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Tucker
 Poor little Tucker! He was at the vet for over 3 weeks and became very depressed and stopped eating. He is now in foster care with Carol and is doing well. He's great with all the dogs but still stand-offish with people. Carol is working with him and he's already getting better and will be ready to be in a wonderful home soon.  
New rescues
 Steve was in Yabucoa last week and these two angels were rescued. Beth, the little pup, will be coming to Florida when she's ready and Island Dog is sponsoring the rescue of Ross the German shepherd. 
Puerto Rico Governor indicted
Puerto Rico governor charged with corruptionVila denies acting illegally after indictment in finance probe Brennan Linsley / AP Puerto Rico Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila, seen at a golf tournament in Rio Grande on Sunday, dismissed the indictment as nothing but politics. |
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 updated 3:04 p.m. ET, Thurs., March. 27, 2008 SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila was charged Thursday with 19 counts in a campaign finance probe, including conspiracy to violate U.S. federal campaign laws and giving false testimony to the FBI. The indictment also charged 12 others associated with Acevedo’s Popular Democratic Party as a result of a two-year grand jury investigation, acting U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodriguez said. Acevedo, a superdelegate for the Democratic Party who has pledged to support Sen. Barack Obama, served in Washington as the island’s nonvoting delegate to Congress and was elected governor in 2004 after campaigning on an anti-corruption platform. Acevedo denied any wrongdoing and dismissed the indictment as nothing but politics and “a spectacle designed to damage me.” His written statement did not go into specifics about federal prosecutors’ alleged motives. But in the past Acevedo has said U.S. authorities targeted him for his criticism of a September 2005 FBI raid in which a fugitive Puerto Rican militant was killed. Tied to campaign debts
The defendants in Puerto Rico, Washington and the Philadelphia area are accused of conspiring to illegally raise money to pay off Acevedo’s campaign debts from his campaigns in 2000 and 2002 to be the U.S. island territory’s nonvoting member of Congress. “The governor will be permitted to turn himself in deference to his position,” Rodriguez said. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, Rodriguez said. Acevedo said he will turn himself in Friday morning. At least five others named in the indictment were led in handcuffs into the U.S. federal building in San Juan early Thursday morning. Thomas Green, a Washington-based attorney for Acevedo, said he had not yet reviewed the charges but criticized the election-year indictment as “an unprecedented and undeserved intrusion by the federal government” in Puerto Rican affairs. Acevedo’s claims of persecution have support in Puerto Rico, where many feel a deep-rooted nationalism and hostility toward the U.S. federal government. Rodriguez rejected any suggestion that the indictment was driven by politics. “Nobody is above the law. We all lose when electoral processes are compromised ... for our part, we are not politicians, we do not make political decisions,” she said. Acevedo, 46, and his associates are accused of conducting unreported fundraising to far exceed funding limits during his 2004 campaign for governor. As part of the fraud, they allegedly used their own or their companies’ money to cover unreported debts to the campaign’s public relations and media company. Contracts for Philly allies alleged
The 55-page indictment alleges that Acevedo also personally helped a group of Philadelphia-area businessmen in their efforts to obtain Puerto Rican government contracts after they delivered illegal campaign contributions from their own staff and family members. Acevedo’s party favors maintaining the island’s semiautonomous relationship with the U.S. mainland. His leading opponent in this year’s governor’s race favors making Puerto Rico the 51st state. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23825737/
Vanya and Laika
 These beautiful girls are having a BALL at the Fur Seasons Resort in Stuart! This was taken last week but Vanya has since been adopted. Beautiful Laika is still looking for that perfect home
Jazzy Jazz!!!
 Little Jasmin was sponsored by the TASIS Dorado school in Puerto Rico. They raised over $500 for her rescue (which also helped with other rescues) and their teacher even fostered her for a week before being sent to the states. Jasmin was adopted the very next day after she arrived here in Florida! She is doing so great with her new family! She has a sister, Sheba, that she loves and little Jasmin is just a sweet bundle of joy with them all. Thank you so much to Viviana Dauban, her wonderful school and kids, and to the wonderful family who adopted sweet little Jasmin!  
Where are all these German shepherds coming from?
 Are we being invaded? Byron has been at the beach for a long time and we've been trying to catch him but he hasn't been cooperating. Kaiser was picked up by animal control a few weeks ago and we were lucky enough to be able to claim him and get him into foster care. He's heading to the states soon to be fostered by a GS rescue group in Virginia. And then yesterday Ross showed up. He's gorgeous and friendly and we're hoping to get him off the beach as soon as possible. Hopefully the same rescue group will be able to take Byron and Ross once they are ready for adoption.  
Angel dog missing
 This is Angel. He was rescued by a wonderful woman named Daniella. As you can see, Angel was a very sick boy. He was completely hairless from mange and had bleeding scabs on his body from the disease. Daniella took him in and gave him a home and hope. But Angel's story does not have a happy ending - at least we don't know what the ending is. Angel was sent to Orlando along with a very fearful dog named Traer - the two were to be fostered until they were healthy enough for adoption. The very night they arrived, they got all settled into their new backyard but by morning, Traer had dug a hole under the fence and both were gone. Their foster mom looked everywhere for them for days. We called all the vets and shelters in the area, checked daily with animal control, and posted flyers all over the area. There were crews of concerned people out looking for the two of them. Traer was eventually trapped, after three weeks on the run, using a pig trap. But after a couple of sitings in the first few days, Angel was never seen again. We can all only hope that some kind, compassionate person picked him up and has been giving him all the love and attention we had planned to give him. It's so devastating when things like this happen because we try to do so much to help so many and one "loss" like this just makes it all seem so hopeless. But we have to remember that so many other dogs are safe and happy now and just keep sending out love out there for little Angel. 
More new families!
These are Murray, Sophia, Janine, and Jackson's new families!    
Colt Start Connection event
Help for a rescued do from Punta Santiago
I received this plea for help from Keishya with Four Paws at a Time. If you can help with funds for this girl's care, please respond to her at tshg@coqui.net. Hello All, well..you all know how this is around here. Today I was walking my dogs along with my pal gf rescuer Doreen out here in Punta Santiago beach area. Just minding our own business..walking our own adopted satos together in the late morning. At the end of the trail right on the beach was this sato Girl and her picture says it all. She was when we came upon her laying in the edge of the sand and shrubs. She is 47 pounds and about 3-3 1/2 years old. She was definitely a dump and not feral. When we first saw her laying on the ground down at the beach it was hard to see if the huge lump in her lower abdomen was a stillbirth stuck baby or a ulcerated tumor. It is a tumor for sure and it is bleeding etc. Not a pretty sight by any means but this Girl is a really sweet one. I coaxed her back to my home and feed her and then went to put a collar on and she just let me a and when I put a leash on her to get into my car she was docile and submissive. Into the car she went with barely any persuasion...argh...someone dumped this one. We went to Dr Reyes and he evaluated her and we tested her with snap test and fecal tests. Amazingly she is negative for all..except the huge tumor. She is spending until Monday there while i try to raise some funds..
I am hoping some of you can pass this plea along...and I will be sending more details tomorrow...at the moment I am completely pooped..but just look at her. . So anyway, let me know if you or anyone you may know can help out with this case and or any adoption options. Her temperment upon initial time spent is really good. Not shy or scared. Thanks for listening and any reply welcome.
Keishya, Four Paws at a Time
Story on Best Friends Network
Action Starting on Behalf of the Animals of Puerto Rico December 24, 2007 : 6:24 PM Loss of tourism dollars spurs governmental participation. By Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends StaffReaction to the 80 pets that had been hurled off a bridge in Barceloneta in October has taken some time; however, worldwide condemnation and the recent announcement of Puerto Rico’s loss of $15 million in tourism revenue since the incident, have prompted action. Authorities are now paying attention to the many letters and signed petitions calling for justice and attention to the welfare of animals on the island. In November, charges were filed against Animal Control Solutions, Julio Diaz and two other employees in connection with the animals’ deaths and injuries. The preliminary hearing began on December 20 has been continued to January 4, due to the large number of witnesses giving testimony. Sol Luis Fontanez, Mayor of Barceloneta has also announced the city will build a new animal shelter. He has requested bids to build a facility to hold animals on a temporary basis, until they are sent to Mayaguez, one of only six municipal animal shelters in Puerto Rico. Action plan leads to the creation of a coalition Since October, various governmental agencies have become interested in the issue of stray animals in Puerto Rico. Spotting an opportunity to further animal welfare, Elizabeth Kracht of Amigos de los Animales created an action plan, which she presented to the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. Kracht says, “I developed it trying to give an overview of everything that is happening on the island. There needs to be a bridge between the government, private, and rescue entities.” After researching other successful plans, including the Best Friends: Nine Model Programs for Highly Successful Spay/Neuter, she formulated a proposal that recommends acquisition of animal census statistics, training of Animal Welfare Officers, building of additional shelters, providing spay and neuter services, education in schools, and promotion through a public relations campaign. It was shortly after this meeting that the Puerto Rico Tourism Company announced the formation of the Puerto Rico Coalition for the Well-Being of Animals. Kracht believes they will begin to incorporate animal welfare into their “Mi Isla es Precios” (my island is precious) campaign. It currently promotes the beautification of Puerto Rico and discourages littering; however, spaying and neutering of companion animals will be added. The formation of the coalition is still in progress, though current members already include Amigos de los Animales, Save a Sato, Alianza Pro-Adopcion de Mascotas, St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center, Puerto Rico Tourism Company, Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association ,and Oficina Estatal de Control Animal (OECA). The Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association also wants to become involved. The agency hosted an Animal Management and Control Forum in San Juan earlier this month. The turnout was good, despite a tropical storm that hit the island that day. This was an excellent opportunity to place faces to names among the many attendees who had previously only communicated through phone or e-mail. Speakers included Dr. Sara Pizano, the Director of Miami-Dade Animal Services, who discussed similar problems in her region along with solutions that have succeeded in helping to overcome those challenges and Dr. César González, the Director of the Centro de Control de Animales de Carolina, one of the island’s municipal shelters. So far, multiple agencies have been receptive to suggestions and training. Kracht comments that “Everyone is coming together to make connections to really facilitate change.” Participants from the local animal rescue organizations say the meeting was a good first step; however, there is still a need for additional networking and planning. A cause for concern The latest meetings between the various animal rescue organizations and governmental agencies have been positive in nature. However, strays in Puerto Rico have historically been thought of as a public nuisance and events such as the forum still openly discuss how to deal with “the problem.” Animal advocates are attempting to educate the community, both public and private, on how to help the stray overpopulation in a humane way. One worry is that the recent events are only an immediate reaction to counteract the bad press received. Agencies are agreeing to new programs; however, nothing has yet been actually implemented. Says Edilia Vazquez of Save a Sato, “We need to continue to keep the pressure on, so the promises are kept.” More disturbing is the possibility that loose and stray animals are now being rounded up in “beach sweeps.” The incident in Barceloneta is proof that not all animals collected by officials end up at a shelter. Unfortunately, those that are successfully transported to a municipal shelter have only about an 8% chance of making it out alive. “Beach sweeps of stray animals are certainly not what any of us rescue organizations had in mind as a solution to the stray animal problem Puerto Rico is facing,” states Kracht. “Beach sweeps are certainly within the rights of the municipalities …, but in an effort for all of us to finally begin to work together - public and private agencies - this certainly isn't a show of good faith.” She notes, “We haven't worked this hard, and come all this way and embraced working with entities we hardly know, to have beach sweeps of the strays we are in the process of rescuing and helping occur.” Update on Yoli, a survivor (pictured in lead graphic as she is currently and below from back in October) Yoli is one of the few Barceloneta dogs that survived the fall from the 50-foot bridge. She did not; however, escape unscathed. Yoli suffered a broken spine, pelvis, and legs. Upon discovery, she was taken to a veterinarian and then referred to an orthopedic specialist for surgery. While she can stand, she is unable to walk on her own. Maritza Rodriquez of Alianza Pro-Adopcion de Mascotas is currently fostering her and a makeshift cart has been built, so that she can be mobile. To continue her healing progress, she undergoes therapy twice a day. Despite all that she has had to endure, Vazquez states that “Yoli is in super good spirits and plays with the other dogs.” For more information:• MSNBC: Puerto Rico's tourism suffers after outcry • Associated Press: Puerto Rico City to Build Animal Shelter• 2008 Caribbean Animal Welfare Conference: April 21-24, 2008 • The Pegasus Foundation Caribbean Animal WelfareHow you can help:• Please remember, Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States. It is important to continue to keep the pressure on governmental officials and inform them that now is the time to address ongoing animal welfare issues in a humane manner. Governor Aníbal Acevedo-Vilá La Fortaleza P.O. Box 9020082 San Juan, PR 00902 Phone: 787-721-7000 Fax: 787-724-6942 Contact the Governor through his websiteTerestella González Denton Executive Director Puerto Rico Tourism CompanyPO Box 4435 San Juan, PR 00902-4435 Phone: 787-721-2400 Fax: 787-722-6238 E-mail: Terestella.Gonzalez@prtourism.comClarisa Jiménez President and CEO Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association 165 Ponce de León Suite 301 San Juan, PR 00917-1233 Phone: 787-758-8001 Fax: 787-758-8091 E-mail: cjimenez@prhta.org• Donations have covered the costs of Yoli’s original surgery. However, additional funds are needed for her continued rehabilitation, plus an additional surgery may be necessary. While a homemade cart has been given to Yoli, one specifically designed for a dog of Yoli’s size is needed for her to maintain her mobility. Any donations toward her care can be sent to Save a Sato (please note the gift is for Yoli) and please e-mail either twig@saveasato.org or edi@saveasato.org to inform them of the coming donation. • Educational posters about Law 67 (Protection of Animals) have already been printed for distribution to all 240 police stations on the island. The Deputy Director of Public Housing has also requested another 335 posters, to be placed in all of their administrative offices. Please contact edi@saveasato.org if you wish to help contribute to the $700 needed for a second printing. • Support the many Puerto Rican animal welfare organizations in their effort to save animals on the island. You do not need to be in Puerto Rico to help. Donations can be made to assist them in continuing their work, and in many cases, individuals can volunteer remotely. Photo credit:
Lead photo reprinted with permission by Twig Mowatt of Save a Sato of Yoli.
Photos #2 & #3: Posted with permission by Ginny Cornett of Manos por Patas
from a sterilization clinic
Photo #4: Posted with permission by Twig Mowatt of Save a Sato of Yoli with Leisha Swayne.
http://network.bestfriends.org/puertorico/news/21589.html
What an awesome group!!!
This is a press from a group of kids at a local school who raised over $2,000 for Hands for Paws to help rescue dogs in Puerto Rico! Another school in the area, Murray Middle School, raised funds to sponsor the rescue of Murray from the beach - Murray is now in his new home in Port St. Lucie. I'm so excited that schools in the area are getting the students involved with animal welfare issues. The youth really are the future of our world. If you'd like to find out more about this club, go to their website or you can email their advisor, Dana Silbersweig at silbersweig@palmbeach.k12.fl.us. Here is the press release they recently sent out:
Students in the recently created Animal Rescue Club at Christa McAuliffe Middle School are on a serious mission....to help abandoned, abused and neglected animals. Animal Rescue club members in grades 6, 7 and 8 (ages 10-14) have raised over $2,300 for animals in need. The entire $2,300 in which the club raised last month during their Dollars for Dogs fundraiser, will be donated to the Manos por Patas organization which is a non-profit organization dedicated to ending the suffering of stray dogs roaming Puerto Rico , de sperately in need of medical attention, food and water, and a loving touch. "Our donation will allow some of these animals to be flown into South Florida and get the loving homes they deserve. These students are making a significant impact in helping this large population of unwanted animals," said teacher and club advisor Dana Silbersweig.
Over 100 students are members of the club that meets on selected Friday afternoons at Christa McAuliffe Middle School . Recently the club which is part of the afterschool program, has been busy assembling dog cookie treat bags. On Saturday, March 29 at 10:00 a.m. the group will visit the Tri County Humane Society in Boca Raton to spend some quality time with the unwanted puppies, kittens, cats and dogs. Then club members will be selling the dog cookie treat bags outside of the Publix in the Fountains of Boynton Shopping Plaza at Jog Road and Boynton Beach Blvd. "This dedicated group of students is not only learning to appreciate all living things but they are also working to bring awareness of the importance of animal rescue to the community," said Mrs. Silbersweig.
What's with all these kittens lately!?!?
  Look at these two precious babies! Sandra has been going through a huge ordeal concerning them, their siblings and their mom. See below from Sandra: On Feb 29 one of my neighbors told me that a cat gave birth to 5 kittens that week in their backyard but their dog killed 2 of them. They put the remaining 3 in a box and put them across he street hoping the mom would take them to another place. It started to rain so I put the box under my vehicle. The mom found them before 4am but took only 2 of them. The third one, a male (black & white) was left alone and I was still hoping the mom would come for him, but at 6am I found the kitten dead not very far from the box. Apparently a cat (maybe his own mom) attacked him--maybe he smelled like humans, I don't know. After that, I didn't know anything about them except that the mom was nearby and I kept leaving some food for her--until yesterday (Mar 11). I was feeding my dog at 4pm when I heard the kittens from one of the neighbors' backyards or between backyards. I waited until the owners arrived after 7pm. We found 2 kittens between 2 parallel walls, no sign of their mom. I tried to call them and they got close several times, but for some reason they kept going back. The second neighbor had a PVC pipe and a trimmer cable and made a catch pole, then we tried calling them again and that's how we could catch them. It took us an hour and a half to get them. I left some food for the mom, but no one ate. Given the fact that some of these neightbors leave poison around their houses, it's possible that the mom is dead. In fact one of my neighbors poisoned my own cat 2 years ago.
I need help with two fearful dogs
 Hello all. I need your help. I have a rescue group that rescues abandoned and abused animals from Puerto Rico since the animal welfare situation there is so dismal. The long story of these two dogs is posted below but in short, they are very fearful but not aggressive and I am unable to give them the time or effort to move them forward in their progress. I have a small home and have many other dogs I need to foster but these two are sort of "backing up" the system, so to speak. They are NOT lost causes. The perfect situation would be someone who has the skill, time and energy to work with fearful dogs. In two months they've really only come so far as to take a treat from my hand but nothing more. I will pay for all their needs and will help you with other costs if necessary, and will of course pay to get them to you. They each weigh about 35 lbs but are only 6 months old and will get much bigger. Please call me at 561-459-7208 if you can help. And you can see the website for my organization at www.handsforpaws.org. I took on 3 dogs from a fellow rescuer in P.R. and I am having problems with their socialization and, ultimately, placement. The 3 were originally sent to a shelter in Orlando, FL but were so terrified that the shelter said there would not be able to put them up for adoption and would have to euthanize them. The rescuer called me and begged me to take them which I, of course, did. They were terrified. All 3 were huddled together in the back of the kennel shivering and drooling with fright. We scooped them up lovingly and they pooped and peed all over us as we carried them to the van - but we didn't care. They all were terribly carsick on the 2-hour ride to my house and threw up all over the van, and each other since they were rolled up into a single ball of dog. They stayed in one area in my garage for a week, venturing out only to poop or pee and only when I was nowhere in sight. Eventually they moved their huddle to the farthest clump of shrubbery in the back yard. The next week, they moved to a closer clump. I had them listed on petfinder.com and had some calls on them. Two young couples came out and decided to take chances on them. Each adopted one and I had to literally wrassle the dog in the bushes to catch it and bring the pooping and peeing critter to it's new mommy and daddy. But they were so happy to be able to help the dogs, they didn't care. Long story short, the girl, Sophi, is doing great. Her daddy is a thoroughbred jockey and her mom is a trainer so they are really in-tune with animals. The other dog, Jason, didn't fare so well. His adopters worked with him for 3 weeks and though he did progress, it was going way too slowly and I totally understood them returning him to me. They felt horrible but it was just much more than they could handle. So 1 down, 2 to do. Jason has come far enough to want to come in the house and curl up on my couch. He loves it when I sit with him and pet him but if another person comes in, he gets completely terrified - wild eyes, drooling, and bowel release (yeah, all over my couch). The other one, Mookie, comes running up to me all wiggly and happy as though he wants to pounce me and slobber all over me. But he stops about 4 feet short and won't come any closer. He will take a treat from my hand after thinking it over for a bit - but that's about it. I've been hand-feeding these two and they will both gobble the food down when I'm seated outside and very still and quiet. But any slight movement sends them scattering. They stay in the backyard and are becoming a pack with my other two fearful (much less-so than these two) dogs and that's not going to help them move towards domestication. These are absolutely gorgeous boys - neutered, microchipped, and up-to-date on all their shots. But I am completely at my wit's end with what to do with them. Although I believe they can eventually - with much training - become good house pets, they would be perfectly happy in someone's big backyard with limited human interaction. I'm sure they would become more social with time but I just do not have the luxury to give them that time. I'm all out of ideas. I will pay all transport, vet, and food expenses for anyone who can offer either or both a good home. They are so worth all the trouble, I promise.  
New York Times article
Puerto Rico Faces Suit Over Roundup of Animals  Damon Winter/The New York Times Stray dogs in Barceloneta, P.R. Animal rights advocates say such animals are often rounded up and disposed of inhumanely.
Published: March 9, 2008 BARCELONETA, P.R. — This much seems certain about the events of last October at three housing projects in this town near Puerto Rico’s northern coast: Men working for the municipality entered the projects, rounded up dozens of dogs and cats that they said violated the housing authority’s no-pets policy and took them away.
 Damon Winter/The New York Times John Hower, 10, with Buster in Barceloneta. He refused to surrender Buster when animal control workers tried to take him.  Damon Winter/The New York Times Wilma Gonzalez, 18, waits to have her dog, Pucha, inoculated at a Humane Society of Puerto Rico clinic near San Juan. What happened next is less clear, but a lawsuit filed on behalf of 33 families claims that city employees and contractors drugged and brutalized dozens of animals and then flung them from a 50-foot-tall highway bridge into a weed-choked ravine and left them to die. Witnesses say they found a pile of dog corpses and skeletons beneath the bridge, but the contractors have denied wrongdoing and city officials have denied responsibility. News of the event became an international embarrassment for Puerto Rico and something of a vindication for animal rights advocates here and on the United States mainland who had long tried to draw attention to the plight of animals on the island. Animal rights advocates contend that the inhumane disposal of animals was routine, with unwanted dogs, cats and even farm animals hurled from bridges, intentionally crushed by vehicles or butchered with machetes. Government nonchalance, they say, has allowed this to go on. But only with the Barceloneta case, they say, did anything start to happen. It spurred threats of a tourism boycott, inspired the government to begin addressing more forcefully the issue of animal welfare and precipitated soul-searching among the Puerto Rican people. “In our culture we have not addressed these issues because, probably, we did not think they were important,” said Carlos M. Carazo, director of the animal disease division of Puerto Rico’s State Office for Animal Control, in an interview in San Juan last month. “In Puerto Rico, we have so many issues to address, we haven’t had the leisure time to think about animals. But this is probably the time to start thinking about it.” Puerto Rico, among United States territories, has long had a poor international reputation for the treatment of animals. There is no government program for mass sterilization or registration of pets and little animal welfare education in the schools. The island has only about a half-dozen animal shelters, and while municipalities are charged with rounding up strays, that duty has largely been ignored, government officials and animal advocates say. Puerto Rican pet owners will often dump unwanted animals along roads or on beaches, animal advocates say. Roaming packs of mangy dogs are common in many towns. One of the most notorious dumping grounds is a spit of land on the southeastern coast near the town of Yabucoa. It is known as Dead Dog Beach. According to animal welfare advocates, thousands of dogs have wound up there in the last decade. “I’ve found dogs poisoned in the bushes,” said Sandra Cintron, 37, an animal rescuer who lives in Yabucoa and drives to the beach every morning with a sack of dry food and jugs of fresh water for the shifting population of abandoned animals. “Sometimes they put them in bags and toss them in the jungle.” Ms. Cintron, whose volunteer work is supported by several Puerto Rican and international animal welfare groups, has been tending to the stray dogs at Dead Dog Beach since 2001. She has taken hundreds to be neutered and has found homes for dozens. She has named them all and keeps photographs of them in albums. Animal rights groups say that over the years they have been inundated with letters and e-mail messages from tourists offended by the stray dog problem. One rights group in San Juan is the Save a Sato Foundation. The group’s Web site explains that sato is slang for “street dog.” An e-mail message sent to the group by a woman who identified herself as Susan, was typical: “I visited P.R. a few years ago and was appalled and literally sickened by the homeless dog situation. I spent my entire vacation feeding stray dogs. The trip was miserable and horrible and I swore never to return and to tell everyone I knew about the experience.” A 2002 study by the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association estimated that the stray animal problem was costing the commonwealth about $5 million a year in lost tourism. “Numerous groups and conventions have canceled plans to hold meetings in Puerto Rico after observing the stray dog and cat situation,” the report said. Still, it was five years before the government acted. “In Puerto Rico, nobody has taught our culture animal control and protection concepts,” said Mr. Carazo of the animal control office, which was formed last year. “We are now beginning to address those issues.” Since the Barceloneta case, the animal control office has accelerated new regulations and guidelines for animal control specialists, shelters and law enforcement agencies on how to manage strays, adoptions, spay clinics and licensing. Completion of the guidelines will result in the disbursement of $1.5 million in seed money to establish animal shelters in each of the commonwealth’s 78 municipalities, said Wilma Rivera, executive director of the office. The government has also created a program to educate two police coordinators in every region, who will train the rest of the police force in the proper handling of pet cruelty cases. The commonwealth’s tourism agency has also formed a committee to push for more government action, complementing an animal welfare committee that operates under the auspices of the hotel and tourism board. Meanwhile, a group of lawyers is drafting more comprehensive animal protection legislation with stiffer penalties. Still, animal welfare advocates are concerned that as the Barceloneta case wanes, the government’s interest may flag. But Edilia Vazquez, director of the Save a Sato Foundation, said the Barceloneta case has unified the once-fractured animal welfare community. “We realize we need to work with each other and keep the finger in the side of the government,” Ms. Vazquez said. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/us/09dogs.html
Oh daddy!
 Alright, Kerr, what have you done?! Take a look at the little tykes here - especially the first one. Hmmmm, look familiar??? Looks like our little man has been a busy boy!  
RAFFLE!!! Win a Caribbean cruise for 2!
 Wanna take a little trip?! Raffle tickets are now on sale to win a 5-day trip for two on a Caribbean cruise! Proceeds benefit Hands for Paws as well as The Ark Animal Sanctuary, a "work in progress" in Florida where some of our more difficult rescues will be housed. Tickets are $10 each and the drawing will be held on May 1, 2008. You can purchase the tickets via PayPal or credit card at on this site - go to the "donate" page - or by check (send to P. O. Box 7473, Port St. Lucie, FL 34985). Make sure you specifically say that the donation is for raffle tickets and the number of raffle tickets. And make sure you include your name, phone number, and email address so I can contact you if you are the lucky winner! If you would like to help out by selling some tickets or you want to post some flyers advertising the raffle, please email me at ginny@manosporpatas.org and I'll get you all set up! Thank you to Surf Express in Stuart, Florida for sponsoring this trip!
Kara sprinkles Pixie dust!
Little baby Kara, who is now named Pixie (and for good reasons!), is doing great in her new home! Her mom sent these photos of her, the first one just after she'd had a bath.  
I apologize for the gruesome photos
Meet the mutts!
Here are Lolly (originally Pecas), Star (originally Keri), and Sasha all in their new homes and loving it!   
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Poor little Tucker! He was at the vet for over 3 weeks and became very depressed and stopped eating. He is now in foster care with Carol and is doing well. He's great with all the dogs but still stand-offish with people. Carol is working with him and he's already getting better and will be ready to be in a wonderful home soon.
