In La Paz, Baja California Sur, rescuing a dog from the street costs money, time, and, in many cases, veterinary bills. The Municipal Canine Care Center (CEMAC) operates with a monthly budget of 30,000 pesos to care for dozens of animals, while Huellitas Paceñas Chinchurra, one of the civil associations that fills the gaps left by the municipal system, allocates around 35,000 pesos a month, mostly for boarding for dogs that don’t fit in their rented space.
In April, the month that raises awareness about animal abuse, the gap between demand and available resources defines the daily operations of those who work in canine rescue in the city. Ana Karen Cota Camacho, coordinator of the CEMAC in La Paz, has been in charge of the center for nine months. The center operates seven days a week with eleven staff members, including two veterinarians, operational personnel, and maintenance staff.
With a monthly budget of 30,000 pesos, the center currently houses 58 dogs and performs between five and eight sterilizations daily, in addition to weekly campaigns in neighborhoods and districts of the municipality that have reached up to 130 procedures per month. All services are free.
“Ninety percent of the dogs that arrive here are abandoned by their owners, either due to a change of residence or because the mother dog gave birth. Many of the reports are precisely because they are kept tied up in a state of probable animal abuse, but these cases go directly to the court,” Cota Camacho stated.
The process at the center begins with a medical certificate and ten days of observation. During this period, the animal’s behavior is evaluated, measures such as bathing and deworming are applied, and it is verified whether it is sterilized or vaccinated. The estimated capacity of the facility is 70 dogs; with 58 animals currently housed, there are pens with only one dog and others with up to eight, depending on the size and temperament. There are dogs that have been at the facility for more than six months without anyone claiming or adopting them. One of them, whom the staff calls Lolo, has been there for eight months and no longer lives in a cage: he roams freely around the yard.
“We have dogs that have been with us for more than six months. One has already been adopted here as the center’s mascot. Lolo roams freely throughout the yard,” said Cota Camacho.
On the side of civil associations, the financial situation is tighter. Leticia Araiza Segura, legal representative of Huellitas Paceñas Chinchurra, describes an organization with three years of experience in rescue. The group keeps six dogs on rented land on the outskirts of the city and boards eight more, at 1,100 pesos per week for each one, which adds up to around 35,000 pesos per month just for boarding, not including food or veterinary care.
“We live off charity and donations. We hold raffles, bazaars, or people donate bags of dog food. There’s no way to shelter all the stray dogs and cats. The existing animal shelters in our city are overwhelmed. The biggest problem rescuers have told me is finding a place to keep the animals,” said Araiza Segura.
The land the association rents is enclosed with shade netting, which leaves it exposed during hurricanes. The lack of temporary homes—people willing to take in animals temporarily during emergencies—is one of the most frequent needs Araiza Segura identifies among the city’s animal rescuers.
Regarding sanctions, Judge María Daniela España Lizárraga of the Municipal Civic Court explained that acts of abandonment, neglect, or unsanitary conditions are treated as administrative infractions under Article 74 of the Police Regulations and are punishable by a fine, community service (which can be performed at the CEMAC itself), or arrest for up to 36 hours. When the acts involve intentional cruelty, mutilation, or death of the animal, the case is referred to the State Attorney General’s Office for possible criminal offenses.
Source: oem
