Where to start this story... 2 years ago, I had heard about this dog refuge in Zaachila, a town about 12 kilometers outside of Oaxaca city. I went and brought a few bags of food out to them and walked in their little dog-a-thon. The lady who is in charge of this refuge is called "Tia Migue". Her story is that 12 years ago, she was diagnosed with cancer and promised God that if she recovered and lived, she would dedicate her life to dogs.
I watched this lady while I sat there struggling to follow the Spanish announcements from the town representatives. She pet a dog who had come to sit next to her with a tenderness and gentleness that was so blatant it made that lump rise in my throat. You know the one.
I started to go out to the refuge about a year ago. It had moved, the municipality had donated a plot of land a little further out. The first time I went, I cried. When my friend Kim came, she cried. When my friend Trina came, she looked a little wild eyed so we handed her a puppy. Bonnie came and pet every single one she could. It's crazy. Dogs are everywhere. It's dirty. It smells. Imagine over 100 dogs cohabitating with one lady and occasioanly her husband and another lady, Rocio, who used to go to volunteer to feed them.
So I brought food, often with money friends donated, often my own. They were being fed 50 kilos of kibble per day. They weren't skinny but they weren't healthy, either. They were also not dead by the side of the road. They generally had someone who cared for them. Even if they were covered in mange.
A few months ago there started to be a little unrest at the refuge. Another organization had gotten involved and there was some politics. One person said one lady was stealing. Another person called one lady a liar. Another lady thinks the refuge should be closed. Some other volunteers went with additional food. Some accused the Municipality of not taking care of their population, human or canine. There were reporters. Social media ugliness.
Bonnie, Carlos and I ended up in an article.
I'll be frank. I had stepped away for a bit. As a permanent resident of Mexico, I cannot be involved in anything political. Recently, I went back, after not having been there for several months. Since this political nonsense started, things have improved a little. A little. The day I went back, I knew I needed to stay engaged and involved. Even though the dogs were no longer covered with mange and they seemed to have more food and there seemed to be less fighting, there was so much to be done that it seemed overwhelming. Tia Migue had a sort of frantic feeling. So many people involved and yet, no plan. The Municipality has tried to put in enclosures but the metal sheeting they used to separate the rooms in the strip of 6 pens was exposed, meaning dog paws were cut and one anxious dog who tried to eat his way out of the sheet metal died. Dogs had been put in the enclosures with no thought to their behaviour and how this change may impact them. Exposed metal widely available to poke dogs and humans alike. No one's fault, just a lack of knowledge.
When Trina was here in December, she said it didn't matter how little money there was, you still needed a plan if things were going to improve. And she's right, I was just afraid.
So. I decided I was needed. Like it or lump it, I was going to spend some time making this place safe, for the dogs, for Tia Migue, for those of us who volunteer our time there. For anyone who wants to come and adopt.
The journey began.
I watched this lady while I sat there struggling to follow the Spanish announcements from the town representatives. She pet a dog who had come to sit next to her with a tenderness and gentleness that was so blatant it made that lump rise in my throat. You know the one.
I started to go out to the refuge about a year ago. It had moved, the municipality had donated a plot of land a little further out. The first time I went, I cried. When my friend Kim came, she cried. When my friend Trina came, she looked a little wild eyed so we handed her a puppy. Bonnie came and pet every single one she could. It's crazy. Dogs are everywhere. It's dirty. It smells. Imagine over 100 dogs cohabitating with one lady and occasioanly her husband and another lady, Rocio, who used to go to volunteer to feed them.
So I brought food, often with money friends donated, often my own. They were being fed 50 kilos of kibble per day. They weren't skinny but they weren't healthy, either. They were also not dead by the side of the road. They generally had someone who cared for them. Even if they were covered in mange.
A few months ago there started to be a little unrest at the refuge. Another organization had gotten involved and there was some politics. One person said one lady was stealing. Another person called one lady a liar. Another lady thinks the refuge should be closed. Some other volunteers went with additional food. Some accused the Municipality of not taking care of their population, human or canine. There were reporters. Social media ugliness.
Bonnie, Carlos and I ended up in an article.
I'll be frank. I had stepped away for a bit. As a permanent resident of Mexico, I cannot be involved in anything political. Recently, I went back, after not having been there for several months. Since this political nonsense started, things have improved a little. A little. The day I went back, I knew I needed to stay engaged and involved. Even though the dogs were no longer covered with mange and they seemed to have more food and there seemed to be less fighting, there was so much to be done that it seemed overwhelming. Tia Migue had a sort of frantic feeling. So many people involved and yet, no plan. The Municipality has tried to put in enclosures but the metal sheeting they used to separate the rooms in the strip of 6 pens was exposed, meaning dog paws were cut and one anxious dog who tried to eat his way out of the sheet metal died. Dogs had been put in the enclosures with no thought to their behaviour and how this change may impact them. Exposed metal widely available to poke dogs and humans alike. No one's fault, just a lack of knowledge.
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| Inside bottom of a door sharpness. :( |
When Trina was here in December, she said it didn't matter how little money there was, you still needed a plan if things were going to improve. And she's right, I was just afraid.
So. I decided I was needed. Like it or lump it, I was going to spend some time making this place safe, for the dogs, for Tia Migue, for those of us who volunteer our time there. For anyone who wants to come and adopt.
The journey began.
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2 comments:
What do you need?
Hi Dr.Kathy! Would you prefer cash or in-kind (if you are in Oaxaca?) Right now I am getting my head around what we need. The municipality seems to have the food under control, but there are some new dogs that came in that need to be spayed. Let me over the next two weeks figure out what that will entail to get the vets out there are get back to you. There are puppies we also need to get vaccinated, so again, let me talk to the vet and get those needs posted.
Thanks!
Tanya
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