Little lost lonely Zaida ...

... wandering all by herself in the streets of Castellar, a village near Cadiz.  The nights were cold, she was hungry and thirsty and traumatised. And then she was rescued. She's still shy but very gentle, a lovely character. She can't bear to be locked up at the moment - no doubt bad memories of past abuse. It will pass with love and care.

Zaida is affectionate with all the other dogs and with people. She's sharing a cage with Husain, they are best friends. Soon, we hope, they will both find their own golden baskets and their own loving families. They are waiting with hope.

I'd love a family ...

 of my very own.

Please, is it you?

Agnes has found her golden basket

Last May, on my first visit to El Refugio, I met Marjolijn Spoor. We volunteered together, working in the laundry, washing dogs, cuddling dogs, taking them for walks. Every day she picked me up in La Cala and drove me up the hill to the refuge and drove me home again too. I exchange I did her washing, as my apartment had a washing machine.

We kept in touch with emails. Since then I've been out again once, but Marjolijn has volunteered several times, fostered two dogs and does amazing work for A.C.E. in Holland and in Spain. Almeria, her first foster, found a golden basket within 48 hours. This time it was Agnes' turn - and again, within 48 hours she'd found her permanent family.  Ernst Spoor takes wonderful pictures and makes great videos. Here you can see Marjolijn with Agnes in Spain and on arrival in Holland. And back home with her two beagles, Sailor and Rabito.

A great big thank you, to Marjolijn and Ernst, to all the adoptive families and the foster families and to everyone who contributes to the happy scenes you see in the video, below. It's always a joy to see the arrival of the dogs at their home airport and to see their families meet them for the first time. 

Friends Reunited - Chica and Champ at the seaside

This is the video that Jorine sent me

It makes us all so happy to see 'our' dogs - dogs rescued by A.C.E. in Spain - enjoying their new lives with their wonderful adoptive families.  Here sweet Chica, who was formerly known as Laurel, and darling Champ can be seen having a great time together with their step brothers. Jorine, Chica's new owner and Barbalou who adopted Champ, meet regularly with all their dogs. It's so heartwarming to see the dogs running free together.  Champ is the black and brown Beaucheron and Chica the brown Shepherd Cross

This is Champ when he was still in the Refugio, with Chica in the background.  Thank you Jorine and Barbalou for this photo which I 'stole' from your Facebook pages. I'm sure you don't mind.

Everyone please sign this petition against bullfighting!

Please will you all sign to put a stop to this inhuman and abominable practice.  Fabienne.

      

Click here

When you have clicked and accessed the site, scroll down to the very bottom and in the left hand corner, in blue you will find the petition.  Here is a translation to help you fill it in.  (Apologies, incidentally for the very annoying window offering a free iPhone. It does eventually go away!!!)

 

Tu nombre: Your Christian name

Tu apellido: Your Surname

Tu correo-e : Your email address

Cód. Postal: Your postcode (I just put UK and it worked)

Acepto las Norm. de Uso y Pol. de Priv.: Accept Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy (tick)

 Click to submit 

What on earth is in that bottle ....?

With thanks to Fabienne for sending the clip to brighten up my day and to share it with you.

Some things, some days ...

More photo's of El Refugio from Fabienne

 Just awake

 Nice bone

 What do you want?

 Hmmmmm

Hmmmmmm

Hi! We are waiting for you to come home ...

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

                                                          Mahatma Gandhi 

This is the King of Spain

King Juan Carlos of Spain recently went off on Safari to shoot an elephant. He paid $40,000 dollars to kill this innocent animal - just for fun.  What does that say about Spain? What can you expect of it's citizens if the head of the country sets such a terrible example?  The pictures below tell their own story and, believe me, this is not the worst of it.

These are the animals of Spain

 If you click on this link www.actuables.es  you can sign a petition to remove King Juan Carlos from his  honorary membership of the World Wildlife Fund. More than 72,800 people signed this in just one day. The button is the third one down on the right.  

More of our lovely dogs found forever homes in March ...

With thanks and gratitude to all the Dutch adopters who have taken these sweethearts into their homes and hearts. And to everyone at A.C.E. in Holland and Spain who have made this happen by their hard work, devotion and dedication.  These are just the dogs who have gone to Holland. Many more have found forever families in Belgian and in other European countries.  

Special thanks to Ineke who has made this beautiful collage - I know it takes ages.  Lovely to see her Liv (Lizzie) among the group, and little Pocoloco and beloved Bombardoneke. Though I really shouldn't single any of them out as they are all gorgeous and so deserving. 

Brave students, lucky dogs ...

You're coming with me, little one

The Refugio is grateful to the many students who come over as part of their various courses.  They help Graham and Stephen, Mike and Lisa and everyone else with the daily cleaning, feeding and washing – both the dogs and the laundry! Of which there is masses. It’s never ending.   Some months ago Fabienne was thinking of a way to involve the students more, to help them confront the harsh reality, to see what actually happens to the animals here in Spain.

She decided that, if they were willing, they could come with her to the killing stations. It’s a very hard thing to do, very difficult, very emotional.  So to help them, and the dogs, she asked each of them to choose one dog to be saved, which would then become their project. From then on they would take care of that dog, ‘their’ dog, right up to adoption and beyond. They would keep in touch with the adopting family and be able to follow their special one’s progress. Many students adopt their dogs themselves.

This was such a wonderful idea. It involved the students more closely in the work and the aims of A.C.E. and El Refugio. It made them much more motivated, helped them understand why we do certain things. Why, for instance, we sterilise all the dogs and why we are helping create sterilisation programmes.  And why we want to make people aware of what goes on, how serious the problem is.

This arrangement has been working well. Last week those students who are currently at El Refugio went to the Malaga killing station. It’s traumatic and upsetting. You can only save so many dogs.  To have to leave the others, knowing what fate awaits them, that they will never again see the light of day – that’s harsh. It tears you apart. The students were brave. Here are some more pictures of these lovely people with their lucky dogs.  

Two of the lucky ones - spare a thought for the others

Saved!

Happy students, happy dogs

My special one

The information was adapted from Fabienne’s Diary; the photos came from there too. See the diary entries of 17^th February and 11^th April, the latter with news of a new arrangement with the Malaga killing station, which will hopefully allow more lives to be saved. There are more photographs too.

Adopt me ...

... and because I'm adorable and I'll love you forever and you'll never, ever regret it

From all of us, the best for Easter.

... we wish a happy Easter to our volunteers, adopters, friends, sympathizers. And for our dogs may it be a rebirth for them in the form of a safe home,

Greetings from Fabienne and Team Spain

Fly away home ....

                    ...  more sweet creatures fly off and are united with their new families.

The first group are off to Denmark

Cuco finds his new delighted new mum

 The first of many hugs

 Pietje was also finally going .. our sweet boy

 And here's Fiona, still a bit shy

Cuco wanted to go with the suitcases

The second group are off to Austria

 All packed up and ready to go

Witteke, Legend, Mythe, Pepana and Piri meet their new families

 A little rest before setting off for home

 Legend, Witteke and Mythe get lots of hugs

Just the beginning of a happy future

Remember sweet Steven ...

.... just look at this happy boy now. Once he was found wandering all alone in someone's garden. By great good fortune he came to the Refugio and became, as Fabienne says, 'the apple of our eye.' He was good sweet and affectionate fellow but what he needed above all was his own home. His wish was granted. We posted some photos just after he was adopted and now we have some more. Thank you so very much to his wonderful adopters - for loving Steven and for these great photos.