’t want …
There’s another side to this daily horror. The thing that makes it all worthwhile. The trips to the airport, virtually every day – sometimes with four dogs, sometimes ten – on my last trip at least 30 dogs flew out in just seven days. Waiting at the other end are the A.C.E. volunteers and the adopting families, eager to meet the beloved dog they have chosen and waited for with such anticipation. Thanks to brilliant volunteer support in Holland and Belgium and in other European countries, over the last ten years or so thousands of these dogs have found a new life with loving families.
When Fabienne found her she was quietly crying in a corner of the killing station. She was blind. She was scared. Now she’s the happiest dog in the world.
Happy endings – Yona with her loving new family – home at last!
‘What did I do wrong?’ At last ..........
Because of our very out-dated quarantine laws, it hasn’t been possible to send dogs to England for adoption. But there’s good news. From 1st January 2012, the British laws are changing and from that date the quarantine period will fall in line with the rest of Europe.
It will take time to build up the good strong organisation that’s needed before we can even think of bringing dogs over here. It will take committed and willing volunteers and helpers. People to raise money, to visit prospective adopters and check their suitability, to come to the airport and receive the families and the dogs and do the paperwork. It’s early days. But … is there anyone out there who would like to help start the English Ace? To be in at the beginning. To let people know, to raise money, to donate – to help the dogs.
26th November 2011
Why Spain - haven’t we got enough homeless dogs in England …?
Yes there are plenty of rescue dogs in England who need and deserve a good home and loving family. Yes, of course there is cruelty and neglect here – you’ll never stamp it out entirely. Nevertheless, thanks to all the great animal charities in England and our animal protection laws, I doubt it comes close to what is happening in Spain.
Boliche loves his humans so much but he was no longer a puppy. The children were bored with him. So now he’s in the killing station, with ten days to live. He doesn’t understand – ‘when are you coming back for me?’
In England we do not routinely gas dogs en masse, like Boliche, who’s little life, still unlived, is ticking away. We do not allow people to bring a healthy dog to be killed and walk out with another one there and then - younger, stronger or prettier – a dog that will inevitably meet a similar fate some years down the line. We have sterilisation programmes here and do not allow dogs to have litter after litter as a matter of course, nor permit their owners to throw the resulting puppies out with the garbage, or dump them by the side of the road.
We don’t hang hunting dogs when they are past their useful life, nor do we shoot them or mutilate them and mostly we don’t kick them to death or check them out of a car on a motorway. Of course such terrible things happen here, and more often than we like to think, but not on an almost industrial scale. Not every day, not all the time.
This is why Fabienne and Ton set up A.C.E. This is why they devote their lives to this work. This is what motivates all the volunteers, workers, students, fundraisers – everyone involved. They have one aim – to save the dogs. By rescuing them, rehoming them and by encouraging sterilisation and by education. Will you help?
Update. Wonderful news. Boliche has been saved. He’s now at El Refugio, enjoying cuddles and love and just waiting for his very own golden basket.
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