Stacey Van Tichelt with some of her rescue animals, photo credit Claudia Nagyivan
Rancho Fino, run by Stacey van Tichelt and Sten Bendsen, is an animal rescue centre with a difference.
Nestled in the heart of Mallorca, on the outskirts of the municipality of Costitx, Rancho Fino is a bustling haven for animals. It was founded accidentally by Stacey eight years ago, when she moved to the island and rescued her first horse, offering him her love and his `forever´ home. It wasn´t long before she quickly found herself caught up in the world of animal rescue, as more and more cases of neglect and cruelty came to her attention.
Standing up for those without a voice
Horrified by the sheer quantity of animals in need, on an island renowned for its wealth and luxury, Stacey couldn´t turn a blind eye and began to take in the neglected, unwanted and abandoned animals, entirely at her own expense, both financially and physically. Sacrificing her own needs in order to provide care for the animals with which she shared her life became the norm.
The birth of Rancho Fino
One year into the project Stacey found herself and the animals almost homeless, but managed to find herself a tiny, derelict building to move into, with the sole advantage being that it had land, and land was what the animals so desperately required. Rancho Fino was born from there.
It was a huge project, and for the first few years Stacey lived almost in a kind of poverty, with a single burner stove that she used for cooking providing the only light and heat, and sleeping with the dogs in order to keep warm, on cold winter nights in a building riddled with damp and a roof that leaked badly when it rained.
Raising her own voice for those who can´t
She began raising awareness of her project, putting up stalls at public events and holding fundraisers at the sanctuary itself, and gradually gained recognition. It didn´t always go smoothly at one fundraising event someone stole all the donation money, and at another, the cake was stolen but Stacey refused to give up and lose faith in humanity.
Despite the financial restraints, a series of hip operations (including 4 hip replacements), and restricted mobility due to suffering from arthrosis of the lower spine, Stacey has continued to push through the tough times and has worked tirelessly to allow her project to evolve. Years of working many jobs and many hours, struggling through her health issues and relentlessly dedicating her time, money and emotional energy into offering a safe haven for those who need it most, has resulted in something truly special.
Rancho Fino offers a voice for the animals though action as well as words
A combination of this hard work and a couple of big head sponsors have enabled Stacey to develop the rescue centre into a veritable paradise for the animals, and along the way she was lucky enough to meet and fall in love Sten Bendsen, a man who shares her passion and ethic. Now husband and wife, Stacey and Sten form the core of Rancho Fino Mallorca Rescue, a team that cannot be equalled.
Over the years the sanctuary has become particularly dedicated to providing specialised care for disabled and mentally challenged animals and provides palliative care for those with little time left but who still have quality of life.
Rancho Fino now provides refuge for around 90 animals, consisting of horses, donkeys, dogs, and other farm animals, and all animals under the care of Stacey and Sten live as naturally as possible. There are no kennels, the equines live in a herd environment with plenty of space to roam, and each animal finally receives the love and care it deserves.
Rancho Fino is a legally registered charity and non-profit organisation (Reg. No. G09701301) and donations are tax-deductible. For more information or to make a donation, visit ranchofinomallorca.com or follow them on Instagram: @ranchofinomallorcarescue and Facebook: Rancho Fino Mallorca
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