May 2016 be 'The Year of Golden Baskets and Forever Homes'

Eternal and never ending thanks to Fabienne, Dirk and every single person who does anything, large or small, to help and save the dogs (and the cats). Respect and admiration and may all your wishes come true in 2016 and may all animals have a better future, including our darling ones.

Ruben playing ...

The little dog is Ruben!

Sandor - the perfect dog

Sandor (formerly Fuego) - a beautiful soul

It's more than four years since Sandor came to us and time flies!

It sometimes seems only yesterday that we were anxiously waiting for him at the airport. The beginning of an adventure, because no one usually chooses a dog that you have never seen in real life?

But funnily enough, I after seeing his picture on the Internet, knew immediately that this was just my dog. Without wanting to sound too airy-fairy, I felt his energy and I knew it was good.

Sandor is just about everything I was looking for in a dog. So we are so very happy with him. The people of ACE have saved him from the death station, trained him and looked after him for six months and taught him to understand that not all people are bad for animals.

Really a big kudos to all the people at ACE, because the aftercare was so good. Sandor has discovered that now, to put it quite simply, he is a spoiled prince (in the good sense of the word), and this is how it should be.


Greetings from Mai Mai, Mieke and Sandor (Fuego)

New Year's Wishes

Best wishes to the volunteers and everyone who is committed to ACE-SHIN, every day. Including those who volunteer to help with the building and those who have sponsored.

May the good and hard work in the future further contribute to improving the lot of many Spanish dogs in need.

So we we will all continue to believe and carry on the good work.

Best wishes from

Our SHIN-dogs: Plumita, Lisa, Manuel, Fleur (Collie) and from us -
Guy Cools & Hilde Jadot

New Year. New Home.

Arrivals - Schiphol December 30

Here are the dogs who arrived yesterday, with many thanks to the adopters who again arrived with many gifts.

Unfortunately there is no group photo because two of the dogs were reluctant to leave their benches and we persuaded them to come out with great difficulty.

Rafa had already indicated, in Spain, that she really did not like being in the cage.

Pretty Dolce, now Hugo, found it all very strange and at first was very anxious but when he saw his new friend he felt better.

Viva took to her new owner immediately. 

And then Rouska who is going into foster with Andre.  But I believe that they immediately fell in love with each other, so I'm going to cross my fingers that she has already found her basket.

With many thanks to our star flight escort, Saskia.

My Christmas Wish for each dear dog in the Refugio and in Foster

Dear Doggies,

I wish I were very rich. I wish I were Santa Claus. I wish I could win the Lottery here in England. Why? Because my biggest wish for each one of you is to see you in your happy forever home. In your golden basket. No more cold. No more hunger. No more fear and uncertainty. And certainly no more pain. Ever. Never ever.

What's more I wish I could go round the world and collect all your brothers and sisters and do the same for them. And make sure that no one could ever again be cruel to a dog, a cat, a donkey, bear, goat or any other animal or bird or fish. Never again.

But I'm not rich and I'm not Santa Claus and I haven't won the Lottery (yet). So I'm sending you my love and all my wishes so that as many of you as possible can be home this Christmas. And if not at Christmas then soon. Very soon. 

Being in a shelter is not ideal, but I know that each one of you is so grateful for being rescued. Fabienne and Dirk and everyone at ACE love you so much and are working hard to find you your forever home.  In the meantime you are safe and well fed and much loved  and get lots of cuddles. And I know you are appreciate it all. Those of you in foster are on the way. Not quite a forever home, not yet, but warm and loving.

Dear doggies. Each one of you is a precious, precious soul. You deserve your own family, you deserve to love and be loved for ever and ever. You deserve happiness. I wish you all this and more.

Happy Christmas. 

With all my love and many, many hugs and cuddles,

Clodagh

Some moments from the week ...

I and out of the office!

Miguel giving lovely cuddles.

Someone's got the good chair!

Spellbound!

Essential supplies.

Some of our darlings.

The lucky ones - on the way to the airport.

Soon he'll be home for Christmas.

Another one on the way.

Cuddles. And now a new forever home on the other side.

Sany found love at last. RIP Sweet Sany

A sad message from the beautiful Papa Antoine

Sadly I have to bring you bad news.
Sany has died. He died softly in my lap.
I thought it was much too early for him to go but, unfortunately, he could not go on.
He had come to the end. You could see him deteriorate in front of your eyes.

During the three months and six days that he was here, we had so much fun and enjoyed each other, despite his miserable past.
He never lost his faith in people.
He was a wonderful Mastin.
And our other three dogs had a lot of respect for him.

Dear sweet Sany, it was a difficult but a joyful short time that we had together and I want to thank you for so much love that I received from you.
I am sorry that it couldn't have lasted longer.
I wish you a good journey.

Sany - happy among the chickens

So gentle with all other creatures

Six months ago Papa Antoine drove all the way to the Refugio to take Sany home. Sany was too sick to travel by air. Read the uplifting story of their journey here and here.

Antoine - a little cat needing a warm home

Is it you?

I'll love you forever and ever.

Antoine is only 8 months old. He's an adorable ginger and white boy - such a sweet and handsome fellow. He's just longing to come home with you and make you smile. Such a small cat to be homeless at Christmas. Who will give him the very best Christmas present he could have - a happy forever home.

All I want for Christmas is a forever home.

Clever things - animals (and lots of dogs) sing Jingle Bells

Our Sweet Cats at Christmas : Monsoon

Our dear cats are equally deserving of a home. Thankfully several of them are reserved and some are already in their forever homes. Could you make this the happiest Christmas for one of these darlings who is still waiting.

This is Monsoon. He's just over a year old and he's been with us for three months

I'm a very sweet fellow

My coat is shiny but sadly it's black and we black cats don't have a lot of luck 

I may be black but I'm very affectionate and I'll love you for always

Christmas presents from our generous supporters

Wednesday, December 16th, 2015

A big delivery of goods was transported from the Netherlands to Spain. It was organised by Yvonne  Pille and her sister Irene.

 

Kennels and baskets to keep our doggies safe and warm

 

Plenty of baskets for big ones and little ones too

Boxes of goodies and food for the dogs

 

Food and clothes and lots of good things.

Food, kennels, baskets, coats, gangway and much more has all been collected by our wonderful supporters and has been picked up by Yvonne and will be transported from Moerdijk to Spain.

We want to thank everyone for their contributions. Everyone in Spain will be very happy.

Next week, Yvonne will get another car  full, this time with supplies for the clinic and the kennels which will be transported free to Spain with Janny and Ton. 

More happy doggies home for Christmas ...

Thursday, December 17th, 2015

Today three more dogs arrived at Rotterdam Airport.

Bobinet, now called Missy, was fine with the cage. She went off happily with her new owners. 

And our little Winfried crawled happily onto the lap of his new owner.

Boxer Deo, renamed Butch, could not wait when the cage opened and everyone was greeted with much enthusiasm.

Happy Christmas from Cadenita

This is a Christmas card from Cadenita for the Spanish Wet Noses Blog.

We wish everyone a good Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Home for Christmas!!!

On the evening of 17th December, after several days visiting the Refugio, Miek Baar took five lucky dogs back with her from Malaga to Schipol. We are so grateful to her and to all our volunteer escorts for enabling our dogs to fly to their forever homes. We thank you so much, Miek, and everyone who has helped in this way. We wish the adoptive parents and their adopted dogs much good luck and happiness together. And giant thanks for the donated food that will soon be transported over to Spain.

Waterdog Owen was pretty confident when he came out of the cage, as if he knew everything would be fine. His new family still had a long journey back home with him all the way to Limburg. Where a dog boyfriend is also waiting for him.

Little puppy Gandia was quite happy and thought it was quite nice to get acquainted with her new owners, who found her very sweet. It took some effort to secure the new harness on her wriggly body, but when that was done she was ready for her new life.

Little Bulldog Perla was very curious and cheerful when she came out of the cage. She was happy to be cuddled and she too had to put on a new harness. And she went off happily with her new owners.

 

A  scared little Podenco

A super little dog, nearly home!

Two more dogs flew out with Mieke, fosterdog Stitch, a scared little Podenco who had a lot of trouble with life in the shelter. With Mieke he can really relax and get used to family life and hopefully he'll soon find his own forever home. Super little girl Jasmientje was also taken into foster care by Mieke. One day later Jasmientje had already been reserved and this weekend this little one will be going to her new home.

Our doggies get cold in the winter ... will you help?

We are collection fleece blankets and ordinary blankets. It does get very cold in the winter time in the refugio, especially at night, and we are therefore asking for donations of blankets like these.

Could you donate a fleece or a blanket or several indeed. Your reward - thinking of our dogs in the Refugio, snuggled up happily with soft warm blankets this winter. 

For more information please email us at pr.nederland@ace-charity.org

Great work:: thank you Fly a Dog Home group

Cleaning a section

A week or so ago Henriette flew to Spain to pick up some dogs. (This post is a bit late as I have to translate from the Dutch first). The trip is paid for by the group Fly a Dog Home whose members deposit money every month so that the dogs can fly home! Flights are so expensive so we are very grateful to this group for helping us get our doggies to their forever homes. 

This is Henriette's report:

What a nice weekend I've had !!!

Friday I flew to Malaga and upon arrival was taken to the refugio. All day I cuddled the dogs, walked them and helped all the dear people there. What a good job they are doing and what an inspiration to us. I have totally fallen in love with a couple of dogs, well I wasn't exactly surprised to feel such emtion and as expected there at home we are still debating!​ We are not there yet ... but where are already two dogs, surely a third is no problem!!!

Fabienne, took me on a tour, we saw the new buildings and heard all about the difficulties and obstancles that have been put in their path. Heard the stories about all the stupid rules and regulations they must comply with. I met Dirk, the interns, well everyone dus..wat a pressing all!

Saturday I flew back to the airport where all the new owners were in an anguish of waiting, as we in our turn had waited for our Evi (ACE Azahar). The elevator was not working so the dogs could not come up that way, so they had to have even more patience. But it was worth it and they all now have a nice new home!

Looking back towards the old clinic and the laundry room.

The temporary cages.

 

Looking past the big gate to the entrance gate. The office, bright red, on the left of the photo.

One of our sweethearts having a welcome cuddle.

Waiting patiently for a new forever home.

Chillin'

The great retaining wall and work in progress.

The foundations for the new cages.

 

Some of our doggies playing in the field.

They love the field. They can run around for a while every day.

Always great excitement when someone passes. This section is just outside the laundry.