Back in action: 3 satos rescued from Los Machos Beach

On Friday, June 5, Adri and Kathy, of Wag On Inn, gave me the present of all presents...both text messaged me, "We got him!!!"

Him = Homer

Homer is a black lab mix that I've known for some time. He's a long-time Los Machos sato who I first met about two or three months after I started the Los Machos Beach Project in 2008. Homer was/is a scared boy, but with a handfull of hotdogs and a trustworthy, high-pitched, loving voice, he'll sit and let you scratch behind his ears for as long as you are willing. When I first encountered this sato, he had absolutely no hair on his body because of mange and who knows what other types of mites. I began treating with him with Ivomectin as often as I saw him, and improvements began.

I was never able to rescue him, and have had nightmares/dreams about Homer since I returned to San Diego. While Los Machos has always had too many dogs for me to save with the resources we have, Homer was "the one" I've felt guilty for not physically rescuing myself because there was no space, money, or shelter willing to take such a fragile, unsocial, and sick dog. Thanks to Olivia Burris, Homer's first sponsor, and her continued love and hope for this special dog, and, of course, all of our donors who have helped the Los Machos Beach Project pay off our debts, Homer is safely at Dr. Casta's. But this is just the beginning...

Homer, finally safe...but he still needs our help!

Homer has heartworm, anaplasmosis, ehrlichia, entropic eyes, and sarcoptic and demodectic mange. While I am not surprised that Homer has all these health issues, our work has just begun for this darling boy. I am confident that Homer's socialization will be easy. He has a very sweet soul, and will just need some time to learn to trust. The most difficult aspect of Homer's rescue will be, of course, paying his vet bills. Please, be generous for Homer.

And stay tuned...two other satos were rescued with Homer from Los Machos Beach, Clementine and Maritza.

Something HUGE (and black and fuzzy) to write about!!!!

HOMER WAS FINALLY RESCUED FROM LOS MACHOS BEACH!!!

Thanks to his primary sponsor Olivia Burris' support, hope, and love for our Homer, and Adri's willingness to rescue him from the beach, Homer, who has graced the presence of this blog through its existence, is now safely at Dr. Costa's getting treated for everything under the sun. That's right...he's safe, but unfortunately tested positive for heartworm, ehrlichia, anaplasmosis, and all the rest. With our help, he will be just fine.

I will post photos, more information, and how you can help over this weekend. I just had to share the good news the moment I heard it.

With tears in my eyes, I thank all those who helped Homer finally begin his journey into the life he's wanted and deserved for so long. So let's celebrate!!!

Status and Hope: Los Machos Beach Project 2009

Hello, my loyal readers.

I have recently received a few comments/emails regarding the status of the Los Machos Beach Project. I am equally as concerned and curious as you are, believe me. The fact of the matter is that without a person in Puerto Rico willing to dedicate himself or herself to rescuing satos of Los Machos Beach, it's difficult to continue this project. There are thousands of animals in Puerto Rico, and those individuals and groups who continue to rescue are never without a dull moment. Rescuing is constant...but not necessarily at Los Machos Beach.

Blondie with her new family in Puerto Rico!!! Thanks to ADLA's Adri, Blondie finally found her perfect home!

However, I'm not giving up quite yet. The good news, that I've heard through the grapevine, is that Margie, a Ceiba local, continues to feed and check on the animals at Los Machos Beach regularly. Supposedly she is getting funding and other means of help from Island Dog's Katie Block. I have tried to get information regarding their efforts out there, but have received no responses. To get a bit personal here, I am frustrated to have so little control over something that so recently was my life...and seeing Boca every day will never allow me to forget that place and those less fortunate satos that still need a home like Boca's.

Colin and Boca on Sunset Cliffs in San Diego, CA. Boca loves tidepools...and Colin.

I will work harder on finding out if any dogs have been rescued from Los Machos Beach since I left, but I want to focus on moving forward from here. On that note, guess what project only has $200 in debt left to pay at Dr. Ramos' office??? That would this project. Finally, we are approaching the end of what seemed to be the never-ending debt from our past-rescued satos. ADLA has picked away at the Los Machos Beach Project debt since I left, and the light at the end of the tunnel is bright.

Dakota - once a Los Machos sata, now a chicken.

What's next? Well, a go-getter, high-school senior is doing her part to raise money to save a Los Machos Beach Sato. Caitlin of Shepaug Middle School in Washington, Connecticut has been fundraising for the Los Machos satos for her senior project. The last update I received on her progress indicates that her efforts will not only clear our vet bill, but will also allow us to rescue the first Los Machos sato of 2009!!!


So there's a mini update. I hope to have more good news sooner than later!

Worthy dog on cover of Sports Illustrated!!!

Check out the full story here!

Is it really December?

I'll spare you all the excuses I could list to justify my absence over the past month. In sum, it's been a struggle to juggle all the things I would like to do with my time now that I am going full-speed ahead at my job and still getting settled in California...and then there's the holidays. 

Rest assured, my loyalty still resides with los satos, especially those of Los Machos Beach. We are, can you believe it, still in the hole by about $1000 (I think), and I really need to make things happen with that. Liz and Adri continue to rock the rescue world in Puerto Rico, and I can't justify asking them to go pick up more Los Machos satos if we haven't yet paid off our seemingly permanent debt for this project. 

So my updates on this blog will be few and far between most likely until the New Year...and yes, we would love any help we can get for our Los Machos Beach Project debt. Once there is more funding, the rescuing at Los Machos Beach will continue...as will my blog posts.  

As for my brilliant/predictable holiday present idea for 2008...ADOPT or SPONSOR a sato!! That's what's on my list this year...how 'bout yours?

Hope all is well...and that you aren't mad at me for disappearing for a month!

Shanti

Still no resolution

As for that weekend update I had promised, well, there isn't much more to tell yet. The Arecibo Shelter has gotten some press lately for its unimaginably poor conditions, and we should have some news this week as to a resolution to the problem, as meetings are being held that should decide, hopefully, whether or not the shelter needs to be shut down (yes, this means a mass rescue effort will be involved) or kept open and run more properly (also meaning that a budget must be set and USED for the shelter. In an email I recently received, an animal activist and frequent volunteer at the Arecibo Shelter listed the following cases of neglect and abuse she has witnessed since the official opening of the shelter (as I've had to say before, brace yourself for this):

• Unsterilized males and females are mixed in large kennels
  
• Large and small dogs are also mixed in kennels; small dogs are not able to compete for food
  
• No bowls for food and water (though the last time I went to the shelter, we bought approx. 30 bowls...hmmmm)
  
• Dogs sleeping in puddles
  
• Food on the floor (not to mention the dogs) is soaked in water and cleaning chemicals
  
• Newborn puppies are dying from being soaked and left to lay on the wet and cold floors
  
• Cats are eating kittens; no getting enough food
  
• No one is cleaning the cat area; cats all mixed in one area
• No one seems to buying food; food is primarily being supplied by animal activists and the public
  
• No vet care for sick and/or dying animals
  
• No vet on-site
  
• Little to no medications or vaccinations are given to animals in need
  
• Sick, injured, and dying dogs are kept on site until they die since they are not set up for humane euthanasia
  
• Dogs run over by cars are also kept in pain without vet care
• Dogs are given up for adoption without being sterilized

*Please note that I paraphrased the original email I received.

So yes, something needs to happen ASAP. As soon as we hear word of what's going to happen next, I'll let you know. As of now, we're preparing for all the options, whether it be a huge rescue mission with the help of other groups and individual rescuers on the island or having Jackie Fahey from St. Hubert's come down to show the Arecibo Shelter how it should be done. I have a feeling we may end up doing a mixture of the two.

You are what you eat

This year, as you can see, Dakota will be a chicken for Halloween, and her sister, Renita (also an adopted sato), will be a pig. If Patty wasn't such a good mom, I might comment, "Poor babies!" However, when it comes down to it, it doesn't get much cuter than dogs dressed up as chickens and pigs. Thanks for sharing, Patty. While Dakota does look a bit annoyed in the photos (Ha!), I couldn't be happier she continues to live the life she always deserved.

More news to come this weekend...I promise. There's A LOT going on. For an update right now, check out Liz's summary of recent events at the Arecibo shelter. Yup, there's trouble over there again. It's a mess: an inhumane, gut-turning mess. And, of course, Amigos de los Animales will be involved in making something, though we are working on what, happen.

Arecibo Shelter In The News Again