ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: Our Sien, survived for two whole years by eating oranges.

Wednesday 7th December, 2022

Do you remember our Sien. We gave him this name because it is the Dutch word for Orange. Because this poor little dog had been abandoned in a walled garden, completely enclosed with no way out. And no food or drink. The resourceful fellow kept himself alive for two whole years - by eating the oranges that fell from the tree in the garden. How he survived is a mystery, as is the determination he had to stay alive.

The good news is that this sweet boy has now been adopted and at last he has love and he has the freedom to run, which he is obviously enjoying. His adopter, Eric, says ...

"We put Sien on a long lead, with a piece of wood at the end. Every time he comes back to Sabine he gets a reward, in the hope that eventually he will come back without the need for a reward to encourage him. " 

Trapped in an orchard. No way out!

Sien on arrival at the Refugio.

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: Dumped and Discarded ... Steven and Victoria

Tuesday 6th December, 2022 

Sweet Steven, found wandering all alone in someone’s garden but finally safe in the Refugio. Fabienne described him as ‘the apple of our eye’. That’s so true. I loved him when I met him – everyone loved this elegant and charming fellow and he loves them. Such an affectionate boy. Dogs are crazy about him. He’s not too happy about cats, though, but nobody’s perfect. Steven was in the Refugio for a long time. He made everyone happy but he’s just longed to have a family of his own.  And his dream and his wish came true and he found his forever home. 

Beautiful Victoria – a lifesaver and heroine of the hour. When one of the little puppies in or care was suffering from parvo he needed a blood transfusion to save his little life. We needed a healthy dog who could be a donor. Fabienne immediately thought of Victoria. Had Victoria been able to speak, if she’d been asked, she’d have said ‘yes’. Because when lovely Victoria was rescued she was expecting fifteen puppies. Sadly they all died. .  So, had she been asked, she would definitely have wanted to save the life of this little puppy. 

 

And she did. And at last, at last! Victoria got her golden basket. Like Steven, she so deserved it. 

Anniversary Special: 'The Halt and the Lame'* ... every single one is precious

 Monday 5th December, 2022

The following post was, in essence, taken from a post dated July 2012. I don't have the stories of all of the dogs ... but all to my knowledge were adopted. I particularly remember Golfito, whom I met with his new family on one of the ACE days.

Every single dog saved by A.C.E. is a soul worth saving. Each one deserving of a happy future, full of love, with a warm basket and an adoring family.

 Lame, blind, deaf, incontinent, traumatised – these and other conditions are never seen as reasons to reject or euthanize. They are seen as a challenge and a reason to strive by every means possible to heal, cure or, where that’s not possible, to find a way round the problem.

 

And our foster families and our adopting families have hearts as big as the world. They open them to all our dogs, not simply the young and beautiful, but to the old and physically challenged – to the halt and the lame.  

 

So – here are just a few of the ‘special needs’ dogs that were in our care in 2012. All gorgeous darlings who were waiting for that special family who would wipe away their dreadful memories and show them how wonderful and kind humans can be.

If anyone reading this remembers these lovely souls, maybe you even adopted one of them, I'll be happy to put an update on the blog.

Golfito

Nemo

Netje

Raton

*The quote is from the King James bible. 'Halt' means something like 'impaired' or sick in some way.

Countdown to the anniversary ...

Sunday 4th December, 2022

Enzio - my first sponsor dog: so frightened of everything and everybody.

It's a time to celebrate and remember. So many good memories. So many almost insurmountable difficulties and challenges that were, nevertheless, faced and overcome. 

Above all, our four leggeds. The ones we saved. The ones we lost. We will never forget them. Any of them. In the week leading up to the anniversary I will go back as far as I can (I first discovered the Refugio about 12 or 13 years ago). This blog started a bit later. 

Every single dog or cat is special. The fact that some stick in your mind, or whose stories particularly touched you, doesn't take from any of the others. Nor from those poor darlings we couldn't save nor whose stories we never knew. These posts are dedicated to them too. Especially to them, those who have no name.

Enzio now Vasco: living like a king with his siblings in Utrecht.

ACE-SHIN ELEVENTH ANNIVERSARY JUBILEE - 11 December 2022

 

On December 11, 2022 ACE|SHIN will have existed been in existence for 23 years. We are now well over the total of 26.000 rescued dogs and cats! Last year we celebrated the birthday of ACE|SHIN don't just pass by. Also this year we will celebrate the anniversary online. So put the date in your diary!

During the “Online ACE Jubilee” on Sunday December 11, 2022, Fabienne will open the day and look back and ahead at all developments and challenges. In the afternoon, sessions will be organized with other speakers. We will announce the subjects and the total program, including times, shortly.

On December 11th we will also start the “Cover Model” photo contest again, and at 12:00 we will pause for In Memoriam Refugio; remembering and loving the dogs and cats who lost their lives in the Refugio. We also start fundraising for a project or purchase that we would like to realise.

See you on December 11!

Team ACE|SHIN