1. Jeff and I just got back to Mexico a few days ago. We're having a spay and neuter clinic next week and then the normal dog stuff from there. I would like to do a sweep of the island, door to door, working on vaccinations and spaying and neutering. I mean really - we've been back two days and we already have a very weak momma with eight pups. Then I got a call about another dog with eight pups and Jeff and I are about to go pick up four. This has to stop. I called my new momma - Momma Rina after the hurricane that wasn't. Here is our new mom warming up her pups after their bath this morning, such a good mom. This must be black dog week, out of the thirteen puppies there is only one white one. We are so looking forward to moving ahead this year. With all the rescue groups and people that we are working with now, we can get more done and we're hoping that we can get some help with this. Already we have some wonderful monthly donators, and it makes a huge difference. So many people ask me what they can do to help, well it's really easy. If we can get enough people donating $10.00 a month we will have a budget to work with. Ten people giving up two starbuck coffees every month can buy enough dog food for a week, or three spays or four neuters, or twelve vaccines, or five distemper tests, or four parvo tests, or two and a half medium crates, or ten bottles of specialty shampoos, or two bottles of de-wormer, or five dog rides to the airport, or five health certificates, and on and on. Every penny goes to the dogs, there is no administration, we pay Marcelino's salary (he works at the house and helps with the dogs). IT'S ALL FOR THE DOGS. We've been home three nights and already have two momma's with their pups. There is no where else for these dogs to go. We will find homes for the pups and spay the moms. Each spayed female is one step closer to a better life for dogs in Mexico. If you already donate, ask a friend to do it too, and ask their friends to do it as well. Ten dollars a month and we can make a huge difference together. I forgot to mention in this blog yesterday that the Isla Animals Website is set up to do monthly donations. If you scroll down to the very bottom of the front page there is a donate button, click on that and then there are instructions on how to continue. Thank you everybody, in advance, who donates. It makes all the difference. We are setting up for a big spay and neuter clinic today and getting ready for all the street puppies that we find.

2. We are doing another big spay and neuter clinic in Corales near Rancho Viejo which is next to Cancun. This is our second clinic in this location. Last time we ended up with over fifty puppies. We can put the dogs back on the street but never the puppies. We often re-home the dogs if we can as well. Anyway it has been the worst year for distemper that I've ever seen. Unfortunately we lost about 20% of those pups to distemper. It only takes one distemper pup to infect an entire group of un-vaccinated puppies. So this April we're going to test every puppy that comes in. The tests are two hundred pesos a piece, about eighteen dollars, we want to have seventy five available for that last week of April. I'm asking if any of you can help by buying one or two tests it would make a huge difference. You can donate on our pay pal and make a note that it's for distemper tests and that's exactly what it will be used for. This is an extra cost that we didn't figure into our budget when we were making the original plans. On a more fun note, Isla Animals has had a small explosion of puppies. First we got a litter of nine. Pepe spotted the mom and her pups next to the bull ring in Cancun and has been waiting for them to be old enough to bring here. Then we got a moma and her seven pups. Everyone is healthy, has already been tested for distemper and is adjusting well. By the way Rusty is doing much better.

3. The race was great. There's lots of room for improvement but for a first effort we are all very happy. To all of the incredible volunteers, Jeff and I are so, so grateful. And to those who helped set things up ahead of time with the city and the schools and the race route, we couldn't possibly have done it without you. We haven't finished with the tally because Jeff is still working at the music festival but as soon as we have numbers I will post them. We had over sixty runners thanks to all of you wonderful people who signed up to sponsor school kids. And for you generous supporters who sponsored teams of five, it added so much excitement. Unfortunately we couldn't fill all the teams but next year people will have a better idea of what's going on. The whole event was fun and involved the entire community. From the island government to the police department to the Navy that allowed us to run on the runway. We had help from the Red Cross, they sent their ambulance to be on standby. We had runners of all ages from many different countries. For the first year we couldn't have asked for more.

4. What could be better than getting a puppy or dog off the street. How can you beat putting meat on a starving animals bones or help out a dog before it's abused and learns to mistrust humans. It's the best feeling in the world. Help me prevent another box of unwanted pups being left on a vacant lot. I can do all that and more if I have the funds. Help us turn this Into this It's a great gift idea for the person who has everything. You can buy them a monthly donation to Isla Animals. I will make sure that every penny that you donate is put to work. It's the most wonderful thing to know that we can count on a certain amount of money coming in each month. It allows me to plan ahead in this work that is other wise, to say the least, financially chaotic. And if you are looking for something different you can donate a certain amount of spays and neuters in someone's name. The surgery averages out to $20.00 an animal and it's the bottom line solution to overpopulation and suffering of animals in Mexico. Donate and then let me know by email bayfirestd@aol.com so I can make sure that a Christmas card is sent to your friend or family member. They will love it.

5. Thank You to the Bow Wow Club For Your generous Donation!

6. Yahoo, we are now a 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit organization

 

 

Donate $100 to Isla Animals today and get Alison's Book "No Urn for Ashes" FREE!

 

Dogs Rescued

Bursting with puppies again

We just got a new mom with eight pups. Are they ever wonderful. Have a look at the web page under “dog and pups at the house.” You’ll love it. Luckily I have volunteers to help out.
We sent eight pups to Calgary before Christmas, you can see some of them on the Pawsitive Match Web site.I love to see them in their new homes but I’m always sad to say “good bye”.

ROLLING UP MY SLEAVES

Jeff and I just got back to Mexico a few days ago. We’re having a spay and neuter clinic next week and then the normal dog stuff from there. I would like to do a sweep of the island, door to door, working on vaccinations and spaying and neutering. I mean really – we’ve been back two days and we already have a very weak momma with eight pups. Then I got a call about another dog with eight pups and Jeff and I are about to go pick up four. This has to stop. I called my new momma – Momma Rina after the hurricane that wasn’t.
Here is our new mom warming up her pups after their bath this morning, such a good mom. This must be black dog week, out of the thirteen puppies there is only one white one.
We are so looking forward to moving ahead this year. With all the rescue groups and people that we are working with now, we can get more done and we’re hoping that we can get some help with this. Already we have some wonderful monthly donators, and it makes a huge difference.

BACK TO MEXICO

We’re on our way back to Isla Mujeres with supplies and to get ready for a Mega training spay and neuter clinic. This will be our third clinic in Corales which is near Puerto Juarez and Rancho Viejo, which is part of Isla Mujeres but on the mainland. Between last October and May we did over one thousand cats and dogs. We are hitting the same area over and over. It’s a very poor neighborhood and the animal situation is awful, but getting better all the time.
It seems like just yesterday when we picked up our two cutie puppies that lived in our shower and found a wonderful home in the USA. We found them living under a boat and fed them. The next morning they were waiting for us and said they wanted to come along. They were amazing.

BUTLERS AMAZING HERITAGE

It’s so incredible how after many years of doing the same thing, there are still surprises. Last May I was walking along the street with Maia from Pet Project Rescue in Minneapolis. We, of course, are there for the dogs. When we see a black poodle that’s obviously nursing, we ask around to find out where she lives so we can check on her pups. We find the house and there are eight pups, covered with ticks and fleas, filthy and neglected.
We ask the owners if we can take the whole family home for a few days, clean them up, give them vitamins etc. They think we’re crazy but say yes. So we take her home and make a big fuss over her for ten days until the owners say they want them all back. We reluctantly return them while making the owner promise to spay the mom and add that if they can’t find homes for the pups we’ll take them. When we go back to check the house is empty. Then on December I, seven months later, I get a phone call from someone who has a momma and seven pups and she doesn’t want them. Of course I take them. It turns out to be the same mom and a new litter of pups that are one day old. And sadly the mom is a mess, much worse than the first time we saw her.
Okay long story, this May the vet brought me a pup, actually over a year old, he was sick and terrified. We called him Butler, he had the same body type as my poodle mom and was the right age to be part of that first litter that disappeared but come on, it’s a big island. Than I find this picture, it’s one of the pups from the first litter. You tell me, I know it’s him.Wait did I mention that I’ve kept Butler so long that he’s mine now, even Jeff likes him.

KAREN THE FREQUENT FLYER UPDATE

This is such a lovely ending to a long journey I just had to share it. First is the story of Karen at my rescue and then all of her travel trials and then a letter from the person who adopted her. It’s great. This is long but it’s worth it.

In Isla Mujeres and Cancun I’ve become the puppy person. Puppies are so difficult and at bigger risk when put in a rescue with older dogs. So Ricardo, who runs a rescue in Cancun and takes in any and every street dog and does a fabulous job and literally loves the dogs as much as I do, sent me two small puppies at the beginning of February, a male and a female, eight weeks old. They were tiny and adorable with bad skin and shaky knees from a calcium deficiency. I named them after Richard and Karen Carpenter.

BEFORE AND AFTER

Here is a wonderful before and after. Babs came to Isla Animals from a rescue on the mainland. She had bad skin, she was lethargic, thin and very shy. She stayed with us for a while and then went to Calgary. Look at her now.

KAREN THE FREQUENT FLYER

This is the story of misplaced enthusiasm. If we can’t find homes for our pups or dogs locally we send them to rescues in the US or Canada. Recently we connected with a new rescue in Toronto, Canada which is fun for me because I grew up there.
Six weeks ago we arranged to send five pups to our new rescue. Everything went well until the final exit through customs at the Toronto Airport. We had sent pups there before with no problems but this time the agent decided that our puppies were commercial, someone had to be making money off of this. It’s actually very funny, most rescues barely scrape by and individuals eat up their retirement accounts rescuing dogs. If there’s money in this, please someone tell me where to find it.
Well this agent stuck to his guns and actually sent all five puppies back to Mexico. These pups were in their crates for over thirty six hours and then we had trouble with Mexican customs on their return. Don’t these people have better things to do than to make life miserable for five little rescue puppies.
Finally we got the pups back. They were frightened, thin and dehydrated but okay after tons of hugs and food and water.
During all the fuss the custom agents told us that there would be no problems if we flew the pups with a passenger and not cargo. Okay a month later a good friend was flying Cancun to Toronto so we sent the now three pups back to Toronto (some of them got homes). Two of them made it through but Karen didn’t, her owner was waiting for her in Toronto and customs decided that if the owner was getting a new pup then money must be changing hands.
I just have to add here, how odd this is. I spend most of my life trying to convince people that these rescue dogs have value, as in a special life, and here we run into a problem where they are being assigned monetary value, like we are running a puppy store rather than a rescue.
Okay, long blog, sorry—— they take Karen away again and forbid her to touch her cutie paws on Canadian soil. Remember this is her second stint doing overtime in a crate surrounded by strangers. A situation which we usually deem worth it when they get to their new, wonderful, forever, homes.
Karen’s future was not looking good, another trip back to Mexico just seemed too cruel. The whole wonderful rescue community jumped into action. Finally we found out that Karen didn’t have to go back to Mexico, that being a threat to national security, she only had to get off Canadian Soil. So back on an airplane she went, after vets visits, more strange kennels and an added threat of quarantine.
Wonderfully she has landed in Denver where our local support is now helping her get back to health and will find her that home she deserves. Canada is now safe.

BUTLER IS STILL WITH US

Butler is an adorable little dog. He came to us when he was about a year old. Someone found him abandoned and sick. Plus he must have been mistreated because he was so afraid of people I had to drag him out of the van that delivered him. So we treated him for ehrlichia and sent him to a quiet foster family where he did really well.
When it was time for the family to leave, Butler came back to us, still shy but workable. He stayed upstairs at the house which really annoyed our dog Sol but he got over it.
I decided that Butler was still too shy to send to a rescue so he stayed with us and he’s still with us. Jeff keeps asking when he’s going to his new home or rescue. Ha ha ha

A GREAT STORY

Jeff and I are on the way from Mexico to Colorado in our RV. We drive across the Yucatan Penninsula to the Gulf of Mexico and always stay at this one place in a small town called Isla Iguada. It’s right on the beach and really great.
This year we stayed an extra day because we had some complications sending pups to Toronto and wanted to be available. Of course I’m always watching the local dog situation and on the beach right in front of us were two saddly, skinny puppies living under a boat. I took them some food and expected them to run away but they were incredibly friendly. So Jeff and I talked about taking them but decided it would be really difficult. I spent all day playing with them and giving them food. The day we were leaving we stepped outside the camper and there they were. “Hi, are we leaving today?” What are you going to do??????

So we put them in the shower. They were so good I can’t believe it. They were instantly house trained, never whined and were just a joy. So we get to Texas and there is a lovely retired couple in the camp site across from us. One look at the pups and they adopted them. I’m asking all the questions, not wanting to part with the pups, who I named Tipper and Birdie, so soon. But it was a perfect match. So these wonderful cuties went from starving under a boat to a wonderful life in Texas. It doesn’t get any better than that.

AN INCREDIBLE WEEK

What a week. We had our clinic in Corales with local volunteers, vets and techs from Canada and the USA and of course Pepe. It was incredible. We’d planned to sterilize four to five hundred cats and dogs but with dedication, hard work and persistence we did seven hundred and sixty one. Can you believe it.

We took in wonderful pups, check out my adoption site, it’s completely updated and the adopted pups have been moved to the adopted page. I have so many more pictures, I will post them soon.