Hi. I am a furry quadruped lover living in Cancun, Mexico and, believe me, it isn't easy being a furry quadruped lover living in Cancun, Mexico.
The homeless population of the cats and dogs here is out of control. It breaks my heart to see all the unwanted, unloved creatures here. They are skinny, hungry, perpetually scared and always looking for a friend with food.
Every day I take my usual walk to the local community park. I always carry a small supply of Whiskas or Cat Chow with me. During my walk my little friends, some dozen to two dozen of them, have come to expect me and are usually waiting for me to pass by. I get some pleasure from knowing that, for at least this one moment in their day, they do not have to struggle or dig through a pile of trash just to get a simple meal. My human and very patient friends have come to expect several stops during any walk we might share.
When I first moved here and started feeding these little homeless creatures it did not take me long to realize that it wasn't always about the food. Some of them, obviously in need of food, crave attention too. A little scratching behind the ears and some kind words will have them spinning around my ankles.
For the most part, the locals are generally not cruel to the animals. It's just that they do not seem to care as much as I and my other animal-loving friends would like. I cannot bear to see an animal suffering. It isn't something I can walk away from. Some of the locals appreciate the effort and even thank me for caring. Most of them, however, are quick to point out that I am only aggravating the population problem by feeding the animals.
I have resolved this dilemma in my own mind. First, the locals ignore the disease while I treat the symptoms. There is little to no animal control here; little funding, few programs, few free spay/neuter events.
Second, these poor creatures are guilty of nothing. What has happened to them is not their fault. They had nothing to do with being born into these bleak circumstances.
Third, I adopt when I must. I have two loving cats I rescued named Buddy and Vita living here with me in my tiny apartment.
And fourth, I spay/neuter when and where I can. It isn't expensive compared to the prices veterinarians charge in the US, but it adds up quickly, especially when there is such a big need.
So, what to do? Ignore them? Let them suffer? Not a chance.
I have managed to get along for some time now on my own but, many 1,000s of pesos later, the time has come to ask for help. I am on a fixed income but my passion is a constant and unrelenting expense. I cannot imagine simply stopping or curbing my meal runs or having to decide who gets food and who doesn't. I am looking for partners to help me continue my efforts. I will provide the legs and manhours if you will partner with me financially.
My needs are simple. With some help I can buy more food (pet food here is expensive), catch and spay/neuter more animals and, for a few very lucky ones, put them on a plane to the US or Canada for adoption and a better life. I do not ask this lightly. I have become more than a little cynical in my years, and there is no better place to be cynical than here on the Internet. I'm not sure I would take someone's word when they ask for money and a promise to do good things with it. But that's exactly what I am doing. I must ask you to take a small leap of faith, and believe me when I say that every precious peso I get will be spent on the animals. Period.
I know the Internet is a crazy place, populated by too many people looking to make a score. Well perhaps you can, in your own mind, mitigate your risk and cynicism by donating a small amount, say just one dollar. Maybe the power of social media will connect me to enough animal lovers out there in the ether to help me make a difference. Believe me, it makes a difference.
Besides a promise to use your donations with care, I will keep my Facebook page updated with photographs and a log of my spending. Thanks for reading, and please consider.
Note: The pic above is a two week kitten someone left on my doorstep in a box. (My neighbors know I feed the nearby animals every evening so I guess I have a reputation.) Not to worry, the kitten's eyes are doing much better.
