I really want to apologize for not making the time to update all summer!  I cannot believe it has been since June!  I guess this is the time to say, NEED: Volunteer website and Social media person!  Must be passionate, expressive and compassionate!  I can give you all the material, stories, photos etc, BUT it takes me a long time to sit and write these posts, it makes it very challenging to HAVE the time!

I will get  back to finishing the posts about last May’s campaigns!  I still need to finish recovery!  I will do that soon, but first, I will quickly update you about the summer!

Summers are usually a slow time because with the drop in tourism from Canada and the USA, the heat embargo that most airlines have – shelters are usually jammed packed over the summer months unable to take in new dogs in need of rescue. 

Thanks to Air Transat’s waivers they offer for rescue dogs to fly for free, this past summer we were able to send out 5 dogs almost every. single. week.  I think I sent out 40-50 dogs over the summer months and ALL of them have been adopted into their happy families!  Even though the transports were only one day a week, there is a LOT of background work that needs to be done before and after a dog goes to their rescue or home placement so it almost takes an entire week just or organize and make sure all is perfect for each and every pooch!

A dear friend of mine, Dinah, and I have been working on a pilot project called “Spay the Invasion”.  The invasion is a small area of squatted land in Puerto Morelos.  Its actually two colonias in one.  Most of the houses are not much more but shacks and almost every house has 3+ animals.  Thanks to donations and support, Dinah managed to spay and neuter over 60 animals this past summer, and we plan soon to do more!!!  Dinah has also treated about 8 animals for TVT, a contagious cancer that is 100% treatable but is also 100% contagious.  The Planned Pethood clinic in Puerto Morelos has been AMAZING with us and the animals of the invasion.  All the treatments and surgeries have been COST ONLY, allowing us to do SO MUCH MORE!

We have not only gotten some pooches dog houses, but also set up some of the dogs with 20ft tie out cables, that amazing tourists are bringing down for me.  The dogs AND their owners are so much happier with these cables.  The dogs are not free roaming and fighting, or contracting diseases, nor are they on two foot chains or ropes… but have the room to move freely and safely WITHIN their property lines AND access shade, food and water easily.  The owners feed back about the tie out cables has been really rewarding.  The owners themselves have seen a great improvement in their animals happiness.  THAT is huge to me!  The education is the key and what will change the situation we are facing LONG TERM!

Dinah and I have a few ladies from the invasion who are doing a census in their areas.  The two colonias are actively trying to get basic services ran to the area.  Water and electricity being the main ones, and already have a lay out of the lots from the two areas.  They are going around and asking owners how many animals they have, and if they want to spay and neuter them.  (Of course, the ones who say they are not interested, we have MORE than enough happy neighbours that will advocate for the animals AND help convince them to work with us!

The invasion will be able to provide us with much needed data to help us properly plan and execute and MAINTAIN sterilizations and support for communities all over. I look forward to being able to post updates and stats as we have them!!!

Sooo much more to update but so much more to still do!  HA! 

I have a really cool fundraiser coming up JUST in time for the holidays!  Ill be posting it shortly so keep your eyes out!  you get a gift with every donation and the gifts are JUST DARLING!  They wont last long!!!!  You’ll need to get your donations in quickly to ensure we can send you the thank you gift you like most! 

Here is a preview!!!!

 

Ticks cause a lot of damage to animals down here.  Because of the humid tropic temps, they flourish all year round – attacking pets and animals of all kind and some humans too!  They carry diseases like anaplamosis and ehrlichia that can kill an animal easily.

 

As I was spraying today, (I fumigate once a week to fight the battle against the ticks) I got really excited.  I remembered one of the things I used to do for the community I lived in.  I would save up all my plastic bottles.  I would mix it with mostly water and a half a cap full of this product called Bovitraz.  

 

Bovitraz has a wide range of uses, but what I like it for most of all is spray for ticks.  Ticks like to climb up the walls and burrow into little holes, lay eggs and get hungry.  By spraying the walls once a week, I have barely any ticks, and no real need to put flea and tick meds on the dogs here at my home.  When I was operating a shelter, it was really important to spray because having up to 45 dogs and puppies can equal a HECK of a lot of ticks if you’re not careful.  The disapointing thing about flea and tick meds is, they dont really repel anything.  Sure, once the liquid has soaked into the system of the dog, they can kill off what ever ticks are feeding on the animal, but… they still need to feed and the dogs can still get sick.  Now, on those cases where they have tons of ticks, yes!  Get those meds on them.  But for locals here, those meds are expensive and it does not get to the root of the problem and get rid of the ticks and their nests.  They keep coming and coming.  

 

 Bovitraz has a wide range of uses.  It can be used as a dip for mange and fleas and ticks.  It does need to be done carefully as Bovitraz is a strong pesticide, but it is great to treat those severe cases.  A half a capful of bovitraz, costs about 5 or 6 pesos.  It can kill all the ticks currently on the animal, kill the mange mites and with proper fumigation and care, the animal can live comfy and tick/mange free!  Bovitraz is SUCH a cheap, efficient option for the locals but many dont know how to effectively use it.  With the mobile clinic we will be able to teach them, provide them with their first few bottle mixes, help show them how to safely use it on their animal in the severe cases, and encourage them to do a good wall, property line spray – even if bi weekly or monthly, it will STILL have an impact!  One bottle of Bovitraz can last a household easily 6 weeks to 3 months depending on how often they choose to spray.  A bottle costs 120 pesos at the feed stores.  Its easily accessable!  The owners will know where to get it in their community.  And an even happier outcome for the animals?  Pet owners are a LOT more likely to allow their animals to come inside the home IF they are not covered in parasites and pesky bugs!  

 

I really cant wait to get the wheels turning on the mobile clinic.  It is going to make a world of difference to both the animals and the people!  Please keep an eye out for a special fundraiser coming soon to get the clinic on the road or you can visit the site under donations and I will put those donations aside for the mobile vet clinic fundraiser!  Please say in the comments section “mobile” to be sure it goes towards that specific fundraiser.  🙂