Thanks for writing this. Great piece and informative. I didn't know a lot of that. I have had a rescue (an unplanned Mission from Dog I call it) in the state of Sonora since 2021 after I was stranded in a town after a roll over car accident. The kind of town I wouldn't normally stop in even to buy gas, it's the kind of place with more roving, lone dogs than I'd seen in any other place in Mexico. And no vet, no animal control, just a real feral affair. I'm still here and we just finished my first Spay-o-rama Pop Up clinic a week ago. With the help of a very accomplished spay vet from Hermosillo we spayed and neutered 34 dogs and cats. About 10 were street dogs I caught with a lady who I'll forever call La Vacquera for her tackling and roping ability. The pueblo is mostly overlooked for any government support though I have seen people walking around trying to offer rabies shots, but the issue is with the dogs you cannot catch, though thankfully we don't have rabies in the area. Small victories. :-)
I've read some of your adventures, Michele - that is quite a thing you are doing there in Sonora. Bless you for caring for all those street animals. And yes, as is the case in most places, the gap between "policy" and "implementation" is often quite wide!
Hello Mike! This story tugs at my tender heart. I appreciate the balanced information and perspective. I now live in Laredo, TX, the largest land port in the USA. I see the same challenges, many abandoned cats and dogs. I say this out loud as I assume the wealth of the import and export business could trickle down to better services for the people and creatures. They say the county gives spaying and neutering vouchers but they are harder to hunt down than deer or wild pigs. ps. I am proud to say I was born in the state of Coahuila.
It is indeed hard to see animals we view as pets wandering the streets alone, with no visible support network. For me, it is one of the the most difficult and conflicting things about life in Mexico. But good for you for being born in a state that places so much value on animal welfare - at least at a policy level!
In QRoo there are at least 17 pet rescue organizations, from Puerto Morelos down to Tulum, Bacalar. (I wrote about them on my old Blogger platform). And that's not including Cancun proper. Several years ago or more after the annual neuter clinic locals aided by tourists would continue on with assistance programs and these just blossomed. It's heartening to hear that so many people pitch in and help. But imho it's still a runaway train.
This certainly gives a new perspective on the mexican culture w.r.t. animals. I do feel the sense that folks in mexico respect the animals - you see them leaving food and water out at restaurants and all around for the strays. I also don't see dogs that are aggressive so much, just roaming around and peacefully co-existing. Interesting since I live next to a dog park here in the US and see/hear more dog fights with these supposedly "trained and well cared for" dogs than I have ever seen in Mexico!
Indeed. I see this in a lot of places. Bowls of food and water for whoever wanders by. We had a "neighborhood dog" for quite a while. He wandered all around and everybody loved him. Sometimes he would eat at one house, sleep in another, etc. We eventually found him a real home with a nice family. At the time, we had 5 dogs, but with a little patience, we found homes, and are now settled in with three: small, medium, and large. :)
Agreed - many of the street dogs in Mexico seem to have figured out a peaceful coexistence with one another (although this is not always the case). And the people of Mexico love and care for their pets deeply. Taking one's pets on vacation is very much a thing here. This love for pets is something I should have done a better job conveying in the article.
Well, I clicked Like before I read the story because of the picture. I love dogs and have three of them that used to live on the street. Now they jump on my face at 5:30 am to wake me up.
I'm glad to hear that Mexico is at the helm in protecting animals and promoting humane treatment. Recently, the city opened a pet hospital / service clinic, which may be part of the effects of the law you described. It's a welcome addition for sure, because it gives folks who maybe couldn't otherwise afford to care for their pet a place to go.
Great article Mike, and very informative. As usual, I learned a lot. But please don't say "we humans." One of my little sweeties is staring at the screen right now. I think she approves of your article, too. Or maybe she's telling me to get off my duff, go to the kitchen, and prepare the afternoon snack.
Honestly, I should have just posted the picture and called it a day - would’ve saved a lot of typing 😃. I promise to refrain from “we humans”, unless I’m talking about climate change.
Thanks for writing this. Great piece and informative. I didn't know a lot of that. I have had a rescue (an unplanned Mission from Dog I call it) in the state of Sonora since 2021 after I was stranded in a town after a roll over car accident. The kind of town I wouldn't normally stop in even to buy gas, it's the kind of place with more roving, lone dogs than I'd seen in any other place in Mexico. And no vet, no animal control, just a real feral affair. I'm still here and we just finished my first Spay-o-rama Pop Up clinic a week ago. With the help of a very accomplished spay vet from Hermosillo we spayed and neutered 34 dogs and cats. About 10 were street dogs I caught with a lady who I'll forever call La Vacquera for her tackling and roping ability. The pueblo is mostly overlooked for any government support though I have seen people walking around trying to offer rabies shots, but the issue is with the dogs you cannot catch, though thankfully we don't have rabies in the area. Small victories. :-)
I've read some of your adventures, Michele - that is quite a thing you are doing there in Sonora. Bless you for caring for all those street animals. And yes, as is the case in most places, the gap between "policy" and "implementation" is often quite wide!
Hello Mike! This story tugs at my tender heart. I appreciate the balanced information and perspective. I now live in Laredo, TX, the largest land port in the USA. I see the same challenges, many abandoned cats and dogs. I say this out loud as I assume the wealth of the import and export business could trickle down to better services for the people and creatures. They say the county gives spaying and neutering vouchers but they are harder to hunt down than deer or wild pigs. ps. I am proud to say I was born in the state of Coahuila.
It is indeed hard to see animals we view as pets wandering the streets alone, with no visible support network. For me, it is one of the the most difficult and conflicting things about life in Mexico. But good for you for being born in a state that places so much value on animal welfare - at least at a policy level!
In QRoo there are at least 17 pet rescue organizations, from Puerto Morelos down to Tulum, Bacalar. (I wrote about them on my old Blogger platform). And that's not including Cancun proper. Several years ago or more after the annual neuter clinic locals aided by tourists would continue on with assistance programs and these just blossomed. It's heartening to hear that so many people pitch in and help. But imho it's still a runaway train.
I believe that QRoo is ahead of a lot of other states. And yes, it is a runaway train. Baby steps are encouraging.
This certainly gives a new perspective on the mexican culture w.r.t. animals. I do feel the sense that folks in mexico respect the animals - you see them leaving food and water out at restaurants and all around for the strays. I also don't see dogs that are aggressive so much, just roaming around and peacefully co-existing. Interesting since I live next to a dog park here in the US and see/hear more dog fights with these supposedly "trained and well cared for" dogs than I have ever seen in Mexico!
Indeed. I see this in a lot of places. Bowls of food and water for whoever wanders by. We had a "neighborhood dog" for quite a while. He wandered all around and everybody loved him. Sometimes he would eat at one house, sleep in another, etc. We eventually found him a real home with a nice family. At the time, we had 5 dogs, but with a little patience, we found homes, and are now settled in with three: small, medium, and large. :)
Good on you, Victor - it’s great that you and others are lending a helping hand!
Agreed - many of the street dogs in Mexico seem to have figured out a peaceful coexistence with one another (although this is not always the case). And the people of Mexico love and care for their pets deeply. Taking one's pets on vacation is very much a thing here. This love for pets is something I should have done a better job conveying in the article.
Well, I clicked Like before I read the story because of the picture. I love dogs and have three of them that used to live on the street. Now they jump on my face at 5:30 am to wake me up.
I'm glad to hear that Mexico is at the helm in protecting animals and promoting humane treatment. Recently, the city opened a pet hospital / service clinic, which may be part of the effects of the law you described. It's a welcome addition for sure, because it gives folks who maybe couldn't otherwise afford to care for their pet a place to go.
Great article Mike, and very informative. As usual, I learned a lot. But please don't say "we humans." One of my little sweeties is staring at the screen right now. I think she approves of your article, too. Or maybe she's telling me to get off my duff, go to the kitchen, and prepare the afternoon snack.
Honestly, I should have just posted the picture and called it a day - would’ve saved a lot of typing 😃. I promise to refrain from “we humans”, unless I’m talking about climate change.
Love the photo by the way! :-)
I'm thinking of turning it into a tattoo 🤔