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Last week, we promised to share with you the beautiful destination of your donations to Bianca shelter in Portugal. Through my Magic Fund, we are able to help with a recent project at Bianca. They are constructing a building for a wonderful and important purpose. This building will be the place for the dogs who need extra (medical) care. As you could see in the pictures in my previous post, they are now living in a very small building in cages. Like this:

They will have more space in the new building and they will also have access to a part outside. In the following pictures, you can see that they are also creating smaller spaces, Ana Duarte (the founder of Bianca) told us this is necessary for the dogs who need to have an enclosed room for a while. For example, when they need their rest, for dogs who are new, for extra medical care… etc. Normally, the doors will be open so they will have more freedom. It will be such a big change for them!

Some pictures of the construction site:

The building in progress

Inside:

The outside space for the dogs: 

They will make a door in the wall. Behind the wall is the shelter:

Thank you so much for your support!

We are so very happy to know that you are still helping the shelter where I was rescued.  They do such amazing work with all the animals under their care. And what a wonderful purpose we are now being part of. My legacy will live on and my magic will keep helping the animals in need who need all the support they can get.

Once I was there in Bianca…:

Also because of them, I experienced a life I could have never imagined. Because of friends like you, we can make a big difference in the lives of so many animals.

Maybe one day, my biggest wish for all of them, they will also find a loving home and will smile this big!

Love,
Little Belle ♥

The entrance of Bianca shelter

During our stay in Portugal we, of course, also visited Bianca shelter multiple times. It was on Saturday, July 29th that we met Ana Duarte, the founder of Bianca, who gave us a ‘tour’ and explained a lot about the shelter, how they worked, the dogs and cats in the shelter, the help of friends of Bianca, the situation for dogs and cats in Portugal in general, their daily routine…, etc. A lot of information that really helped us to gain a better insight of the shelter. The work they do there, day in day out, with around 300 dogs and lots of cats, is enormous and says a lot about the compassionate hearts of the people.

Irene made a lot of pictures and we like to share them with you so that you also have a better image of Bianca shelter, especially for all my friends who donated, so you can see who you are helping and how hard Bianca needs all the support they can get.

They have several groups of kennels and in each area, there is the possibility to open a kennel so the dogs in that particular kennel can experience a bit more freedom outside to walk, run and play. Unfortunately, due to the many dogs (300), this isn’t always possible every day, but the people do their utmost best to provide them the best care.

This is the area where Bianca’s office is located. There is also a separate small building for the cats, a special section for the puppies and one for the elderly and sick dogs.

The cats live in a very small building right now, but they will soon have a much better place to stay in a new building that is almost ready:

Also the puppies and the elderly and sick dogs who need more care, are now in a very small building. But they will also have a new place to stay soon and we will tell more about this special building this week because the donations to my Magic Fund will go to this project.

About once a day they will get out of their kennels and can spend some time in this area:

A puppy very interested in the camera:

Ana Duarte with two of the puppies:

A beautiful old little dog who touched Irene her heart and really needs a home:

Also a beautiful older dog who loves attention:

This was on another day, but also nice to share with you. Here we were walking with some dogs of Bianca, together with our friends Ana & Fernando. The dogs loved to go out of the shelter. The brown dog with the large eyes full of fear felt so much better outside, it would mean such a big difference for him when he hopefully one day will be adopted. And this is, of course, a wish for all of them. Although they are all very well taken care of, it’s still heartbreaking to see them live like this…

Can you see me?

Here I am! It was amazing to visit the place where I once was rescued and spent my first few weeks in freedom. I know it meant a lot to my Irene too, to be finally able to see Bianca Shelter and met all the beautiful animals and people. People who are working very hard to make a difference in the world. Together we can create change and magic for all the animals who need our help.

Thank you, my friends, who help to create a world full of love, compassion and magic.

We are all sentient beings ♥

.

While we were in Portugal, a lot of people wrote that they loved to see me smile again which was very sweet. Our time there really felt very good and full of  Belle’s magic. Especially, of course, the time I spent with Kintana, and our precious Belle in spirit by our side. The many adventures we shared.
Kintana is amazing, she is such a special, sweet and beautiful soul. Every day, it touches me deeply how Belle led me to her and also to Portugal, the land where she was born. Because of her, we had the most wonderful and magical experiences.

Some friends wrote that our journey in Portugal must have been healing for me. If it was really healing? I don’t know. I don’t think I will ever truly heal from such a deep loss, my everything. It’s more about learning to live with it.
Yes, I did feel happy there, but I miss Belle terribly and talking or writing about her is still not easy. So many emotions I feel. It is that overwhelming deep pain in my heart and no, this intense pain has not decreased since I lost her on April 25^th.

The last months I had many days that I didn’t know how to go on without Belle physically by my side and I still have those moments. Moments where I still can’t believe she is not with me, where I can touch her, feel her against my chest. Such strong and heart-wrenching thoughts and emotions …
I talk to her, she talks to me. And what keeps me going is her message to me that she wants me to go on, to enjoy life like we always did. She and I believe we have a choice in how we live life after a great loss. Do we choose darkness or do we choose the light?

Most of the times I can feel Belle so very close to me, she still gives me that special light of love that I treasure with all my heart. She definitely enjoyed the time together in Portugal as much as Kintana and I did. It was very special to be able to share this adventure with the three of us. And again, without her, leading me to Portugal, to Kintana, without her guidance all the way, I would have never been able to do this.
No matter where I go, no matter what I do, she is with me. I can feel Little Belle her beautiful smile, so full of magic, always watching us. Her smile makes me smile too, with tears in my eyes…

I’ve read a lot of comments where people mentioned that Kintana reminds them so much of Little Belle. And yes, they have a lot of resemblances. It’s for a reason why Belle guided me so perfectly to her. But she is different of course, having her own uniqueness, like we all have. There is only one Kintana.
There is only one Little Belle. That’s the miracle of life.

How beautifully Belle taught me that each day is a miracle. And she still does, giving me the courage and the strength to live life with all my heart, with passion, with wonder, with love, with magic.
I can see us standing on top of a high mountain, side by side, watching all nature’s beauty. Seeing the trees, the flowers, the sun, moon, and stars. Hear the soft blowing wind and the birds passing by. Smell the earthly scents and feel inside of us the secrets of life.
Together reaching the sky.
There are no limits.

Love is endless and forever ♥

Irene, Little Belle’s mom

Next week, on Tuesday 25^th I will leave for Portugal. And Little Belle will be with me. The main goal is of course to bring Kintana  home.  But while I am there, I would also like to show Bianca the amount donated to their shelter via Little Belle her Magic Fund since last year.

The total amount that is donated on the Magic Fund page is almost already entirely spend to Little Belle her food and medical care and previous 30% donations to Bianca. So, it’s about the 30% part of the donations that were given since the last update in December. And there were so many again for which we are immensely grateful.
I will give a new update on the Magic Fund in August because I like to surprise Bianca with the amount we raised together.

It will be wonderful to support Bianca again with all the great work they do for so many dogs in need. They can really need all the help they can get.
If Little Belle her friends would like to contribute to this beautiful cause and make a donation that will go 100% to Bianca, please donate to her Magic Fund with the note that your donation is entirely for Bianca (no PayPal account is needed): Little Belle’s Magic Fund
If you have a PayPal account, you can also donate directly to info@littlebelle.org . Also please add a note that it is for Bianca.
This all is possible until Sunday, July 23^th.

It would be wonderful if we can raise the amount, so we can continue to support dogs like Belle, Kintana, Noir, Valentin, Vela, Lani, Pluma… and so many more dogs in need.

Can you see Little Belle her wonderful smile? Knowing that we will continue to help the shelter that rescued her. Because of them, she found her forever family with us. And we both found the love of our lives. Each other ♥
Irene, Little Belle’s mom

Dear friends, I have something very special to share with you! Irene gives me the honor to tell you this news, especially because I am the one who led her to this dog. Do you remember Kintana? In June last year, she was rescued by Bianca in Portugal, the organization that also saved me! With my Magic Fund, your donations, we were able to help Kintana with her care, especially with the operations she needed. Today, I want to tell you the magical news that Kintana will be joining my family soon! 🙂

It’s a very special story… End of January this year, Irene decided to adopt Kintana. This beautiful dog touches her heart so deeply, that she just followed her heart, as always. Because Kintana needed another operation in January we wanted to wait a while to share this news with you.
But, not long after this, they found the tumor on my jaw… And from then on, everything changed.
Irene was asking herself the question why she adopted Kintana because she wanted to spend all the time with me that we had left together. I knew, but couldn’t tell her that time. She needed to find the answer herself.

A few weeks after I transitioned to the other side, Irene suddenly realized it was me who he led her to Kintana. She almost wouldn’t have adopted another dog again, I watched and felt her unbearable pain and she told me she just couldn’t handle it again and again… Í know her so well, that’s why I helped her.
I know it can still feel sometimes as too soon for her, but I know there is plenty more room in Irene her heart for other dogs in need (and there are so many who need help). Okay, I have to admit, although I am very tiny I have the biggest place her heart 🙂 . But…, I love a lot of other beautiful ones beside me ♥ .

You can read more about Kintana here: Kintana’s story

My magic is working, my friends, can you feel it? ♥
And I smile 🙂