For my partner Maarten, we commute between Sint Maarten and Maastricht. Our doggy Zana happily flew with us. Unfortunately, the ponies (including one saved from the slaughterhouse) couldn't join us on the plane. One of them has been with me for 26 years and is 31 years old. She is too sensitive to climate change and we fear hurricanes every year. Our three bottle-fed cats, found separated from each other, don't appreciate being uprooted from their environment repeatedly. When we're in Maastricht, we try to spend as much time with them as with my beloved 94-year-old grandmother.

At Sint Maarten, I try to Trap Neuter Return (TNR) almost daily, and I'm incredibly proud of the number of animals we’ve helped. Every time I have to release a dog or cat back onto the streets, it breaks my heart. Unfortunately, all the organizations are overwhelmed, and fosters already have up to 20 dogs at home. I wish I could take them all into my house, but it's not feasible.

We took Pilsje to the vet for neutering. When we had to release him back onto the street, he refused to leave my lap in the car. He didn't want to be abandoned again. Despite our full house, we had no choice to let him go. I couldn't sleep and contacted everyone I knew. Thankfully, a kind woman agreed to adopt him, she is such an angel. He flew to Ohio, where he now has a fantastic home with big friends. I'm so grateful for this outcome!