12/31/2011

The winners of our photo contest

The results of our Christmas photo contest, especially for our Project 3000 members, are in! Our proud winners are:
First prize goes to Ben and his proud adoptive parents. They will get a t-shirt signed by Fermín.
Second runner up goes to Gaia, Piccola and Totti’s adoptants. They can look forward to a Scooby moneybelt! 
Donnina our third runner up will soon be sent a digital work of art of herself, so her adoptive parents can enjoy her face all day long!
We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who competed and who sent us over 40 gorgeous photos! And of course we hope to see you all back at Project 3000’s next event!
We also want to extend our thanks to everyone for visiting the photo competition and voting for their favourites. We received nearly 2300 votes! Incredible! We thoroughly enjoyed organizing this photo contest and are looking forward to the next one! Are you too?
The Project 3000 team.
PS: In case you don’t know what Project 3000 is all about, but you have gotten curious? You can find the most important information here: http://scoobymedina.blogspot.com/2011/08/project-3000.html

12/28/2011

Thank you, Scooby!


Our visit to your shelter, July 2011

By Sonja A. Buholzer and Stephan Nyffenegger

July 2011. We are travelling to Madrid, to continue our journey by car to Scooby Medina, the shelter that gave us our wonderful Donna, a galga who came from the Sevilla Horror of El Cuervo in 2007 with massive trauma and was saved by Fermin and his crew. Who received a second chance at life at Scooby and was adopted by us. Sadly and broken hearted we had to let go our lovely galgo-girl Donna in April 2011, after three operations due to suffering from cancer.
We were left behind, feeling utterly lonely, abandoned and desperate without her. She, our Donna, who learned how to laugh so quickly, who got away from her life of trauma into a life of tenderness and loving care and healed, also healing us in the process, as the wonderful singer Maria Daines puts it so aptly in her Galgo Blues, giving a voice to the voiceless – „I rescued her, she rescued me!“

We loved to visit the shelter who rescued our galgo-girl back then, in honour of Donna. Now here we were. Welcomed by a loving Scooby crew, with German volunteer Sabine leading us through the paddocks. There was also wonderful Sandra whom we had met before. She was the one who took Donna to us by plane, into Switzerland, together with 2 other galgos.  I was touched meeting her again. She was the one who put Donna in our arms at the airport and told us: she is a healing dog, she is so wonderful. And there she was. We embraced. Donna, our beloved Donna, the film playing inside my head, it hurt so much. Your real life began in our family back then, but only for 15 short months, until your suffering from cancer separated us and desperately we had to give up our battle to save your life.

On we went. Through the paddocks. So many wonderful dogs, so many galgos and so many fates. Some deeply touching, some shocking, some just merry encounters. It took me a while to register a very thin and graceful galga repeatedly nudging me. She came closer and rubbed her head along me, clung to me with big eyes, wouldn’t leave our side. Others who dared to come even closer to us than her were gently nudged away by her, and she was all smiles and simply stayed put. As if she had always belonged to us. Wouldn’t give an inch. She adopted me, yes, us. She followed us. Everywhere in this paddock. This ritual repeated itself with all three visits we took in paddock „Skinny“ – how I soon called this young, thin galga. She would be waiting at the door, hopping towards us and dancing with joy every time we re-entered her paddock. What happened? Meeting again. Destiny? I found myself barely able to leave that paddock without hurting. She was waiting at the door. She just stayed there.

We slept it over. We didn’t need to waste many words though. It was all crystal clear. Again, a deal made in heaven.
The next day we took another visit to her paddock. She was waiting, came running for us joyfully, we embraced. Yes, at this time we were dead sure! 

Our new family member travelled back to Switzerland with us, accompanied by Sabine, who also flew back to Germany the same afternoon and by the way adopted a girl from Scooby herself, named Rosa!

She is brimming with joy for life, is very confident and mischievous, wants to catch up on everything she had to miss out on in her early life, she is conquering all her fears step by step – fear of men, of certain sounds, of steel rods, of loud men’s voices. She knows she’s safe now, life is giving her love and warmth, she knows she matters so much to our family, she is loved so much and she is wonderful just the way she is! She doesn’t have to achieve anything anymore, she is allowed to just be, she loves cuddling, running and playing, and building herself a cot and she prefers to sleep amidst a pile of warm, soft blankets, covering her. A gentle, loving and sensitive, strong and independent galgo-lady, who knows what she wants and what she can do, and so much more! Who loves running on the greyhound field, jumping around the garden every day, who adores mice and likes teasing her galgo-brother.
Allright my girl, now you have finally gotten a real life and we will do all we possibly can to make you and your brother happy!
     
Scooby, we would like to thank you for your wonderful work, for both of our galgo-girls saved by you.

For every life you save from the traps of unspeakeably cruel execution rituals performed on galgos and other dogs in Spain. For Fermin’s engagement and that of all those other people we had the privilige of meeting in Scooby Medina, who impressed us by the sheer depth of their love for and dedication to these animals. Muchas gracias!

We support Project 3000 and recommend it to everyone!
Dear Fermin, dear Sabine, dear Sandra and all of you – you are a piece of heaven for these animals.
THANK YOU!









12/20/2011

HIGHWAY RESCUE IN MEDINA

That particular Thursday morning it was very very foggy in Medina and surroundings. At a certain moment in the office the phone rang; a truck driver telling that he spotted  a stray dog near the Gas-station on the highway. If Scooby could come to catch this dog. Dani and Oscar jumped in the car to do so. On their way they found a big brown dying dog on this highway and supposely this was the dog to pick up. The poor thing had had a car accident and unfortunately didn´t make it. Rescue came just too late for him.

The boys moved to the Gas station in order to fill the tank of the car. There the truck driver who phoned to the office earlier told them about the little stray dog he spotted. Ahh, so the big brown dead dog on the highway was not the dog from the phone call. There seemed to be two stray dogs then. This one was a very small tricolored mix dog that was on the highway causing a lot of trouble for the drivers and the dog himself. Thick fog, busy traffic at that time of the day, Dani and Oscar who had to drive in contrary direction in order to get near the little dog…very scary and dangerous! The only solution to make this rescue successful was to ask help from the Guardia Civil. They came, managed the busy traffic to move on slowly or stop, lights everywhere, thick fog, a frightened fast little dog that ran from one part to the other between the cars, and our men who managed to get this little boy safely in the car. And the little thing bites. Fantastic…

But, a truck driver who witnessed this rescue on the highway came over to tell our boys that he saw a stray dog running on and near the railway! Without hesitation Dani and Oscar drove to the railway and after a while they saw this longhair Galgo, afraid, biting. They succeeded in catching this third dog also and brought all three of them home to Scooby. A triple rescue on an average working day. Although these adventures don´t occur every day, working in Scooby is never dull, not one dayJ


Goodbye brown stray dog, sorry we came too late for you.
Goodbye little tricolor  that was biting and brought many people in danger on the highway , you´re home again with your family that came to Scooby to pick you up.
Hello longhair Galgogirl Desi who is safe and taken care of in Scooby. You´re on hold already and are one of the sweetest strays I´ve ever met, good luck!

12/19/2011

Dear Scooby Friends

Some of you might already know, you have been spammed by your friends to vote on their dog.  What is this all about? Well we organized a Christmas photo contest especially for our Project 3000 .  And as we expected,  we got lots of beautiful pictures coming in! Now you can all view them on our blog, http://scoobyproject3000.blogspot.com/2011/12/scooby-christmas-photocontest.html and vote on your favourite picture.  Our 3 winning pictures will win fabulous prizes! Don’t want to miss anything anymore?  Just sign up for only 5 euros a month to our project 3000! Not only will you have the opportunity to participate in actions like this, but you will also receive a newsletter on regularly basis with interesting articles about Scooby, the work Scooby does, and it’s animals! There is also an exclusive Facebook page, only available for Project 3000 members! Do we see you soon? http://scoobymedina.blogspot.com/2011/08/project-3000.html
The project 3000 team

12/15/2011

Milo - A heart on 4 paws

12/16/2011 ADOPTED


I´d like to bring Milo to your attention today with a special update.
He is a simply adorable dog, a bit submissive but not timid, friendly and modest.

When you come into the paddock he usually lays don´t in front of you and rolls on his back. He is a baby in an impressing body.
He can live with males and females but would also be fine as a single dog and won´t ask for much, just some attention and cuddles. Although I could see the leash was for sure new to him he also scored in this discipline but that didn´t take me by surprise at all!

Born only in app. 2009 he is already waiting for more than 14 months and I find this very sad.
So if you are willing to give a home to the heart on 4 paws, please contact us soon!
Christiane
Enjoy the videos, one showing him on the leash, the other one his typical behavior!

12/13/2011

Oldies but Goldies

As far as dogs are concerned everyone sure has a taste of his (or her) own. Some are particularly fond of the little ones, others like their dogs big, bigger, biggest. Some like dogs to be a little feisty, others rather have a nice, uncomplicated one. Then there are the fans of the long nosed dogs and those who prefer stump noses like boxers and mastins.
Of course it’s much the same at Scooby – one would never think of going there if one wasn’t a big animal lover (and in particular dog lover) in the first place – but each and every one of us sooner of later falls for one particular dog, has one paddock he or she likes best, a favourite cat in the cat house or a soft spot for the feisty raccoons, our lovely donkeys, the horses, and, and, and…
But there is one spot at Scooby that is much loved by probably everyone, who ever visited the place – and that’s our pensioners‘ home.
Since the pensioners‘ home was constructed our elderly dog gents and ladies have moved back into the garden and are the proud owners of a house with a terrace and a plot of land, something not even everyone of us is privy to.


Every now and then they have guests, galgos and other dogs, who are recovering from an operation, in need of treatment or who just have to come to terms with having been abandoned by their family. In the garden they live a life of comfort in their little house, with couches and dog beds all for them, the biggest perk of all being in the best zone at Scooby, as everyone going from the caravan to the patio, the kitchen or the bath room has to pass „their property“ to get there. Which means having more visitors than all other animals at Scooby, which of course they enjoy visibly!
Our oldies are very touching by all accounts. And what makes them touching is not just their age, but the fact they actually líved that age – many of them coming from a past wrought with horrible experiences. They were abandoned in their senior years, their owners died and the owners‘ families didn’t want the dog as heritage, they had tumours or other diseases and all of a sudden their humans wouldn’t spend another penny on them to have them treated, some came from other shelters to receive treatment and stayed.
Many of them needed time and effort to learn how to trust us, humans, again. But they made it, and much credit goes to Ana, who visits them and cares for them regularly.
So now our oldies live at Scooby and put their friendly spell on everyone. Each of them giving his best to get some cuddles – and succeeding.
So without further ado, here are our „regulars“.

In the men’s departement are:
Pancho, a smart looking hunting dog, with only one eye left, after a cold hearted human tied him up to a traffic sign where he sat, helpless, and got hit by a car on top of that. Despite his experience Pancho is a merry fellow who wags his tail all day and loves humans.
Maldot, the shepherd grandpa, who transformed from being a shy underdog in the paddock into the proud chef of the garden.
Brox, our mastin mix, who awaits visitors from a lying position but has an ability to move with staggering speed when someone mentiones weeners.
Frank, a very handsome long-haired shepherd, who might come across a little grumpy sometimes, which doesn’t keep him from following every visitor’s heel in order to get his cuddles.

And in the ladies‘ team we have:
Laguna, the beautiful shepherd lady, who would love to play fetch with a ball all day and has a contageously happy disposition.
Gorda, who always guards the door, so she misses out on none of the action and who just loves to roll herself in puddles and play with water. She is guaranteed to make you laugh when you‘re watching her.
Felipa, our dignified elderly lady with her typical lower lip, who despite her high age won’t pass on doing her rounds for the day before going back to a quiet spot to have a rest.
And Gabriela, our mastin lady, who has become somewhat of an icon for Scooby and never seizes to amaze everyone who has the pleasure of seeing her in her full, majestic, rather massive beauty for the first time. She is a big fluffy oaf but shares Brox’s capacity of developing staggering speeds when food is involved. We have eyewitness accounts of her taking an actual sprint. By the way, our Gabriela can be supported in her lazy daily life by means of a virtual adoption!

Together they are the ones that make our volunteers looking forward to walk through the garden and have their share of cuddles before starting the daily chores and spending hours after work with the oldies in the evening. Some of our volunteers actually come over for the Christmas holidays to celebrate with our oldies, a table and chairs for human guests are ready in their house.
If you would like to get to know our oldies personally, just come and visit Scooby.
We are looking forward to having you!


12/11/2011

Emergency case - Scruffy

Scruffy can live with everything, other dogs, cats, would most likely also be a best friend for children as she is one of the cutest dogs ever, as all the workers and volunteers who know here will confirm but… she cannot live with unattended fences. And this has put her life in severe danger already several times in different ways. Now we needed to put her in a quarantine kennel with a roof to avoid something terrible happening. But it breaks our hearts to see her suffering there and this cannot be the solution for this happy and joyful girl. So we urgently look for a home for Srcuffy, best would be without a garden at all, where she is taken out for walks, or with somebody who works in the garden a lot and can always keep an eye on her. At least in the beginning since this behavior might change in a home where she gets some more attention and variety and doesn´t see the necessity to explore the world on her own. 
If  there is anybody who is willing to show the world  to this sweet explorer in a safe way please get in touch with us!!!



12/09/2011

Gaby and Sylvia - our 2 black-white sweeties

Such sweeties they are and happy and joyful inspite of their hind leg problem.
White young  Gaby (age 8 months) had a thighbone fracture when she came in from Benavente. Not using her hind leg but that didn´t imply that she was not running around to play with the other dogs.

Sylvia (age 11 months)had a luxation of her hip. Also she played and made fun with the other dogs and didn´t seem to be  bother her  to only use 3 legs.

Of course both girlies needed surgery on their  legs which in the meantime has been done by Ivan, a friend-vet from our own vet Enrique. He is specialized in these surgeries and was willing to come over to Scooby to help the 2 young mix ladies. For the moment Gaby and Sylvia need to rest a lot and shouldn´t walk a lot, play or run. Every day we let them out of their kennel to walk around a little bit, get some sun and steel some bread or anything else which is interesting to do. It is not easy for them to stay calm, but until the 15th of December this will be their destiny. After that, if their legs are healed properly, they can enjoy again what all young ladies like: running, playing, do naughty things.   


12/05/2011

Maybe not a cold Christmas at Scooby after all?

Heating turned up, darkness falling early, maybe even snow - and let’s not forget the Christmas tree. Lights dimmed, holiday wreaths, bells and wee little snowmen decorating your room. Take another good look at your Christmas tree, what is it you spot lying below the tree? It’s your dog, curled up in his basket, next to the hot heating. Wouldn’t you wish such a happy, loving Christmas for every dog?

The Scooby dogs are waiting for owners just like you. Untill they find those owners they stay at Scooby and have to be cared for, which costs a lot of money.  A couple of months ago the contract with local communities wasn’t renewed. This contract meant  €3000,- a month for Scooby , for taking in stray dogs from the area. By losing this contract, Scooby loses this amount of money which means the dogs are looking at a very cold Christmas to come…


You can change this. What better Christmas present than a better life for the dogs? Do you know someone who is passionate about the fate of these dogs? Surprise him or her with a virtual adoption or a donation to  Project 3000!

Virtual adoption means chosing an animal whose care you are going to support . The animals selected are those who most probably will have to spend the rest of their lives at Scooby.  They get a lot of care and love from their regular caretakers all year round. Virtual adoption is €10,- a month, but when you give one year virtual adoption as a present you pay only €115,-.
Upon chosing a virtual adoption as a Christmas gift, the person receiving it will get:
·         A picture of the virtually adopted animal mailed;
·         The Adoption Certificate mailed;
·         Two e-mails (twice a year) with new pictures and news about the animal.
·         A lot of gratefulness from the Scooby animals and volunteers.

Project 3000 is a project which aims to collect the money Scooby is now falling short due to the contract that ended. The goal is to collect €3000,- a month, to achieve this goal we need:
·         600 people donating €5,-  a month, or
·         300 people donating €10,- a month, or
·         60  people donating €50,- a month.

Giving one of the above options as a gift will not only make that person happy, but also the dogs.
For more information on our virtual adoption scheme please check out the Scooby website where you can also find the form to give this beautiful gift for Christmas:

For more information on the Project 3000 please check out Scooby’s weblog: http://scoobymedina.blogspot.com/2011/08/project-3000.html

 Please remember to state in your e-mail that it’s about a gift, don’t forget to fill in the receptor’s e-mail as
 well so they can receive this newsletter and information on Scooby activities.  There is of course also the Scooby shop, where you can buy our fantastic new calendar among other wonderful gifts.

This year, please think not only of persons close to your heart, but also share the Christmas spirit with the Scooby dogs. Every dog deserves that cosy spot next to the Christmas tree, untill we get to that ideal Scooby is fighting for all the dogs in our shelter. Are you joining us?

Have a very warm Christmas,
On behalf of all the Scooby dogs