Good Job Everybody

The dog rescuers in Puerto Rico amaze me with their hard work. In the areas I pass on PR 119 and PR 453, little groupings of dogs that I recognized, are absent. I see rescue notices on Facebook in places I now recognize. The cooperation here is outstanding.

Animal Advocates of Puerto Rico I salute you; this is some hard f’ing work. To get dogs off the street and on a plane to America is a major accomplishment.

Pricey pure breeds move over; here come the Sato Ricans. They’re cute, hip, and street smart.

Good work everybody. And THANKS

Dog Rescue on the Malecon in Havana, Cuba

Bound and placed in a bag, squirming frantically to free herself, she lay exhausted on the shore of the Malecon in Havana with the sun beating down, hours before the tide would come in.

Two young lovers strolled hand in hand, discussing their class work and dreams for the future. They paused for a kiss, and then they saw a bag on the rocks. It moved! No, it was just a bag of garbage someone had carelessly tossed out; it couldn't be moving, but there it moved again.

With the daring of youth the young man leaped the concrete rail and negotiated the rocks towards the bag, which moved spasmodically as he approached. He ripped the bag open to discover a small yellow spaniel. Her legs and muzzle were tied. He carried the bundle to the railing where he and his sweetheart freed the dog, who wagged her tail in gratitude.

“Who could do such a thing to such a sweet little animal?” The lovers looked at each other in wonder, as they sat petting her.

“What are we going to do with her?”

Since they lived with her mother, who already had three dogs and two cats, they knew they shouldn't ask to keep the dog, but once you save a being from death you can’t just abandon her, so they called.

“Mom, we found the prettiest little dog. She was tied up in a bag and thrown on the rocks. We were walking along the Malecon and saw the bag move. You won’t believe how sweet she is; can she stay with us until we find a home for her? No, mom, I understand. It’s just that we saved her life and don’t know what to do with her. Mom, what should we do?”

Association National for the Protection of Animals and Plants is on Calle Principe number 128. 
Take her there; these are the people who help animals in Cuba. You can trust them to do the best for your little rescue. 

Amigos de Los Animales Needs Help

Hola Amigos,

Every puppy/dog coming through the doors of Amigos de Los Animales gets the kind of care Mary would have loved to see baby Jesus get at the inn. A gentle hand, a full belly, a place to sleep, and all the medical attention required.

Adri’s days start at 5 am to let the dogs out. If she’s not working at her job as a musician, she gets into bed around ten. That’s reasonable enough, but then she’s up throughout the night on the computer, as she thinks about getting this dog to a good home here or in the states, or someplace else. She agonizes about how to help the tourist, who found a starving dog and wants to find someone to be responsible for it. I've seen Adri offer to pay for dogs’ care on days I know she had nothing in the fridge to eat herself.

On days when she should be buying groceries for herself, she comes home with liver, yogurt, Karo Syrup, goats’ milk to make puppy formula to feed the sickly puppies dropped off in the morning. She looks like she could bawl her eyes out, not for her self deprivation but for the puppies she’s afraid she can’t save. Adri is not like us. We give what we can spare. She gives all she has.

Adri stays focused on her message about the dogs. Adri is always about the animals. She says it’s not about the people it’s about the dogs. She gives me a stern look when I say it’s about the people too.

Adri is paying shelter bills out of her own pocket to the point that she doesn’t have her hard earned money to pay her personal bills. She’s not the type to tell you that. Adri’s loving care extends beyond the animals. She took me and my critters in when my husband, Kirt, was having his leg amputated. And she says it’s not about the people…

I saw the hard choices she’s made in favor of the dogs because I was there.  She delights in new kennels donated for the dogs while the home of Amigos de Los Animales, her home is beyond normal maintenance. She needs help. Big help, now.

I’ve lived in or around Chicago most of my adult life, Chicagoans are a cynical lot, we don’t admire much.  If you’ve read my blogs, you know I admire this woman enormously, which is why I support her shelter when I live in Quebradillas. Close to home she’s not for me, but I believe in her.

We are amigos de los animals because we love animals, we are the amigos. Please, give to Amigos de Los Animales because the animals and our amiga need help.

Muchas gracias,

Patricia Carr

www.amigosdelosanimalespr.org

Click on paypal

  

Good Samaratan

Let's talk dog
Fluffy white clouds float over a calm caribbean. The sloshing of the surf is minimal compared to the two previous days. The wind weaves its way through the palms cooling skin warmed nicely by the winter sun. Our vacation in Patillas has been delightful. The Caribe Playa Beach Resort is charming in a fifties Susan Hayward movie kind of way. The rooms are a few feet from the beach which has plenty of palm trees for shade. It's small and intimate.
Tourists comb the beach to see what last night's tide washed ashore. That seems to be the most stenuous activity here or maybe snorkling. We are having a contented, relaxing vacation. It is the perfect counter balance to last week in my animal control officer class. Actually this is the perfect counter balance to any type of stress. When my husband says I'll get tired of the surf sounds, I have to wonder if he means in this life time.
I haven't seen a dog since we arrived at the resort. People in the room next to us are from Oswego, New York. The wife and I sit on the balcony in the morning talking about not missing snow, but missing their dogs. We share pictures of dogs like some people do of kids or grand babies. Once people find out I am a dog trainer it gives them permission talk about their furry friends. Mary told me about rescueing her Yorkie. How her friend knew it was the right dog for her. I could see that, she is the kind of woman you could picture with a Yorkie. Smile.

I find myself thinking about a lady I met at Playa Crash Boat in Aguadilla. She is one of the good samaratans of the island. Four years ago she and her husband moved here from Cape Cod. She carries food and water in her car so she can feed the dogs wherever she goes. I meet dog guardian angels where ever I go, but she was the first who carried water. I admire organized people like that. God bless her.