Love changes everything ...

  

Many of our dogs are wary and frightened when we rescue them. Many more are indeed badly traumatised and terrified. Sometimes we know something of the abuse they have suffered, others times we can only guess the terrible experiences they have undergone.

Thanks to the immense patience and devotion of those involved - the staff and volunteers at El Refugio, loving foster parents and adopters - so many of these innocent creatures learn to trust humans again and learn to leave their unhappy past behind.

Pictured Olivia in the Refugio and on arrival at Schipol.

Olivia is one such sweetheart. Her new boss writes to say that  Olivia is thriving, getting better every day. When she compares Olivia now to the way she was when she arrived, there's a world of difference. At the beginning she was so frightened she could only tremble and hide in her bench. No one knew what had happened to her to affect her so badly.

Today, the bench is stored in the cupboard and Olivia has her own bed and she's happy to run around in the fields outside.  She's still afraid of loud noises and fearful of unknown people. But with a calm patient approach she's already come a long way. She fully trusts her boss now and if she can she crawls up on the sofa and lies against her.

The three cats in the house have become her friends and today her boss had a wonderful, unexpected surprise when she found Olivia sleeping in her basket with a kitten. All in all : a frightened fearful dog to a playful has become a sweet bundle of cuddles! The fear will probably never go away completely but as it is, it's really great.

Happy Olivia in her forever home.