This says it all .....

With thanks to Ineke, who put this wonderful poster on the Dutch Blog.

Kito is King!

King of the couch!

Kito, known as Arturito at El Refugio, arrived on December 21st. It was soon apparent that the trip in the big plane, all the way to this cold country of Belgium, was to his liking. Mr Kito certainly established himself quickly and became everyone's friend. Except for anyone who wanted to sit or sleep on the couch or the bed :) Life is beautiful .... and he's probably thinking 'I've found my golden basket ... and I'm the king!'

Sweet dreams.

A young German lady from Spain ...

Happy Jonah 

It was half a year ago that my father had to have his German shepherd put to sleep. He found that life was really quiet without a dog. He enjoys hiking and this isn't much fun on your own.  

Together we started looking and we met Geraldine. A beautiful young German lady. Later it turned out that it was a Spanish German young lady. A few months later we picked her up from the airport. It was an emotional moment. My dad and Jonah (as we called her) took to each other straight away. Wonderful to see!

Jonah was very skinny and her muscles were underdeveloped, but a good diet and lots of exercise and attention have done wonders and have also helped calm her down. She's also now going to training classes and that's doing her good. She's awfully smart and and is very eager to learn.

In the beginning Jonah lived in a kennel, but now she lives completely in the house. She's very social and loves being with people. She has a huge garden at her disposal all day where she can roam freely. 

Jonah is doing very well and my father won't let her want for anything ever again. She has certainly found her golden basket. And, in the future, we too hope to be able to adopt a dog from A.C.E. 

Greetings
Mariska Vorderman

Jonah has found her golden basket...

... and discovered snow!

Sun!

Gerrie, one of our wonderful adopters writes: -

Finally a little bit of sun! Well, it's still cold but at least we have some sun.  Here are Mirra, Female (Alasta), Friend (Foxy Foxtrot) and Juju sunbathing. We look forward to more hot weather in the future.

Greetings from cold North Holland. 

Gerrie Baker.

Black Beauty Project - Casimiro's Dream

Hello everybody.

I'm Casimiro.

I've been living at the Refugio since 2012. The years go past, so slowly. They are passing me by. I am looked after and I get food and drink and kind words and sometimes I can leave my cage and go and play in the big field.

Three times a year a sweet volunteer comes to the Refugio and takes me out for a day at the beach. I love the sea air but I love my freedom even more. Just to be free, to see how it could be ... I get cuddles and we go and sit on the terrace, and I get patted by the people around me and even a hug from the waiter, who finds me beautiful. And then, it's time to go back. Lead in my feet, so melancholy. Back in the age, the loneliness. The nights are long, so many days stretching out ahead. For years and years. 

How can this be true. After all, I'm a Labrador. Yes, I'm black, but I'm a real labrador heart and soul.
I adore people. I long for my dream to come true. What is my dream? A warm basket. To get up every day in a family, to live together in a family or with someone. In my home. Where I belong. That's my big dream. 

Do you think that can still happen. Is it possible that the door is still open?  I keep looking and hoping. Someone gives me a friendly hug. My hopes are raised. And then the night falls and the loneliness remains with me. 

I pray to God that one day, it may be my turn. That the day may come ....


Love from Casimiro, 
Loft section 4, El Refugio, Mijas

Click here for more information about me.  And here's a little film too.

Sometimes I play in the big field.

It's nice to cool down. It gets very hot in Spain.

Staffies - smiling, gentle and misunderstood

Sweet Mama, Hachika.

I call them the smiling dogs because Staffies always look as if they are happy. Even the older ones act like puppies, so eager jump up and lick you and to love you. Full of sweetness and good intention. So it's horribly sad, indeed it's obscene, to know that they have attracted the attention of the worst of humanity. Who only see them as status symbols to demonstrate their own nasty machismo. Who train them as weapons to fight with and, maybe even worse, as bait.

There's no such thing as a bad dog, only bad and dangerous owners.

When loved, looked after and properly trained Staffies are the most wonderful, adorable dogs. Sadly, in Spain, as in other places, there's a real and growing problem of these dogs getting into the wrong hands and abused and put to terrible use. This week a Staffie mum and her five puppies were dumped at the gate of the Refugio.  You can read the whole story on Fabienne's diary.

We have called the mummy Hachika. She's obviously had a terrible life but despite that she's a very good and loving mum. They are happy to be with us and we in turn are happy they are safe. We will do everything we can to see that they get loving homes. And to put a smile back on that lovely face.

Such a good Mum.

Five darling puppies.

Vita's homecoming ...

One of the happiest moments in our week is taking our sweet dogs to the airport and seeing them go off on the first stage of their new lives. Sad to say goodbye but the knowledge that they are going to live happily and loved more than makes up for the temporary sadness. And of course we don't lose touch entirely. There are the after visits and the lovely photo's and stories sent to us by our marvellous adopters. Here is Vita's story sent by her new family.

Meeting her new family - Vita on the left, Murphy and Spot on the right.

Sunday, February 1st, 2015

Monday, September 29 was the day! The day I could pick up our ACE dog Novita (now called Vita) from Schipol Airport, Amsterdam. I came with my brother, my daughter, Murphy our Jack Russell and our greyhound Spot. We stood together with the other adoptive families waiting for the transport boxes to arrive. My wire-haired blonde stood quietly in her box we didn't hear Vita at all!

The character description we'd read ticked all the boxes! She is super sweet, quiet and not at all traumatized, even with the two other dogs there she was fine. What a super dog! After years of only having male dogs, it's really nice to have a bitch once again. And the two boys are very happy with her, it's like we've always had her. So everything went well from the first moment.

The first night, which I always find it exciting with a new dog, went smoothly. We didn't heard a peep. Careful with the doggies as I am, I kept her on the leash for the first four weeks when out with the other dogs . Then when on a Saturday morning came the time to let her off the leash. I was elated and I simply had to make a movie of it, it was so beautiful, to see her running and playing with the two boys. She got so excited that she bounced smack into the ditch!

Vita is also very obedient. When I call her she comes almost immediately. Murphy and Spot would sometimes hesitate but when they see that Vita comes to me, they come too. The move from Spain to Friesland has not been too upsetting for Vita it seems, and she has had no trouble with integrating into our family. In short, a top dog!

Dear ACE, thanks again !!!
Greetings from Friesland,

Jochem de Haan.

All ready for the next leg of the journey.

A new home and exciting new smells.

So much to explore.