February 2004

Chers Amis, For a long time now I have been wishing to come and chat with you and to have news of my lovely little and not so little four-legged friends.Today, finally, that time has come and I want to thank Julie Rescue for giving me this opportunity to fulfill what has been only a wish for such a long while.

A heartfelt "Thank you" to all of you who, for Christmas, sent me cards and photos! I regret very much not having been able to reply but my free time is so very limited and I hope you will forgive me.

Already 4 years have passed since we first set up our organization and already 42 months have gone by since our first little "protègé" flew to your country which has been so very welcoming to him and all of his friends…it was on the 19th of August 2000 at 16:25hrs. Kiki, after staying in Nerja for a few days, departed with her lovely Coco "El Perro Albañil". We were all there - Germán, Victor, Mitzou, Franz, me, Kiki and of course the star of the day "Coco". He couldn't figure out what the whole hullabaloo was all about, all the noise, the camera flashes, the caresses, the emotions……

Coco (numera Teddy) och Perdida

Adios Coco; you will always remain in our hearts because, thanks to you who opened the doors, nearly 800 of your friends have left us to go to Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark, with help of Swecas, Ada and now JulieRescue, without forgetting the personal contacts which the Swedish media has been so helpful with.Yes, close to 800 dogs - exactly 783 to this day. Our lovely "Old Mary" has left us for good at 13 years of age; she was the mother of Aïcha. The two of them were picked up, after roaming for several weeks the beaches of Motril. I am very happy that, for a little over a year, I could give her my attention and affection and the care that she merited at her age - epilectic and a heart that did not beat very well any more from the strain of having given her all to her masters who then abandoned her.

The new year started marvelously at "La Higuera" thanks to the arrival of Marie and Cesar, volunteers from Stockholm. I was alone and not very fit and thank you both very much for not hesitating in leaving your families and friends at this time of the year and also for sacrificing your holiday time to come and help "Julie and her dogs". Thank you, Thank you!! Marie! Marie and your gentle voice who, in Swedish, told the dogs to be quiet. Marie, what did you tell them to get such a silence, our maltreated and repressed dogs? But of course I know - they sensed love and Marie loves them. Cesar gave his name to a Boxer found at the beach of Motril. An English couple has adopted him and, with two more Boxers and three horses, he now has a marvellous life. And then Marina came to find our small ball of charm "Ischea" - the chemistry between them was immediate but they could only be together in the evening because the work at "La Higuera" during the day is very hard. A lot of joy but also a lot of pain. With 178 dogs to take care of by myself, unexpected help arrived in the form of Edy, the Frenchman and Pietz , the Pole who have taken the place of Marie, Cesar and Marina, travellers for whom Almuñecar is a "haven". Pietz has succeeded in the exceptional rescue of "Madona", a pretty little poodle, abandoned in an underground parking in Almuñecar a month ago.

Thank you all, for having put up with me and listened to rambling Julie who, in the end, cannot talk about anything except her "chers protégés". Thank you all for having opened your hearts and your doors to them. Thank you for helping me to continue with this very tough labour in a place more auspicious to tourism than the love of animals!

Thank you for writing to me and also for your generous donations as well as your kindness and patience on the 'phone when I call you to get the latest news of our "travellers" in my so very bad English.

Merci !
Julie

P.S.: Finally the law 11/2003 of November 24th 2003 for the Protection of Animals was voted in by the Junta de Andalucia. In my opinion it is too lenient but at least it is a start. Amongst the various paragraphs, all esthetic mutilations such as cutting of ears, tails and the de-clawing of cats are prohibited. At last ……..