Perrita
 Perrita lives with Chica at an old abandoned farm. After asking we heard that they were abandoned there at least 5 years ago. Nobody looked after them anymore except for the previous owner who came to throw some old and moldy bread every 10 days and thinks that he had arranged things well for them when he moved and mercilessly left them there. What has been done to them there in all those years that makes them so incredibly scared? For years they gave birth to puppies, for years men (hunters) came to steal them from them until we (Saskia and I) put a stop to that. Your last puppies have all been adopted in the Netherlands and Belgium. The Mamas Perrita and Chica themselves are too feral, much too traumatized to be a house dog and they are better off living together at their abandoned farm with a colony of cats that also live there. Ever since we knew about them, we have been taking care of them and I also bring them fresh food and water every day. We made a safe and dry bedroom for them in the old half-derelict farmhouse where they can sleep and hide dry and warm in baskets and blankets. But the fear remains, even after 1.5 years, every day. As soon as my car is in sight, they still have to flee. At a safe distance they watch me as their bowls are filled and only when I drive up again do they go there to eat. Last year, after the last puppies had left, we caught them one by one with the trap cage and they were sterilized and cared for. Teeth done, vaccinated, had pipettes, dewormed etc. and then back to their "home"
 That experience did not make the fear for us any better. They do not know that this was the best thing that could happen to them and their trust in me was even more lacking. I had put them through that traumatic experience with the trap. I understand that and it is not necessary. It is not about me, not about us, it is about them, that they are healthy, happy and fed. That is enough for us. That they continue to flee from us, I fully understand.
 I see very small improvements and I know that they were always grateful and happy that I came for the food but contact, no, really not. Recently Perrita has started to seek out rapprochement and she regularly waits for me at the gate wagging her tail and she runs ahead to the farm and to her food bowl. But touching, no, that is still a much too big step.
 Who wants to support Perrita? This modest girl who tries so hard to still have some trust, deserves it so terribly.
 Yvonne van den Doel is Perrita's virtual sponsor.