Perros en Puerto (PEP) was formed in August of 2008 by a small group of animal enthusiasts wanting to help the stray dogs of Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Our dog's story

LUZA

(Slovenian for “puddle”) was found struggling for her life in the ditch next to the highway that leads into the center of Puerto Escondido.During the rainy season, the ditches in Puerto fill up with water and turn into a fast flowing stream. Being caught in the current, Luza was paddling hard to get back out of the water.

Passers by saw the 4 months old puppy and stopped their car in the middle of the road to rescue her from drowning.

She was taken to the local vet for a general check up and being diagnosed as very sick, she was put on antibiotics.The next 5 days were critical for the little pup, but the love and medicine she received from her rescuers gave her the strength to hold on to life.

Illustration 1: Luza a few days after her rescue.

Illustration 2: Luza 2 years after with one of her rescuers (Boza on right)

Sadly, the rescuers could not keep her, so 3 weeks later she came into my home, where she has been living for the past 1.5 years as a happy member of my family.

- Annette

Illustration 3: Luza 6 months after her rescue

KANCHE’S

story is that of many dogs in Mexico. She was only about 2 months old when I saw her on a street in Tepotzlan. She ran across the road not being aware of the danger of the oncoming car. Luckily she was not hit; but completely dehydrated, she drank half a liter from my water bottle. Then she followed me all the way to my home.

Over the next few days I tried to find her rightful owner but was told repeatedly by the people in the neighborhood that she was a “street puppy”. So, I decided to keep her until I found her a new home. I made Kanche a little shelter out of a card board box right outside the front door, and there she was going to live for the next few weeks.

Illustration 1: Kanche 2 days after being found on the streets, in her cardboard house.

Illustration 2: Kanche's favorite "hangout".

I never did find her another home....and it's been almost 2.5 years since the day we met. Since then we've traveled together on a 12 hr bus journey from Mexico City to Puerto Escondido, moved house three times, but never spent one night apart. Kanche means “youngest female family member” in Nepali.

Today she shares her life with me and 3 other dogs in Puerto Escondido. Kanche's nature is that of a typical Labrador, she loves swimming in the ocean, eating coconuts and greets everyone that comes to visit the house with kisses and hugs.

- Annette

Illustration 3: Kanche 18 months later living a beach life

Scooby.

When I met Scooby, he had a big bole on his back. Some had sliced him up with a machete, and it got infected, and turned in to a tumor. He started to follow me everywhere, and all the people I met, wanted to help me with money so I could take him to the vet and get him operated. He moved in with me, and after a week, I took him to the vet.

He had to take some tests first, cause we didn’t know if it was cancer or just a tumor. To weeks went, and we got the results. We could operate. A friend of mine took him to the vet, but now the infection was so huge, so he had to take antibiotics for a week before we could do anything. Everything went well, and he could be operated.

After 4 weeks inside, he was free to go wherever he wanted. He was like a young dog, with so much energy. He stayed with me and followed me to the beach, were swimming and took care of my things when I was in the water. But he wasn’t used to the beach life. And with to much sun, water and sand, the scar got infected ones again. His been taking a lot of antibiotics, and now he can only stay inside during the day, and he cant go down to the beach. But his still happy. Walking in the morning, during the day he’s sleeping inside under the fan, and after sunset, he’s out again and running after the cars.

- Julia

Hércules

The night of my birthday some knocked on my door. “happy birthday”. he had a tiny cat in his hand. He wasn’t bigger than a lighter, and full of flees. He were crying after it’s mom and food. I remembered back when my cat had kittens, that they had to have milk with water. I tried to give him it, but he would not drink. But then he started to lick my lip. So I held the milk/water on my lip, and he started to drink. When the sun came up, we went out to find the mom. But she was nowhere to be found.

I went to the vet, and got cat milk and a bottle. Some of my friends helped me to take out all of the flees, and after 2 hours, she was clean.

He ate every second hour, and we started to get good on taking him to the toilet. It wasn’t easy, and the people I meet, dident think he would survive, but he is stubborn as me, and stayed on and started to grow. After 10 days he started to open his eyes as well, and then I knew he would survive.

Now he is a big cat. Hunting lizards and loves to jump in the fridge every time I open it. Every night he sleeps under my blanket, and wakes me up every morning playing with Palomita. He is a living miracle.

- Julia

Palomita.

She were found alone under a palapa on the beach just 3 months old. Some friends of mine took here home, and started to feed her. But after a month, the wouldn’t have her anymore, so they told me that they were putting here back on the street. But that were out of question, so I took her home to my already little family, and now she is playing with Hercules (my cat) and sleeping next to me every night.

- Julia