November was busy too

, ,

In preparation for the holidays, a group of Santas’s elves helped Chef Susan Pataky to prepare the delicious Christmas cakes, cookies, lemon squares, main dishes, soups, dips, and other treats that we will be selling at our Christmas Market in Plaza Allende on December 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

On November 5 we sterilized 77 dogs and cats at our 22nd sterilization campaign of the year, in the La Venada neighborhood of Guanajuato. The campaign was held in a house at the top of a long stone staircase that was lined with people and their pets waiting for their turn.

When registration was completed, Tony López, our education coordinator, gathered children together who were attending the campaign to read them a story from one of our coloring books about two lost puppies who eventually find new homes. The story, which describes the homes the puppies find with loving families, encourages children to treat homeless dogs with compassion. Afterward Tony gave the children copies of the coloring book and crayons so that they could color the pictures and take their own copies home.

Now and then, something amusing happens at a campaign. This was one of those times. Google Maps identified the street above the campaign site as a two-way street, but it was only one lane wide, the other lane being used for parallel parking. When your reporter arrived at the site, she discovered that the convention in the neighborhood was to enter the street from the opposite direction. Before she could find a place to park, several cars appeared, facing hers. A brief impasse ensued, until the driver in the first oncoming car offered to back the gringa’s car into the tiny remaining space in the block. Smiles and thanks were exchanged all around.

On November 9 Tony López gave a lengthy interview on Channel 8’s morning program “Despierta Guanajuato” (Good morning, Guanajuato) about the special needs of elderly pets. The interview, hosted by Luis Camacho, focused on how to care for dogs and cats as they age. You can watch the interview by clicking here.

Our team sterilized 61 animals on November 19 at the Salon de Ejidatarios in the village of El Rodeo. The site was very convenient, with plenty of parking nearby, a room for each campaign activity, all on the ground floor, and a real bathroom! Several children volunteered to help us by hanging washed surgical drapes on a makeshift clothesline. Two homeless dogs went home with our volunteers for medical attention and adoption.

Again, after registering the cases, Tony López turned her attention to the children who were present. She first played a game with them and then read them the story about the two lost and found puppies, afterward giving the children their own copies to color.

In November we posted 10 items on our Facebook page and nine on Instagram. Designed by Amigos board member Joslyn Lewis, they are short and to the point, in Spanish. Here are two:

We are grateful to all the people who have helped us this month. At our sterilization campaigns they included veterinarians Karla Ahumada, Verónica Almaguer, Abril Herrera, Ricardo Montes de Oca, and Arturo Rocha; campaign coordinator Julia Salido; and Mary Beth Canavan, Rosemarie Condé, Carlos Donato, Victoria Larrazolo, Beth Lozano, Vero Mares, Adhán Mata, Gabriel Ramírez, Dulce Sandoval, Vicky Sandoval, Suzy Thompson, Marisol Velázquez. Thanks also to the people in the community organizers who made the spaces available to us for the campaigns and prepared food for our volunteers. Thanks also to the pet owners who gave up a significant portion of a day to bring their pets to the campaigns.

A huge thank-you to Susan Pataky, chef extraordinaire, who organized the preparation of foods for the Christmas Market, and to the other volunteers who helped her: Denise Canals, Mary Beth Canavan, Liz Carranza, Rosemarie Conde, Deborah Gallen, Celise Ingram, Sarah Kulla, Jann Lee, Joslyn Lewis, Beth Lozano, Sue Meyers, Joyce Neikirk, Sue Parry, Maureen Steltman, Suzy Thompson, Vicky Leever, Sandra Ward, Terry Woodruff.

We thank the contributors to our education and outreach activities: Tony López and Julia Salido, education; Joslyn Lewis, social media; Sandra Ward, Barks & Meows; Liz Caranza and Sandra Price, translations; Jim Sullivan, tech support.

And thanks to you, our donors, who made all these activities possible.