Please help us save the Refugio

For details please see the previous post on the English Blog.

Devastating News - they want to close us down

For our dogs it's their refuge - their only hope. Please help us save it for them.

The inspection went well. The inspector seemed satisfied. He remarked on the good condition of the dogs. We answered all his questions. He pointed out a few minor things that needed attention. That was all. We thought everything was OK.

When he had finished he delivered the body blow. We have to completely transform the old section, which effectively is the only part we can use while we try to complete the new section at the back. It's an enormous and costly job but he will only give us 30 days to do it in.

Thirty days!  It seems impossible. It's our worst nightmare. 

CAN YOU HELP? DO YOU KNOW A BUILDER? A PLUMBER? COULD YOU DONATE? EVEN IF IT'S 5 EUROS THEY ALL ADD UP.

The full story is on Fabienne's Diary  I will update when there is more information.

Also, you could go to their FB page, which will be updated regularly - the posts are translated into English.

We've saved over 17,000 dogs so far. Please help us to save even more. Thank you.

Our bank details

Netherlands: 

ABN AMRO te Venlo

Account: NL02 ABNA 0463 518 128

T.n.v. T. v.d. Broek inzake ACE-Charity 

Belgium: 

BELFIUS 

Account: BE42 7805 9221 8254

t.n.v. Animal Care Espana Honden In Nood 

Spain: 

Solbank Banco Sabadel Calahonda 

Account: ES74 0081 0619 5800 0145 7846 

t.n.v. Animal Care Espana Honden In Nood

Every dog is the best dog ever ....

Messages from Emanuel, Lisashenka and Plumita

My name is Emanuel...

I emigrated to Belgium nearly two years ago and don't regret it. I have great playmates and my bosses look after me as if I were a king. They are very proud of me and consider me a big boy now. I also like playing with the cats - when I'm not chasing a ball or a ring. I also enjoy lying in the sun but I also like to lie inside, in the office or on a blanket. My bosses also like to take me in the car. I think car rides are great.

 It's very nice here. I think I'll stay. 

Click here for pictures that my boss made of me, handsome hunk huh ??

**************

 I am Lisashenka

When I came here in early March, conditions were less than favourable. The day before I arrived, a colleague of my bosses had passed away after a short illnes. 

My name is now Lisa because my bosses thought that a Russian name does not really fit a Scottish sheepdog. Besides, their neighbour is Russian and they don't want her to think they are always calling her, rather than me. Personally, I don't know what my name sounds like, because I am deaf.

My bosses found that a bit difficult in the beginning, but I do my best and it's starting to improve.They also have cats that I want to round up as if they were sheep, but my bosses don't allow me to do that. The cats scratch me and then get petted. Cats hey! 

What I find so brilliant here is that the owners take me out in the car. It's fun. I'm really good on the lead, as if I'd already been to the dog school. My boss is so proud. 

Here they also have a Spaniard, Emanuel, and recently they've adopted a small thing called Plumita. She's even more energetic than I am. But I adopted her as my puppy, so now the others accept her. 

The boss also made beautiful pictures of me. To see them click here.

******

I am Plumita

I sometimes get into trouble with my dad, because I am so small and frisky. Sadly on March 29th at the airport I had to say goodbye to my brother George. But I have been told that he has also had a happy ending, so I feel bettter.

It's fine here in this cozy nest with all these other playmates, but I think I'm the star. I have fallen on my feet and feel I've always lived here. I steal everyone's heart with my playfulness. It's always great when you can make people happy, right?Where you can make great people all happy with it right?

I'm still not quite housebroken, but I'm working on it ;-). Actually, my bosses are very curious to see what I will look like when I grow up. I can definitely say that we have a real dog's life here. What a life! With our paws in the butter ! I send greetings to Spain, but I'm not coming back!!!!

Now for my pictures, they are obviously great !! Click here to see them.

More arrivals - Eindhoven

22nd April

Another four ACE dogs arrived in the Netherlands. This time the lucky sweethearts were: Nina, Bongo, Abelina and Kim. We wish them good luck in their new homes and hope they will enjoy a long and a good life.

More arrivals - this time it's Rotterdam

22nd April, 2015

Today four more dogs arrived to meet their new owners. Days, Teresa, Helena and Mexicana flew into Rotterdam. We want to thank the adopters for adopting a dog from ACE. And for bringing food for the other dogs.

Looking a bit apprehensive.

That's better. With my new mum!

Theresa meets her new family.

Treats! I think I'll like it here.

Helena has arrived.

Mexicana will soon be home.

That's one way to do it .... !!!

Joyful arrivals at Schipol ...

As always, we've been busy preparing the lucky ones for their new lives. We do a last helath check, wash them, hug them and take them to the airport. A last hug or three and we wave goodbye, always a little sad to see them go but overwhelmingly happy to know how much love they will get in their new homes, just as it should be.

Here are just two groups recently landed at Schipol Airport, Amsterdam.

April 22nd

On this flight there were four dogs, on their way to their new homes!

Fabri and Fabiola will stay together !! Furthermore Perla and Tomasso also landed to be welcomed by the safe arms of their new owners! We wish the dogs and the adoptive parents a very long life and a lot of fun together.

Thank you for rescuing a dog from Spain.

April 23rd

Once again there were four dogs united with their new owners. This time the lucky ones were Foxyfox, Aika, Sienna and Centie Bakkie. It can be a bit strange at first, but we hope that you will have very good life and that you can leave your bad experiences in Spain behind you.

Thank you all for rescuing these dogs from Spain

More Happy Endings - Ivy

Another story from the Dutch blog

Ivy on the sofa

Just a quick note about my sponsor dog, Ineke, now called Ivy. No respect to your name, Ineke, 
but we called her Ivy. Everything's going very wel. We go hiking, biking and running a lot with her. At the beginning she took a while to get used to things, she didn't eat very well but fortunately that's over now. She's very active and very playful. 

She doesn't find it much fun to be left alone, so we try as much as we can not to let that happen. She enjoys playing with other dogs but can be dominant. She does do anything but she sometiems growls and not all dogs like that. 

We absolutely love her and are really happy with the choice we made. We also go to a dog school with her and there she is doing extremely well and she likes it. She can be a bit stubborn but that's also a charanteristic of the breed.

Greetings from Yollin

Out and about.

Happy Endings!

Happy Jazz

Jazz - doing well.

Joyce writes ...

At ACE Jazz was known as Fabio. He's been with me for nearly a year now and he's doing pretty well. He enjoys chasing balls and playing with the children. He's a very happy dog. Truly a dog you can take with you everywhere you go. He also gets on well with our other ACE dog, Zanne (formerly Basta.) She will always be a fearful dog child, but hey, she's great with me and with people she knows. 

with greetings from Joyce ter Waskof

Magda & Damaso are inseparable ...

Inseparable Soul Mates

MAGDA AND DAMASO found each other in the killing station and are inseparable ...

IS THERE SOMEWHERE A GOLDEN BASKET FOR BOTH OF THEM? THEY CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT EACH OTHER.

Fabienne says: MAGDA AND DAMASO are soulmates ... please, they ask, let us stay together ... DAMASO AND MAGDA ... found each other in the killing station. Since they have been with us they haven't left each other's side.  We have often had enquiries about one or other of them, but we can't find it in our hearts to separate them.  MAGDA is a frightened lady and her DAMASO is her idol, her leader, her male: it's a beautiful love story! Surely we can keep these two dears together? It would mean the world to them ... their love is beautiful to see. We can learn so much from these faithful darlings. Can you help - can you give them the world, a future together?

Damaso on the left, Magda on the right.

Loving companions - side by side - 

Soul Mates

Please let us stay together.

Update Stevie Wonder/Stef - our darling, precious golden oldie

Fabienne writes ...

I can't help myself. I have to show you ... just look at our Stef ... soooo happy and soo forgotten in Spain a long time ago. Just look ...

Happily sniffing.

With my new friends.

For those of you who don't know his story a brieft summary. He was tiny, fragile and very disturbed. He was like a vegetable in the shelter. An unhappy, tortured little vegetable, snapping at everyone out of sheer insecurity and fear. We thought he might have nerve damage. What we did know was that he was deaf, blind and very, very old.

Please read his story. When you know his history you will appreciate even more the miracle that is Stevie Wonder, now called Stef. And you can read about his homecoming too.

These happy endings don't just happen. It takes love, devotion, care and determination. And Fabienne's policy that every dog is worth saving. No matter what their state of health, their problems. Miracles take quite a lot of help!

Here are some before and after pictures

First days in the Refugio. Tiny, terrified and in a bad way.

Bliss. Not just for Stef - for us such joy to see him like this.

Modest - he suits his name so well

Modest - gentle and endearing.

This is what it says on 'his page' ...

We came across this very beautiful dog, still young, with his attractive colouring - a handsome honey with a particularly lovely nature... at the killing station. Tick, tick, precious time was running out... if no one claims you in ten days... Seeing him there was heartbreaking to Juani, one of our team, and she saved him from this doomed hell. Naming him was easy... 'Modest'... because he is such a calm, lovely, humble soul, who's on top of the world with even the quickest hug... a wonderfully endearing dog!  I met Modest on my last trip out to El Refugio. Such a darling. A calm, humble soul who really suits his name. So happy to get a pat or a kind word. Yes, a wonderfully endearing dog. .  While I was pleased to see his video gracing the front page of the website in the last couple of months, I was very surprised to see that he had still not been adopted. Such a gorgeous character would make a family very happy.  That was one of the reasons I wanted to feature Modest on the blog today. But when I looked at his page again, I saw he's been reserved. Yay! How wonderful. I do hope it goes really well and that soon sweet Modest will also be boarding that big sky bird and flying off to his golden basket and his forever home.

Our Prince ...

Sweet Prince (who used to be called Printeps)

On December 24, 2014 we got our "Christmas dog". For this, we had to make a trip to Belgium to pick him up. It was exciting but also the worry - would we click?  My worrying was totally unnecessary. From the first moment it was love at first sight from both sides. We gave him the name "Prince" (formerly Printeps) and he responded to his name immediately. 

He quickly took his place and after 2 nights he went to sleep peacefully. He is very attached to his mistress and crawls sweetly into your lap as often as possible. It is like getting a hug ... .a joy to be able to enjoy such a loyal animal. At the beginning, I was  recovering from shoulder surgery and I found it wonderful to have him with me and later to be able to walk in the forest with him. 

No one could have suspected that on April 7 I would break that same shoulder and again have to stay at home. There was someone who didn't mind though ... .Prince enjoyed seeing more of his mistres and his extra trips to the forest. 

Prince can run free in the woods and makes sure he can see me and knows where I am. He will occasionally run off to do some 'research' but his nose always brings him back to his mistress. Every day Prince walks for a kilometer or even 5 through the forest. He thoroughly enjoys sniffing about but also playing with his dog friends.

We are very pleased that we have took the step to adopt a dog from ACE and have been able to give him a good home. The organization takes good care of the animals and we find the aftercare particularly good. We hope we will be able to have and to share these experiences for a long time.

Greetings from the family Geers and a 'paw' from Prince

 

Friends for Life

A letter from Gerrie ...

This morning I was watching the replay of Irene Moors and Carlo Boshard. There were many guests and there were many questions. It was a promotion for their new single, which is all about how important friends are.  

I was partly watching to encourage myself. And yes, who should be sitting there in from of me, two of my best friends for life. Two Bodeguero contemporaries from ACE. Male (Pocoloco) and Friend (foxyfoxtrot). I want to emphasize, once again, what fine dogs they are. 

My two Bodeguero contemporaries would have been destined to hunt, they probably do still but this time it's for the balls I throw for them and which they have no problem fetching and bringing back to me. During walks on the beach, people are silent, watching, filming because for the dogs the ball is sacred. Yes, and so is the boss of course. 

Look, just in front of my nose. True friends for life.

Greetings from my two little friends, and of course from me.

Gerrie Baker.

Open Day at A.C.E. Algeciras Shelter ...

It was Open Day in our Algeciras shelter. Our visitors were mostly Spanish who had come to take a look and meet the dogs and find out about us and our work. It's so important to get our message across and to educate the kids about dogs. Everyone enjoyed themselves - especially the dogs -  as you will see. They loved the attention. As you watch the video, you will be moved to see how much these dogs still love people and crave attention, despite the cruel and horrible treatment they have received from  humans in the past.

Click on the link to enjoy this beautiful day in Algeciras - http://ace-charity.org/en/diaries/puertas-abiertas-algeciras/

Our Bullie ... he can stay!

My step! My garden!

On March 17, it was exactly a month since Boelie came to us. So his probation period is over. Watch him smile in the photo ... I think he's glad he can stay!

He has really exceeded expectations. He lets us put in his eye drops, without growling. And also he does not itch or hurt any more more. Whether he actually sees better, I do not know. But he's pain and itch-free, which is the  main thing. His ears are still fine.

The only thing that needs to change now is that he is as comfortable with John and Bear as he is with me! If Bear comes over to me Boelie will growl. But I'm going to get that sorted - 100%. And next year hopefully he will feel the same way towards John as he does to me. That's our goal.

Flappy was also anxious around John, for a long time. He is still, sometimees, to be frank.  But he also he sometimes go up to John all by himself and put his head on John's lap. It took a year for this to happen, but we have to recognise that he had also been through a lot. And his gratitude shines out.

Boelie still growls when he's in his bench and John approaches. But when I say it's OK, he stops.
If I ride the quad bike in the evenings, I put Boelie on the saddle and he 'drives' it. He thinks it's quite fun! I will see if John can take a picture of it.

So relaxed! But I think you're meant to lie ON the bed, sweet boy!

That's better. You're getting the idea!

Flappy on the left, Bear on the right. And look who's on the step!

Such a heartwarming sight. When you think of all he's been through, it's wonderful.

Bliss!

Pictures of the week ... 11th April 2015

 Fabienne with our Dianeke - 76 years old and with such eneryg and so many dreams !!!

Frightened Bella, a wounded soul ...

Another box of puppies at the gate ... Algeciras Shelter.

Poor little mites - but they are safe now.

Ana Granada brings our Lucero to the airport. After 3.5 years refugio he can go home !!!! We are more than happy for dogs that finally find happiness. Thanks to everyone, together we are strong hey !!!!

Today was sterilisation day. If only we could get the message across to everyone.

Unique moment, Michael and Samantha persuade a taxi driver to let them take two dogs to the beaches for a walk, Melleke and Michel ... unbelievable but true, because taxis NEVER accept dogs on board !!!