Saturday, May 5, 2018

MYSTERIOUS MARIETAS

LAS ISLAS MARIETAS       photo credit:  Joyce Hartvigson

Speeding west from Boca de Tomatlán for 45-minutes in the panga, we were very close to the ghost-like apparition of the Marieta Islands.  An hour from Puerto Vallarta, and 15-minutes from Punta de Mita, this small group of uninhabited islands was formed thousands of years ago by volcanic activity.  The mysterious looking rock formations and craters on the islands were created in the early 1900´s, when the Mexican military used the area to test bombs and explosives. In the late 60´s, famed scientist, Jacques Cousteau,  was an early voice leading the international outcry against this practice.  Soon afterwards, the Mexican government declared the islands a national park, with no fishing, hunting or human activity allowed. With their 44 different species of plants and wildlife (including blue-footed boobies, red-billed tropicbirds, coral, tropical fish, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, etc.), the islands have been designated as a UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve.

Because of the damage to the environment due to tourism, the Marietas were closed to the public in 2016.  Sunscreen on swimmers and divers was harming marine life,  and boat oil from the many tour trips was destroying the coral.  Hydrocarbon and solid waste pollution continue to harm the delicate ecosystem of the islands.  Scientists estimate that in a few thousand years, the Marietas will no longer exist.  For now, they are a strangely beautiful sight in the dazzling Pacific.

Turning south before reaching the islands, we motored back to the coastline, passing the lovely, small beach and tiny village of Pizota.   It was almost two hours after having seen a couple of sea turtles, that we chanced upon a small pod of half-a-dozen dolphins swimming in a perfect row towards Yelapa. 

(If interested in this type of excursion:  Boca Divers via FB or call 228 0713 in Vallarta.  A percentage of the outing will go towards the surgery expenses of "Loup," an AyudaMutt rescue dog).
DELFIN FRENTE DE LA PLAYA DE YELAPA        photo credit:  Joyce Hartvigson
Back in Boca, we enjoyed fresh ceviche on the beach before heading home.  It was on this day, Sunday, April 29th, that our weather flipped from balmy spring to the beginning of what feels like hot summer.  Air temperature - 90  - Humidity - 70%.
PESCADO PARA COMER EN BOCA DE TOMATLÁN    photo credit:  Joyce Harvitson


LAS CAÑADAS: ("THE RAVINES"): A beautiful, enormous parota tree with spreading green branches stands in the middle of the main dusty road that goes through this very poor countryside neighborhood. Underneath the graceful tree are piles of garbage where dogs forage for something to eat. 




PERRA EN LAS CAÑADAS
Some of the dogs are bald from severe cases of mange.  Some are pregnant or clearly nursing puppies,  and most of the male dogs are intact. It´s impossible to tell which dogs are owned and which are homeless.  None look cared for.  There are dogs and dust in every direction.  Clouds of dust swirl up into the air when a vehicle drives down this road named "Fundación." 
MAMÁ CALLEJERA - LAS CAÑADAS

A small, emaciated black dog with almost empty teats followed me from the pile of garbage under the parota tree to the mercado on the nearby corner.  Dulce, a very pretty teenager working there, told me the dog was homeless and had given birth to puppies a couple of weeks ago.  The dog was not a candidate for spaying because the uterus is still fragile until eight weeks after giving birth.   I fed the ravenous mama dog four sausages and a small bag of kibble and asked Dulce to give her a bowl of water.  The mama dog was accompanied by a slightly larger, black male dog caked in mud.


(Santa) Elena was at the clinic and easily collared it for surgery, which may save the dog´s life.  Neutered, he is now safe from contacting TVT (transmissible venereal tumor),  and the neighborhood has one less breeding dog.  I left enough cash with Dulce for two weeks of food and asked her to please help find where the mama dog and puppies were staying.  After contacting Mexpup, Patty Marchak immediately responded, saying she would accept the mama and her puppies and the black male dog companion.
(SANTA) ELANA CON EL CALLEJERO COMPAÑERO DE LA MAMÁ NEGRA

Returning the following day,  Leslie Caratachea and I trudged up a very steep, dusty hill, so dusty that it felt like a sand dune. Many of the houses we passed looked uninhabitable with their broken down walls and broken windows.  But people were living there.  Coated in dust by the time we reached the top, we were searching for a white, abandoned house where (Santa) Elena said the black mama dog was staying.  

Elena said that the man who had there with twenty-eight dogs had died a few months ago.  He had only wanted his female dogs sterilized, but hadn´t wanted the little black dog spayed.  Elena managed to take some of his dogs to a PEACEAnimals clinic, but was not able to take all of them. The formerly owned twenty-eight dogs are now friendly, hungry, neighborhood street dogs. The unsterilized ones have been reproducing and will continue to reproduce unless there is an intervention.




As we approached the house Elena had described, a group of young people were closing the high, black metal gate behind them.  They said they didn´t know anything about a dog with puppies and drove off.  Leslie said they probably thought we were government employees and were going to take the mama dog away because they had neglected her.  And they had.  The dog was starving and she and her puppies had little chance to survive.


Standing on the dusty hill dotted with rusted and ruined cars, one sees in the distance far below, the shimmering Pacific and the expensive condos and hotels lining Banderas Bay.  Without poverty, this high hill could have been a beautiful place with trees and gardens. Somehow, in the midst of tangled, dusty scrub, a small, red flower had bloomed. 

On Saturday morning, the last day of the clinic, Dulce told Leslie she had gone to collect the mama and puppies, but they had all been removed from the abandoned house.  I have offered Dulce a reward to find them and will pick them up if she is successful. The story of the black dog will hopefully be continued, and with a happy ending.
LESLIE CARATACHEA - LAS CAÑADAS

STERILIZATIONS AT LAS CAÑADAS CLINIC  April 25-28
WAITING FOR SURGERY - ESPERANDO CIRUGÍA - LAS CAÑADAS

Female dogs - 44; Male dogs - 19; Female cats - 29; Male cats - 21

TOTAL:  113  PLUS PREGNANCIES TERMINATED FOR:

2 cats with 3 fetuses each and 1 dog with 9 fetuses =
15 animals not born to suffer
WAITING FOR SURGERY - ESPERANDO CIRUGÍA - LAS CAÑADAS

MAMÁ Y SU HIJA - LAS CAÑADAS

DONATIONS AT LAS CAÑADAS:  430 PESOS
DR.POLI Y DR. PACHECO - LAS CAÑADAS

DONATIONS TO PEACEANIMALS:  

Michael Turner - $50 USD (monthly)
Suzanne French-Smith - 5,000 pesos
Lucy´s Cucu Cabana donation box - 2,200 pesos
Anonymous - 1,000 pesos
Sue Hunter - $19 USD (monthly)
Vallarta Adventures - 5,000 pesos worth of vet supplies (monthly donation during high season - November-May)
Caitlin McHugh - $100 USD - in honor her aunt (passionate animal advocate and PEACEAnimals board member)


CLÍNICA EN MOJONERAS EN EL AYUTAMIENTO




MOJONERAS - Thirty minutes northeast of centro Vallarta, it is a partially paved, poor neighborhood with a usually empty cement plaza, a bare-bones church with no walls, and a small government ("ayutamiento") building, where the clinics have always taken place.  Frank Ohly was there on Thursday, and told me that 28 cats and only 3 dogs had been brought in on Wednesday.  

(Santa) Elena arrived by truck when I was there.  She had brought six cats and eight dogs from neighbors who always give her gas money for trips to clinics.  Elena had also brought animals to the clinic on Wednesday.    
(SANTA) ELENA CON 6 GATOS & 8 PERROS DE SUS VECINOS - MOJONERAS

STERILIZATIONS AT CLINIC IN MOJONERAS - MAY 2-5:

Female dogs - 41; Male dogs - 19; Female cats - 40; Male cats - 29  TOTAL:  129

PLUS  pregnancies terminated for 1 cat with 6 fetuses; 1 cat with 2 fetuses; 1 dog with 8 fetuses; 1 dog with 4 fetuses  TOTAL: 20 animals not born to suffer.





LA PERRA QUE NO QUERÍA CAMINAR A LA CLÍNICA EN MOJONERAS - A DOG THAT DIDN´T WANT TO WALK TO THE CLINIC


DONATIONS AT MOJONERAS CLINIC:  
1,120 PESOS


EDUCATION PROGRAM:  Leslie Caratachea presented to 60 students at the Primaria Octavio Paz school on Tuesday, May 1st.

LESLIE CARATACHEA EN BUSCA DE LA PERRITA NEGRA Y SUS CACHORRITOS - LAS CAÑADAS

FOR PHOTOS/NAMES OF RESCUED DOGS THAT NEED HOMES, THE CITY SHELTER (FORMER CENTRO DE ACOPIO) HAS A CURRENT ROSTER THAT INCLUDES PHOTOS, NAMES AND DESCRIPTIONS.

PARA FOTOS, NOMBRES Y INFORMACIÓN DE PERROS EN EL ALBERGUE (ANTES CENTRO DE ACOPIO) QUE NECESITAN HOGARES:  https://perrospv.000webhostapp.com/lista-de-perros.html


ESPERANDO REGISTAR SUS MASCOTAS - MOJONERAS - WAITING TO REGISTER PETS

RAISING FUNDS AND VISIBILITY:  Three hundred  PEACEAnimals blue mesh shopping/beach bags with extra-long straps were ordered and a few are still available for purchase.  All profits go directly to cost of clinics.  The PEACEAnimals logo and website are on one side and the familiar mermaid on the other.  Bags are 200 pesos each and can be purchased at:
BOLSAS DE PEACEANIMALS EN VENTA

Lucy´s CuCu Cabana -295 Basilio Badillo 

Choco Museo - Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez 128 in centro (across from the malecón)

Galeria Uno - 561 Morelos - Centro

Colleción la Bohemia  -  Constitución and Basilio Badillo

Cork & Bottle - Los Mercados - Aquiles Serdan 265

Charlie's Sport Fishing and Tours- Local 8B -Marina Vallarta

Galeria Dante - 269 Basilio Badillo 


La Cruz Inn - at the plaza in la Cruz, Nayarit
  
Puerto Vallarta Botanical Gardens (gift shop)

Salon Divas - Melchor Ocampo 51 - Bucerias

DONATE WITHOUT SPENDING MONEY:  PEACEAnimals is able to receive donations from Amazon Smile under the umbrella of Banderas Bay Charities, Inc. Amazon donates 0.5% of eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organizations selected by their customers.  This is a very simple way to help fund our clinics:    https://smile.amazon.com/ch/47-4752247  Even simpler, long on to www.amazonsmile.com and type in Banderas Bay Charities, Inc. (PEACEAnimals receives all of these donations).


Troy Valens -  Owner of Sea Monkey and Cheeky Monkey restaurants -
 $10  USD gift certificates to Sea Monkey and Cheeky Monkey for "sharing" AmazonSmile post.



GREATERGOOD - PLEASE CLICK!  Your daily clicks or direct donations help animals, people and the planet. www.greatergood.orgwww.greatergood.com   To donate specifically to PEACEAnimals:  http://bit.ly/1cWY0lP

TAMBIÉN ESPERANDO REGISTRAR MASCOTAS - MOJONERAS

PLEASE CHECK OUR WEBSITE, FB PAGE OR BLOG FOR NEW DATES AND LOCATIONS OF CLINICS.  FAVOR DE CHECAR NUESTRO WEBSITE, PÁGAIN EN FB O BLG PARA NUEVAS FECHAS Y HOGARES PARA LAS CLÍNICAS GRATIS.
CLÍNICA EN MOJONERAS


SCHEDULE/HORARIO:

May 2-5 - Mojoneras, Puerto Vallarta - en la delegación - calle Jalisco con Guanajuato # 520

May 9-12 - IXTAPA -calle Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez - next to the ayutamiento

May 16 - VALLE DORADO, Nayarit - en la delegación - cerca de la iglesia

May 23-26 - las Varas

June 27-30 - Volcanes - in the school (en la escuela)


DESIGNATED LINE WITH RECORDING ADVISING LOCATION AND DIRECTIONS – ONLY IN SPANISH –
 (322) 113 3955


TO REPORT ANIMAL ABUSE, CALL THE CENTRO DE ACOPIO - 322-293-3690 OR THE POLICE - 911 -  AND ASK FOR THE "GREEN PATROL" ("PATROLLA VERDE")

CUALE SPAY/NEUTER FREE CLINICS - ARE HELD AT THE ISLA CUALE IN THE CULTURAL CENTER - FIRST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH.  CLINICS OPEN FOR REGISTRATION AT 7 AM.  VET TEAM IS PETS FOR LIFE.  FOR MORE INFORMATION:  

 
https://www.facebook.com/cualespayneuterclinics/
  
COLINA FREE SPAY&NEUTER CLINIC - Every Sunday at 9 AM.  Recommend arrive 7:30-8 AM.  First 15-20 animals to arrive will be accepted.  Address: 496 Venustiano Carranza in colonia Emiliano Zapata.  Clinic is in front of Carnicería Colin, between Naranjo and Jacarandas streets.  For more information: Colina Spay and Neuter Clinic on Facebook.
DR. POLI Y DR. PACHECO - CLÍNICA EN MOJONERAS


LOCATIONS NEEDED FOR CLINICS.  REQUIRED:  WATER, ELECTRICITY, BATHROOM AND PARKING AVAILABILITY.


LOCATION OF CLINIC IN LAS CAÑADAS - LOCAL PARA LA CLÍNICA EN LAS CAÑADAS

NOTE:  PEACEAnimals, per our agreement with independent contractors, Pets for Life, is obliged to pay extra for driving time and gasoline for areas outside Puerto Vallarta.  We ask that private or government groups pay those extra expenses.


PEACEAnimals does not buy advertising or pay for posters, flyers, megaphone announcers or locations.  All monies raised go directly to actual costs of the clinics.  Dr. Poli, as director of PEACEAnimals, a Mexican AC  (non-profit) and Pets for Life, a Mexican SC (business), selects clinic locations.

All pet registration forms with signatures of owners or rescuers are submitted by Dr. Poli to the local department of health, with copies to PEACEAnimals.
CLÍNICA EN MOJONERAS





Clinic schedule, including directions and other clinic information are always on website:  www.peaceanimals.org,  on this blog and on the PEACEAnimals FaceBook page.





LUNCH DONATIONS NEEDED FOR VET TEAM.

NECESITAMOS DONACIÓNES DE ALMUERZOS PARA EL EQUIPO EN LAS CLÍNICAS


PEACEAnimals has a lunch budget of 70 pesos per vet team member (four persons) per day -  4 days a week. 
Please consider donating lunches for them, and please advise so we can create a lunch schedule. By having lunches donated, these savings can used for purchases of clinic supplies.





WE NEED VOLUNTEERS AT THE CLINICS.  We are almost always short.  Please contact Leslie Caratachea via FB or infopeaceanimals@gmail.com, or just drop by.  


LESLIE CON JOSUÉ , UN JOVEN QUE SIEMPRE NOS AYUDA EN MOJONERAS.  LESIE WITH JOSUÉ, A 12-YEAR OLD WHO HAS HELPED AT EVERY CLINIC IN MOJONERAS.
FOR INFORMATION ON VOLUNTEERING: 
 http://www.peaceanimals.org/volunteer_1/volunteer_duties

JOSUÉ - VOLUNTARIO - MOJONERAS


WE NEED DONATIONS OF USED AND NEW KENNELS FOR CATS AND DOGS OF ALL SIZES.  WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE USED OR NEW COLLARS AND LEASHES TO DOG OWNERS WHO BRING THEIR PETS TO THE CLINICS.



LAS CAÑADAS - NECESITAMOS HAULAS PARA LAS CLÍNICAS
    

If directions needed, please call our dedicated line (directions are only in Spanish) or refer to our website or this blog:   113 3955 

COST FOR ONE SURGERY WEEK CLINIC IS APPROXIMATELY $1,800 USD. 



PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION VIA CHECK, CREDIT CARD, PAYPAL, BEQUEST OR STOCK TRANSFER.  Note:  Stocks are transferred at full value without the donating stock owner being taxed.



PEACEANIMALS VET TEAM - EL EQUIPO DE PEACEANIMALS - DR. ANTHONY, LESLIE, DR. POLI Y DR. PACHECO


PEACEAnimals is under the umbrella of Banderas Bay Charities, Inc.,  a US 501 (c)(3) charity located in Portland, Oregon.  
CLINICA EN LAS CAÑADAS

LAS CAÑADAS


Please make payments payable to either BBC INC or Banderas Bay Charities, Inc.  Donations are tax deductible and should be earmarked for PEACEAnimals.





Banderas Bay Charities, Inc (BBC, Inc) offers tax-deductible receipts in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
Amy Welch, Secretary-Treasurer amywelchpdx@comcast.net
505 N Tomahawk Is Dr  Portland, OR 97217    
503 285 4007





THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS:  




























THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST AND SUPPORT.




Gretchen DeWitt – President – Board of Directors
gretchen@peaceanimals.org
https://www.facebook.com/PeaceAnimals
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http://www.peaceanimals.org/espa_ol


Los animales no necesitan tener una camada para completar su ciclo vital, puesto que no existe una relación consciente con la reproducción como parte necesaria de su bienestar emocional.

PARA FOTOS,/NOMBRES Y INFORMACIÓN DE LOS PERROS EN EL CENTRO DE ACOPIO QUE NECESITAN HOGARES:




PARA REPORTAR ABUSO A LOS ANIMALES- LLAME  A LA POLICA - 911 - Y PIDA LA PATROLLA VERDE o al centro de acopio   293 3690


 
LINEA DESIGNADA PARA DIRECIÓNES Y COMO LLEGAR (EN ESPAÑOL) A LAS CLÍNICAS CADA SEMANA:   (322) 113 3955












NECESITAMOS LUGARES PARA NUESTRAS CLÍNICAS EN COLONIAS Y PUEBLOS. PRECISO:   BAÑO, ELECTRICIDAD, AGUA Y PARA ESTACIONARSE.






INFORMACIÓN EN ESPAÑOL SOBRE LA ESTERILIZACIÓN PARA MASCOTAS Y LAS CLÍNICAS GRATIS EN NUESTRO WEBSITE - www.peaceanimals.org



NECESITAMOS SU APOYO.  FAVOR DE DONAR ALMUERZOS PARA NUESTRO EQUIPO. NOS CUESTA 1,120 PESOS LA SEMANA PARA NUESTRO EQUIPO DE 4 PERSONAS.   CON SUS DONACIÓNES DE COMIDA, PODEMOS USAR ESTE DINERO PARA SUMINISTROS.   FAVOR DE CONFIRMAR CUÁL DÍA DE LA SEMANA PUEDEN.  LESLIE VA HACER EL HORARIO PARA ALMUERZOS.  GRACIAS.

 TAMBIÉN NECESITAMOS VOLUNTARIOS, POR FAVOR.

http://www.peaceanimals.org/espa_ol/protocolo_para_voluntarios

GRACIAS POR SU INTERÉS Y SU APOYO.


Gretchen DeWitt – Presidente de la mesa directiva
gretchen@peaceanimals.org

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