Our Blits ... living life at full tilt

 Monday 26th June, 2023

Blits was dumped by her owner -which is the fate of so many dogs here in Spain. She's been with us for more than two years, waiting for that one owner who will 'see' her. No one can understand why she hasn't found a forever family yet as she's sweet and loyal. Yes she's black ... that enhances rather than takes from her beauty.

At present Blits is with a foster family who say she is fine with a big pack of dogs, good on the lead and enjoys being in the car. Despite being good with other dogs her foster mum reports that she is rather intense - because she does everything at full tilt, so she would benefit from a quiet, stable environment.

Blits is only three so plenty young enough to benefit from further guidance and consistency. With this and a loving home she will repay your love in spades.

For more information about sweet Blits, please click on her name.

Our new workers at the refugio!

Friday 23rd June, 2023

Bobbik is doing the cleaning ...

Bobbik is doing the laundry too

Coco will see to the maintenance 😀

Cuddly, adorable Jaques ... how come he is still looking?

 22nd June, 2023

This beautiful boy was with us in the Refugio for two years before moving to a foster home in Belgium, where he has settled in quickly and beautifully. His foster mum is full of praise ... he has adapted quickly to her pack, gets on well with all the other dogs and loves walks and the garden. He's good in the car too. Jacques is so happy with cuddles and attention and only asks to be liked. 

This sweet and very happy boy is seven years old and although he looks as if he has Border Collie genes, he is much calmer and quieter than the breed. Whoever falls for Jacques, and who wouldn't!, will have the most delightful, loving companion for snuggles and walks.

For more information about dear Jaques, please click on his name.

Fabienne's Diary: Alarm buttons are going off everywhere!

Sunday, June 18, 2023

Everywhere you see alarm buttons going off, all the shelters, and I don't speak only for myself, but all the shelters are full, and everyone is turning - as normal, but still sad - for their own door. No help among themselves nor understanding for each other, you really feel that they consider you as a competitor while we all save lives. Thrown away lives for whom this must be terrible. No human nor animal is born to suffer, mistreated or dumped. 

That is why it is so hard for any rescue person to see the death stations here bulging with discarded lives. And we all want to help, but taking them in also means shouldering every responsibility, and that simply costs a lot of money. People don't like to think about that, because for them the goal is: dump them, and get rid of them as soon as possible, their problem solved.

We are trying to change this by spaying and neutering every day, years on end, inviting schools and making young people aware of the problem here in Spain. We try to make people aware that an animal is a life, a personality, a valued member of the family, which, like a child, needs education and care, and not for a moment but forever, as long as they live. The lectures you give go in with some, others laugh at you and go back to life as before, they just ignore it because they don't care. The vacations, their freedom, but what about the dog or the cat? We hold our hearts because we are already over- and overcrowded. We know there will be mass euthanasia because they already can't follow up on what is being dumped. 

Here is a video of our kittens we rescued from a death station. You can see them in the death station and then with us. We are halfway there, now to find an owner and our mission is complete. Please share and spread the word, they so deserve it! 

This is the link to the video, which you can see on the Dutch blog

https://acedoggyblog.blogspot.com/2023/06/dagboek-van-fabienne-overal-gaan-de.html?m=1

Big, sweet, affectionate - our beautiful Djeff is a typical Mastin

Monday 19th June, 2023

Big dog = big love. When you adopt a Mastin or a Mastin cross (like our Djeff) you know you're not adopting a Chihuahua or even a Bodeguero. So right from the start you are under no illusions that you can just pop her in a handbag or tuck her under your arm. What you do get is a big heart, tremendous loyalty and loads and loads of love. And a very beautiful soul.

Mastins were bred to guard and protect and they are rightly known for this characteristic as well as complete devotion and loyalty to their family. Our Djeff was rescued from the killing station about eighteen months ago and has been in a foster home in the Netherlands for some time. Her foster family report that she loves people and visitors but because of her size and clumsy way of playing she wouldn't be suited to a family with young children. 

To find out more about our lovely Djeff and whether she is the girl for you, please click on her name. She will return your love in bucketfuls.

 

Maurice is a big softie!

 Wednesday 14th June, 2023

Like Staffies, people often judge Rottweilers by their appearance. They are big and strong and their aloof attitude leads people to think they are difficult dogs. Quite the opposite - a properly raised Rottie will be calm and confident and loyal and a great family dog. And despite their apparent stand-offishness, they are playful and can be downright silly - something that endears them to people who love them. 

Our beautiful Maurice loves to play, as you'll see in the little video on his page. He's been with us now for two years and would blossom in a forever home. He is not a beginner's dog - and certainly knowledge of the breed would help, and experienced owners. Is that you? Would you love to give Maurice all the love he needs?

For more information about our Maurice, please click on his name.

Some of our smallest kitties were able to go into foster care here....

Wednesday 14th June, 2023

What a heavenly difference that is from our busy refugio! Thank you to all the foster families! This makes such a difference!!!

Today we celebrate our new sign!

 Tuesday, June 13, 2023

Kindly donated by Eye Print Mijas Costa! Thank you so much, this will make a big difference. People can find us more easily now .... hopefully not so they can come and dump dogs and cats  ....

Beautiful party in support of our four legged friends

Monday 12th June, 2023

Saturday afternoon, 10th June,  there was a beautiful party organized at Restaurante La Sierra in Mijas

It was heartwarming to see all these people again, who were there for our four-legged friends! Everyone was happy and everyone joined in full force. Also my almost 90-year-old mum was there again in Spain after 8 years, together with my sister and brother-in-law, but without Dirk and that remains enormously difficult.

We organize as much as we can to stay straight, the costs for more than 500 dogs and 200 cats are heavy to bear and few people realize how much it costs to keep all this running without help from the government. This fun afternoon raised a total of 2675 euros, which gives us another nice boost!

I thank everyone for this nice afternoon, and especially our Spanish PR team for their efforts and the organization, not to mention Restaurante La Sierra!!!

For the video, please see https://youtu.be/Lgg1naVit_s

Brandon: a cuddly teddy bear

Monday 12th June, 2023

Teddy bear Brandon would love to be cuddled and petted all day long. He so longs for owners who pamper him; owners who will love and cherish him unlike his first owner who heartlessly dumped him in a killing station. Fortunately we were able to rescue him and took him to the Refugio. 

Who knows why he was abandoned? He is a sweet, friendly boy who is clearly used to living in a house. He's great with other dogs though he would prefer to live with a female rather than a male. He's a typical Masin, loyal and protective of his family. 

He is in seventh heaven when he's let out of his pen and can run around a bit and get loads of cuddles from our students and volunteers. He's been with us now for a bit more than a year and is now five years old, still a young dog with all of his life ahead of him.

Who will give him the home he longs for and make his tail wag permanently?

For more information about our teddy bear Brandon, please click on his name.

Olu: Who could resist that little face?

 Sunday June 4th, 2023

This is lovely Olu - Olu with his gorgeous eyes and distinctive markings. Why, we wonder, was this darling boy not immediately reserved by a loving family, when he came to us at about 18 months old? We just don't know. Olu is 3 years old, another loving cat who, for some mysterious reason, hasn't yet been adopted. 

Somewhere there must be someone just waiting to love him. And who he will love back with all the affection and trust in his little body. Look into those lovely eyes ... can you resist? Can you really?

For more information about our Olu, please click on his name.