May 2026

Dear readers,

May was an eventful month once again. Many impressions, pain, suffering, loss, rescue operations and calls for help accompanied us throughout the month. We had to fight back tears and make decisions between suffering and life. We rescued souls that would otherwise have broken under their suffering. We animal protection activists at Animal Police stand up for every animal, and in doing so, we often forget ourselves.

Finca Noah 2.0 has grown.
A Shetland pony from miserable conditions is now enjoying exploring the Finca, with only one thing on his mind. Food, food, food … or eating, eating, eating. We've named him Bruce Willis, to match our Shetland pony Rambo, who we rescued from the slaughterhouse. We were shocked when the horse transport doors opened and Bruce took his first steps in his new home. His overall condition was so concerning that we immediately called our equine veterinarian and asked her to examine and treat him as soon as possible. Bruce was nothing but fur, mane and skin. We didn't even dare remove his winter coat, perhaps worried that you could see his ribs even more. The foul smell coming from his mouth made us suspect the worst, and that's exactly what it was when the equine dentist arrived with heavy equipment and cleaned Bruce's teeth. After Bruce was so brave at the vet's and let the dentist clean his teeth nicely, he got to meet the farrier right away, because walking was pure agony for him. We often complain about the attitude and traditions that Spaniards and Mallorcans have. In this case, it was a German family that still claims he lacked for nothing. Shame on you, you are the absolute worst!

Farah took me to a Majorcan hunter who keeps hunting dogs—Galgos, Podencos and Ibizencos—in tiny dungeons. What we saw there, I can hardly put into words. Dogs that have to sit, run and sleep in their own feces, on cold, dirty and bare ground. They can only drink if they squeeze their heads through the fence. Whatever food there is lies in the dirt directly on the ground. A ferret locked in a cage 24 hours a day. Just big enough for it to turn around in. This cage stands carelessly in the darkest corner in the back. Chicken chicks live in an indescribable wire box and scream all day in desperation. Countless quails are kept in bird cages at this terrible place, as if they were made to measure. No room to turn around, no room to walk forward or backward. They can't even lie down, which they probably wouldn't do anyway if they could, because their own feces pile up on the cage floor. I had to turn away for a moment from the sight of these conditions. Something rose up in me and triggered pure despair. I could no longer hold back my tears. These unimaginable conditions, impressions and images accompany us every day.

A small success. We were able to rescue five of the 26 dogs from the hunter's grasp. He let us have them and personally brought them to us. These poor souls have never felt a human hand that simply wants to convey love, security and safety. They are fearful and completely unapproachable. For this hunter, animals are just toys for his own amusement or gratification. The oldest female dog is approximately 9 years old, which means she has been through hell for 9 years, abused as a breeding machine and for hunting. The animal welfare association Veto works hand in hand with us at Animal Police. Together we're getting the dogs out of this hell. Nursing them back to health. Earning their trust with patience. We're looking for a family, a loving home, and giving them a new life—a difficult path for both human and animal, one that sounds so simple in theory. The wonderful Annelie and her husband Michael come to the Finca with us every day. They take more than an hour's drive on themselves every day to care for the Galgos. They know this dog breed very well. They have years of experience with this breed. Annelie and Michael are very patient people, exactly what these 5 rescued dog souls need right now. A huge thank you at this point for the tremendous support. Bit by bit, the Galgos are becoming braver and braver. We celebrate every small success we work towards, even if it's just them not running away when we enter their large enclosure of 2 x 100 m².

The poor little ferret, in a cage far too small in the dark corner, now has paradise on earth. The little one is named Manni and is enjoying his new life at Finca Noah 2.0 in an enclosure of about 20 m². The hunter's comment stuck with me when he saw the home for Manni. He said it looks cleaner, more beautiful, more loving and bigger than his own home. He would want to live there himself. Maybe a little hope that the hunter, in his age, will take it to heart.

We haven't forgotten the other animals in his captivity. Farah holds a very high value for him. He kept mentioning: This woman is unique and I have great respect for her, and that's why I'm handing these animals over to her, but only to her! She will manage to free these animals too. It was really hard for me to look this man in the face and shake his hand goodbye. But as they say … put on a brave face for a bad game. We need his trust to be able to get all these animals out of there. These hunters have no scruples. They hang the Galgos in the trees, kick them until they die, let them simply starve, and so on and so forth … The chickens and quails are used for hunting. Then the animals and we animal protectors have lost.

In 2021, Farah rescued an Asian pot-bellied pig named Margritt. Farah had to fight long to get her out of a tiny cage. She had been locked in a cage no bigger than 1.50 x 1.50 metres for years, and with a companion. After Margritt's friend passed away, Farah had the chance to rescue the second pig. Farah named her Margritt. Margritt was finally able to get out of her prison. After weeks of recovery, Margritt rediscovered the joy of walking around and exploring. The long confinement left its mark. She had little muscle, too much weight, toenails far too long to walk comfortably. Later came the diagnosis of rheumatism/arthritis. The medication helped her cope with the consequences of such a disease. Margritt didn't need much to be happy. She loved to eat, and very contentedly she would noisily smack her plate clean. Her favourites were pasta, bread or watermelon. After eating, she was not to be disturbed during her afternoon nap. In summer, she loved it when the garden hose came for a shower. Her wooden villa (2 x 2 metres, property 1000 m²) she always defended well, that was her sanctuary. She tolerated her animal friends like chickens, ducks, geese, turkey and peacocks, but preferred to be left alone. At Finca 2.0, Margritt got her own paradise. A new little villa with grounds, where she could snore undisturbed. We even built her a sun umbrella. She seemed happy and content. But the peace didn't last long. Her health condition suddenly became concerning. We had the vet visit us three times within just a few days. The medication showed no great improvement, her pain only got worse. Margritt could no longer get up and walk on her own. At the end, she also had a severe infection in her leg. For the very first time, she ate nothing. The diarrhoea weakened her even further, and when she began to vomit, we had to make a decision. Should we let Margritt pass peacefully and with dignity after 16 years of life? We really didn't make it easy on ourselves, but our vet essentially made the decision for us and released Margritt from her suffering. We had her cremated and hope that she now has her peace and a plate of spaghetti every day. Take care, dear Margritt. We miss you. Every morning I think of you when I prepare the food. I still symbolically take your plate from the shelf, but it remains empty.

The little tom cat Findus got caught in my trap during a cat trapping operation. The trap wasn't actually meant for him, but I just couldn't let him go free again. Because Findus was missing an eye, and he was only 4 months old. So small and already experienced so much suffering. He was born on the street and that's exactly where he had to learn to survive. Findus was very shy from the start and not bonded to humans at all. A little half-blind boy who received a safe environment at Finca Noah and after the move at Finca Noah 2.0, and who should be able to enjoy his life with food and attention, as much as he wants. No more fight for survival, no more dangers. I suddenly found Findus with a severely inflamed eye and a bloody nose. We immediately took him to the vet. Because Findus could no longer see anything and breathing through his swollen and bloody nose was becoming increasingly difficult. The examination and blood results were concerning. Findus has a Calicivirus in his eye and nose. We tried to save his eye by having the vet sew his eyelid shut, essentially closing his eye so it could recover. The result after a week was still the same. But the pain was becoming unbearable for Findus. Our vet gave us two options: remove the remaining eye or release him from his suffering. At that moment, it was clear to me that this survivor deserved a chance. Although Findus has no more eyesight, he is alive. In his familiar environment, he deals with his handicap very confidently. I could hardly believe it when he suddenly came up to me and wound around my legs. Today I call him and he comes to me. He lets me pet him and really cuddle him. A tear ran down my cheek from joy. I'm immensely glad I made the right decision. He radiates so much calm and confidence that I can almost feel his gratitude. For me, it would be the greatest if Findus found a loving and safe home. We're looking for his perfect family, where he can be just as he is now. From a wild street cat to a blind cuddler … sometimes it's better to rely on your senses than on what you see.

Thank you for reading my words.
Nadine De Tomi