Dog rescue mission: Malaga boy meets shelter dogs before embarking on world cycle

A 12-year-old boy preparing to cycle more than 20,000 kilometres around the world stopped off at an animal rescue centre in Mijas on Monday, November 2, where he was greeted by scores of excited dogs desperate for his attention.

Samuel, the young lad behind the Samuel Cycles the World project, visited ACE-SHIN in Mijas Costa, where he met founder Fabienne Paques and many of the abandoned animals in her care. The visit carried extra poignancy. Recently, Samuel’s beloved dog Naam passed away. Meeting so many dogs desperate for attention brought the loss home in a new way, while reinforcing exactly why his project matters so much.

Introduced to the dogs by Fabienne Paques, 28-year director of ACE-SHIN, Samuel quickly fell in love with them all. The excitement was mutual, with the animals jumping up enthusiastically to greet their young visitor. There was just one problem: Samuel couldn’t take any of them home with him. In less than a fortnight, he and his parents, Wendy and Ronald, are due to leave Malaga to begin an extraordinary cycling adventure with a very special purpose. Euro Weekly News previously reported on Samuel’s ambitious 20,000 km plan and his first shelter visit earlier this year.

Samuel’s mission to help 56 animal shelters

Samuel and his parents are preparing to travel approximately 20,235 kilometres through 20 countries over 594 days, visiting 56 animal shelters along the way. At every stop, Samuel intends to meet an abandoned dog, film it, tell its story and share it with the world in the hope that someone might offer it a forever home. The idea of visiting animal shelters came from Samuel himself, as did the decision to make the journey by bicycle.

His parents had often talked about travelling around the world in a motorhome, originally as a way of giving their son the opportunity to experience different countries and cultures as part of his education. However, the idea had never progressed beyond conversation until Samuel began developing his own plans. Ronald explained that cycling was perhaps something in the family’s blood, reflecting the strong cycling culture in the Netherlands. What started as an educational adventure has since developed into a mission to help animals that might otherwise be overlooked.

A special meeting at ACE-SHIN in Mijas

Monday’s visit was not Samuel’s first experience of an animal rescue centre, but it provided valuable preparation for the many shelters he hopes to visit during the expedition. Fabienne showed him around ACE-SHIN and introduced him to dogs with very different backgrounds and stories. For Samuel, meeting so many animals in need of loving homes brought home exactly why his project matters so much, especially after the recent loss of his own dog, Naam.

ACE-SHIN, which stands for Animal Care España and the Dutch name Spaanse Honden In Nood (Spanish Dogs in Need), was founded in 1999 by Fabienne and her late husband, Dirk Itterbeek. The organisation works to rescue abandoned and mistreated dogs and cats, provide veterinary treatment and find animals permanent homes. Its Mijas facilities care for hundreds of animals, relying on donations, volunteers and fundraising to continue their work. Euro Weekly News has followed the shelter’s efforts closely, including recent coverage of community fundraisers supporting ACE-SHIN and calls for volunteers to walk the dogs at the Mijas centre.

The scale of the challenge across Malaga province remains significant. Recent police action saw 61 dogs and cats rescued from appalling conditions in Velez-Malaga, while official figures show Malaga has almost twice as many registered pets as children.

Fabienne wished Samuel, Wendy and Ronald every success with their adventure and hopes to keep in touch with the family throughout their 19 months travelling around the world.

The challenges before setting off

Preparing for such a lengthy expedition has not been straightforward. The family originally considered using electric bicycles but encountered difficulties transporting the large lithium batteries required for the journey, particularly when taking flights between continents. They consequently switched to conventional touring bicycles, requiring changes to their route and travel arrangements.

Finding suitable equipment and financing the expedition have also presented challenges. The family has sold its car and many of its possessions to help pay for the adventure, while sponsorship has provided some essential equipment, including water filtration supplies and bicycle security locks. Safety has also influenced their preparations, with the family reviewing sections of the proposed route where cycling conditions may be unsuitable. Despite these obstacles, the November 15 departure from Malaga remains the plan.

How to support Samuel Cycles the World

The family is hoping to raise €5,500 through its GoFundMe campaign to help cover the costs of the expedition. With almost 20 months of travelling ahead, the financial commitment is considerable. The family estimates that food and accommodation alone will cost around €42 a day, before bicycle repairs, transport and other expenses.

Readers who would like to support Samuel’s mission, follow his progress or find out more about the dogs he meets can visit the official Samuel Cycles the World website, follow him on Instagram or the Facebook page.

For Samuel, the real success will not simply be reaching the other side of the world. It will be the number of abandoned dogs whose stories reach people who might otherwise never have known they existed.