Life inside ACE

 

  

Towards the end of October 2008 I first saw the picture of a small chestnut coloured podenco girl: Ojito.

Ojito means One-eye and that name was given to her for a reason: She has only one eye left. How she lost the other eye remains for the person/persons responsible in Spain to explain. The description of Ojito said, that she was a very scared dog.

 

When the people from ACE first met Ojito in the killing station, they were told, that she was going to be adopted. But next time they went there, she was there again – hiding in a corner of the cage. She had been sent back because she was too shy. Then she was taken with them back to the ACE shelter.

 

Her story touched me very deeply and I simply had to reserve her for adoption through Spanske Hunde.

In my head one of my favourite quotations (by the psychologist Vygotsky) kept spinning: That a child with a defect is not a defect child. So a dog with a defect could not be a defect dog either.

On pictures which I subsequently received from the shelter Ojito wore a muzzle – hanging from her neck – so I imagined that out of fear she might try to snap. This was confirmed the very same day, I was going to pick her up in the airport. Pia sent a mail: “Nika (Pia´s daughter) met Ojito yesterday, caught her in and was also bit by her. The dog is so scared, Nika told me last night”.

 

I am a sissy and a crybaby when I go to the airport to meet a dog, that I do not yet know but whom I am going to be responsible for for the rest of its life. And this time I was really nervous – and, I think, not very interesting company for the other adoptants, who were going to meet their new dogs. But Ojito stepped out of her cage – lured by chicken, for of course she was hungry after the journey. But if she had had the chance to run off, she surely would have done so. And I also received my share of bites because I had to take her up in order to get her out with me. But it was obvious that she bit out of fear, not because she was in any way aggressive. I didn´t like pressing her – but it was necessary in order to offer her a new life. I knew that. But Ojito didn´t – she was just confused and scared.

 

Pia helped me introduce her to the three dogs, who went with me to the airport. Everything went fine, Ojito mastered dog language perfectly. On the way home – in the first snow of the year – she locked herself up and fell asleep in a basket in the car.

 

It was dark, when we arrived home – and as I live in the country dark means really dark. But the lamp in the intrance at least gave the newcomer a chance to find her way in her new “shelter” and say hello to the other dogs there – tied to a long leash to prevent any escape stunts. Which turned out to be a good idea, because a loud scream “Hell, I want to get out of here!” was Ojito´s reaction to the house. But after that we all went inside and the whole pack (including me) went to bed early after a long and exhausting day.

 

After a month I could no longer remember how it was not to have Ojito here. She made small progress every day, which made me very happy. She knows her name, she comes up to me when I call (for sale for a goody any time!), she likes to lie close to the other dogs and she doesn´t run away when I pass her. I cannot put a leash on her and take her for walkies, but she sleeps in one end of the bed – so much for a scared dog!

 

I don´t know if she will ever let me stroke her beautiful fur or take her for walkies. I may or I may not. But at least she has her place here between the other dogs and an everyday life where she is not afraid. I think, that is at least better than the life she had before.

 

I was afraid that making Ojito feel confident would take months – it took only weeks. The shelter dogs amaze me over and over. Their ability to cope with life and their adaptability. If only we give them a chance.

 

Marianne from Denmark

Malaga Yorkies Treffen mit Manja

 

 

Since 3 days there is not a drop of water which comes our way, nothing, a disaster for our worry children,  to whom even the most essential thing “water” is not granted…

Recently there were big construction works just in front of our door, a huge project was conduction in order to allow the surrounding golf course to have water, how many and whenever they needed it. When we begged to dig a little extra pipe for our street dogs, our request was laughed away. We even did not receive an answer…but the golf course is richly foreseen  with water and looks green as a fresh leave…

Rescue people do not have it easy here. Often we are treated as a piece of trash, we are not understood. This helpness (no power) causes to many of them a lot of emotional stress, but you can lot let go yourself, it wouldn’t be in the benefit of those who need us the most. So we buy our water now, but due to a defect of the truck transporting the water, we could not get any water.

We pay per 10 000 liter 175 euro, sufficient for 4 days. We are very careful and we try to fill big carafes of water, so our 4-feest can have at least  drink. If you see their grateful faces, every step is worth it, how hard it may be.

Andalusia Andalusia does not know what it misses, the gratitude and the joy, the love a dog can give

A little bit of understanding, a little bit of effort, all we wanted was water,…

It would make a world of different to us…. And the dogs…

This was a huge succes.....!!!!

Read more --->

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Maltreatment of Dogs

Children discovered this shed, somewhere in the campo of Alhaurin el Grande.

Inside they heard sounds, they saw 3 dogs in the shed, 1 of them already dead….lying in a corner, the other 2 thin to the bone, no food, no water, only rubbish, and they had to sleep and live in their own faeces.

The dogs couldn´t be rescued, the shed was totally locked. The parents of the children made pictures, and in the following days they provided the dogs food and water by pushing it underneath the steel door. Then they saw the owner, and went to him to have a talk. They threatened to go to the Police, with the pictures they had taken of the dead dog, and the fact that the owner would get a big fine for maltreating his dogs. The man handed the dogs over, 1 dog escaped though, and is still running around somewhere. The man also gave another dog to the people which he kept in his house, she is a small fluffy dog called Estrella, because he was too afraid being caught. So now 2 dogs are rescued…and the other one is enjoying his freedom, I do hope he will survive…

The dead dog was lying there for many days already, if you find these pictures shocking please don´t scroll down to the last alinea. Sorry.  

But this is reality.

This is what is happening here every day, everywhere in Spain. 

So please, the only way to stop this is :  

go to the Guardia Civil, ask for the SEPRONA department, make a “denuncio”, the SEPRONA will take this very seriously. It is fully according to the law of 2003, people are free to report these maltreatments towards animals.

If you see dogs locked up like this in sheds, if you see dogs constantly lying on a chain, especially if the chain is short (it has to be 3 x the length of the dogs head till tail), etc. etc. everything of which you know it is not according to the law, please report it as soon as possible. It costs nothing, only little time, but it eventually will reduce maltreatment as the fines are very high.

On the ACE website I´ve added the text of the Ley de Protección de los Animales, the Animal Protection Law, of November 2003.

You find the link on the “How to Help” chapter (English version), in the alinea about how to deal with maltreatment of animals, also under “Useful Information”, both English and Dutch version. Unfortunately only in Spanish, but very clear to read.

Monda, January 10, 2008

Gina

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Old poor doggy...

This little girl was found on the street, her owner has ill treated her obviously, and, according to neighbours, this doggy was left outside on the balcony sometimes for days, without any food or water. Some neighbours believe she jumped from the balcony, she is very weak and sad. She is small sized, about 10 yrs old, or more...due to her bad health it is difficult to see how old she really is. She only has a few hairs on her little body. At the moment she stays in the clinic, and she will be fostered untill somebody will take care of her and give her some nice more months...or maybe a few years, to enjoy life and love.

November 10, 2007

Update November 11, 2007:

She is suffering from a serious hart and liver problem, and her kidneys are not functioning well either. This poor thing is adopted by a nice lady in Sevilla, where she can spend the rest of her life...

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*** Fire next to El Refugio ***

Today, Sunday 22nd July, there was a big fire next to El Refugio. We worked with a lot of volunteers to keep everything wet, and to prepare everything to evacuate the dogs and cats. A lot of houses close to El Refugio suffer from severe damage, fortunately El Refugio was saved in time from the fire, click here for a full picture report. Thank God we are all safe,

kind regards Fabiënne

July 22, 2007

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Simba

The organisation "Pantera" has found a solution for Simba!

More information later in "Latest News".

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Animal Ambulance has arrived !!!

 

Dear All,

Last Saturday the Animal Ambulance from Holland finally arrived in Spain, in the night of our yearly BBQ!

This was a big surprise for Jose Carlos, President of Malaga Pound. He couldn´t believe his eyes! This ambulance will write history because it´s the first Animal Ambulance in Malaga, it will be a very important help, as there are many animals hit by a car, dumped, abandoned, and now they can be saved in a professional way.

We would like to thank everybody who made this happen, also on behalf of Jose Carlos and his team, thousand times thanks, we couldn´t receive a greater gift just before the holiday season...

Fabiënne and the ACE Team

July 3, 2007

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Special Team of Guardia Civil saved two dogs in Alora

 

Ayer rescatamos con el grupo de "rescate de la Guardia Civil", a dos perros que habían caído a un barranco en la sierra de Alora, los animales han estado allí 10 días sin comer, la semana pasada intentaron sacarlos pero no pudieron. Ahora están en el refugio y necesitan ayuda después de la increíble historia que han vivido.

Yesterday a special group of the Guardia Civil rescued two dogs, who fell into a cliff in the mountains of Alora. The poor dogs were there for 10 days without food and water. Last week they tried to save them already, but the mission failed. Now they are safe, and waiting in Málaga pound to be adopted by loving people to help them forget all what they´ve been through.

May 7, 2007