Flaca

Some of you have been asking about (Frida) Flaca, the dog with such terrible mange that many felt she should be put down. Here is the ending of our part of the story.

Jim and I drove back to Vancouver Island with Frida (Flaca). What a wonderful traveler she was! Frida visited New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park and the Cascades, sleeping in her kennel in dog friendly motels along the way.  Many new sounds and experiences caught her by surprise…the sound of a train, running in the Colorado River, visiting bustling cities such as Santa Fe but she was amazing.  Nineteen days on the road and over 8,000 kilometers…what a traveler!!

Frida’s adoptive parents, Cheryl and Tony arrived at our home on Vancouver Island to adopt her complete with a new Kelly green collar, matching leash, treats, a new stainless food bowl and a new bed handmade by Cheryl’s mother. Accompanying them were their other two adopted dogs, Kohl (once known as Flaco with the broken leg who had successfully undergone six chemotherapy treatments for a tumor on his penis. 

We rescued him in Los Ayala and drove him back to Canada two years ago.) and Cairo, their rescued pit-bull cross from the SPCA. 

We all held our breath the moment they all met, hoping they would get along.  Expecting Cairo, the dominant female to be the problem, we were taken by surprise to find that it was Kohl, the rescued Mexican male, who was jealous. Frida was in love with Cairo instantly, giving her kisses and playing (see picture).  Kohl was most put out.  It has taken some time, but now they are all happily living together in Burnaby. 

Frida has gone to an incredible home!  Cheryl and Tony have health insurance for their dogs, make their own healthy dog food (fresh beef heart, cottage cheese), brush their teeth, walk them daily, and the list goes on!  Needless to say, Frida will be a much loved dog in their home. 

Many thanks to Cheryl and Tony for adopting Frida (I shed a few tears when she left as I grew to love her as well!) and also for their donation of money, two kennels, syringes, collars and leashes.  They are wonderful people.

Mai Tai

We adopted a pup from your clinic Jan. 18th 07 and have enjoyed every moment with her. We named her Mai Tai and before leaving Mexico she got her shots at the vet. in La Peñita. She has ended up a little taller than we had hoped but she is so gentle, sweet natured and obedient (most of the time) that size means nothing. She has been so easy to train you would think she really appreciates her new home.
We took her camping to a music festival last weekend, lots of folk around our group as there was a fiddle, three guitars and an accordion going most of the time and she never barked or fussed at anyone.
When we first got her she was terrified of young children, obviously they had been a problem for her. Now she is fine with them and our grandkids love her. At the festival children from another group came to visit her and walked her three times a day.
I just thought you might be interested in hearing how one of your charges has made out after leaving the clinic.
Best Regards;
Gordon ,Marion and Mai Tai.  

La Peñita R.V.Park
 

Queso

Until our next trip to Los Ayala in the spring...ciao! Cinnamon and Eric Pandur

The Story of Three Rescued Dogs
So often, visitors who come to Jaltemba Bay witness many starving or ill street dogs. Many ask what can we do to help? Well, here is Janice's story of how she rescued three dogs from our area and brought two of them back to Canada. It is inspiring to read about Janice's efforts to help these animals and know that there are folks who have made a difference! I hope you enjoy her story.

Lin Faith's story:
We went for a one week vacation at the all inclusive hotel Decameron Los Cocos in Guayabitos and decided one day to go to their beach club In Lo de Marcos. As soon as we arrived we sat on our beach loungers and within 5 minutes this skinny homeless dog came and sat by me. She had a huge tumor on her rear and it was bleeding. She was so friendly and just looked at me with those big brown eyes asking for help.

I got up and walked into town while everyone else went swimming. I had to find some food for this dog; I found this tiny little store that did not have dog food so I purchased a couple tins of tuna and a ham and cheese bun from the local bakery and some water. I walked back to the beach and the dog was still lying by my chair. I fed her the food and she ate like she was starving. I then went up to the self serve buffet as soon as it opened and got her another plate of food. When the bus came to pick us up to go back to the hotel she followed me and sat right beside me. I was heart broken when I had to get on the bus and leave her. We went to the beach club for the next 2 days, the second day the dog wandered up and laid beside us right away. I fed her again and she stayed with us the whole day.

On the third day she was not at the beach club when we arrived, I was worried. About 30 minutes after we arrived I saw her walking slowly along the beach with her head hanging low. I called her and she looked up and saw me, she used every bit of the strength she had left to run up to me. It brought tears to my eyes. We were going home the next day and I knew there was not enough time to find out how I could bring her home. I went to the local vet and bought food and flea and tick medication and asked what could be done for her tumor as it was now bleeding in 3 places. The vet told me (in Spanish and part English) that there was nothing that could be done as it was cancer. I did not believe this; I went back to the hotel that night feeling terrible.

I met a nice family from Cranbrook who was staying a week later and promised me that they would feed her for the next week. I flew back to Canada feeling completely sick that I had to leave her behind. I got on the Internet determined to find a dog rescue somewhere in Puerto Vallarta. I found a dog rescue in Tulsa Oklahoma that had a sister rescue agency in Puerto Vallarta called Casa Andrea. They emailed me back saying that they could help and that I needed to get the dog to Puerto Vallarta fast before she died. I managed to get the lady from Cranbrook to pay the bartender's uncle $400 pesos to drive the dog to PVR. She stunk so badly at that time that they had to wear masks in the car transporting her.

The rescue agency in PVR got her the medical attention she required immediately: spaying, shots, removing 4 dewclaws' of her back paws as well as 3 treatments of chemo. The dog stayed at the rescue agencies farm for 2 months before she was healthy enough to get her health certificate and well enough to travel. I flew down in July to bring her home. Today she is healthy and happy and is an important part of our family. I named her "Faith" as that is what she had, trusting me to help her. Salsa's story:
Our third trip to Guayabitos and my family and I were having Lunch in a little roadside restaurant. Halfway through the meal I seen this god awful looking dog limp past us. I watched to see where she was going when a couple of the vendors shoed her away from their booth's. They shoed her into traffic, she swayed and staggered on the road just missing getting hit by a passing car. My cousin told me just not to look (isn't that the main problem!!) I got out of my chair picked up my chicken as well as my aunts and a few fries and went running after her. I found her hiding, cowering under this small cover behind a shop. I gave her the chicken and she inhaled it as she was starving. I yelled for my husband to come and help me and I cried as I held her so she wouldn't continue to try to hide and get away. As my husband held her I ran into a t-shirt shop and purchased a cotton dress and placed it over the poor girl.

I had my husband go give my family money for our meal and we started walking. I was looking for Lin and her dog rescue, not realizing that Los Ayala was a different town then Guayabitos. We walked from the middle of Guayabitos to Los Ayalas in the hot sun, the dog was so weak she lay down and started whining, I picked her up and started carrying her. Her skin was bleeding due to the Mange as well as a severe infection in her nasal passage that infected her throat and her eyes, she was in rough shape. We searched the town with no luck locating Lin, so we found some shade and an Internet service so that I could look up Lin's location. Finally we walked through the other side of town where we found Lin and Jim, the lifesavers. Jim graciously drove us and the dog to Lo de Marcos where we got the dog medical attention and medication that was urgently needed. Luckily the hotel where we were staying let us keep the poor dog in an unfinished portion of the hotel for six days where I was able to provide medical attention, rest, food and lots of tender loving care. Every day she got stronger and more playful and a little more trusting of humans. Lin then came to the rescue finding Salsa a foster home while she recovers. The lady who is looking after her is truly an Angel just as Lin and Jim are. I really cherish this memory of knowing there really are people out there that care for these poor souls...

Mama's story:
My mom and I came on this trip to Lo de Marcos for some good rest and relaxation and a chance to recharge our batteries as my mom has been fighting cancer for the last 9 months. We found the hotel the same night we arrived and checked in the next day. There was a skinny little dog that was hanging around the hotel. We befriended her as soon as we arrived. She was very timid and skinny. I went to the little store down the road and bought her some dog food. It took awhile that first day before she decided she could trust us. She followed us wherever we went. The second night we were there she decided in the middle of the night that she wanted in our room and jumped on the door until I finally gave in and let her in. I did not want to get attached as I knew it would be impossible to leave her if she was homeless. Well for the next 3 weeks she became our best friend, our protector and our shadow. She was homeless and for the first time in her life she knew what it felt like to be loved. Moma became very attached to my husband and me. When it came close to the time (3 days before) we had to leave to go home I made the decision that she was not going to be homeless, starving and neglected any longer. I was hoping my sister was going to take her but now found out she is unable to. She fitted in so well here that we kept her. I will not take her from one bad situation and put her in another, she is happy here and all the other animals have accepted her. So we now have 5 dogs and at our household limit for animals, we feel that it is worth all the trouble and would recommend it to anyone that has that aching heart when they see these helpless innocent souls just looking for some love. (you CAN help)..... That is the whole truth in a nutshell...Thanks again Lin...

Take care Janice

 

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