Help us help them
By Mauri Formigoni

SPA has a shelter and clinic, and the Board recently discussed whether we were a shelter first with a clinic attached or a clinic first with a shelter attached. We decided that we are first and foremost a shelter and the clinic exists for the care of our animals and those of lower income families in San Miguel. Now many of you use the clinic as a show of support for our work, but please realize that we lose money with each transaction. Our neighbors cannot take their dogs and cats elsewhere and so they come to us. We offer our services at below cost, knowing that we are serving the larger good. For those of you who wish to continue to use our veterinarian and operating services, perhaps you could understand that we do operate below cost and to support us please leave a donation closer to the price quoted by other local veterinarians. We are a not-for-profit organization, always trying to raise funds for equipment, staff, medication, cages, spays and neuters, etc. We do not make money from the adoption of anim
als, but we are relieved to see the diminishment of homeless animals on the streets. All animals in town must be spayed and neutered, and only then will we have fewer unwanted animals starving in the Jardín. This is a tricky subject and one we will discuss again.

The dog I am endorsing today is Noche, a big strong female black lab who once belonged to Jane Welsh, one of our former benefactors. Jane died a few months ago, and we have several of her pets. Noche is formidable, yet sweet with people she trusts and with dogs she knows. She is a beauty and would make a super watchdog for anyone. She sits on command and responds to her name. She adores affection and yet is strong, wily and protective. Would she serve a need you have? We have many strong larger dogs that would be happily situated on a rancho in the campo. Consider them, please.

The older kitten/cat I love is still Popcorn, a 6-month-old neutered male who is white with a finishing trim of apricot, kind of a red point Siamese. I have a grown cat that looks like a grown-up Popcorn and he is gorgeous and has a treasured personality. He is a strong assertive male who is kind with kittens and is sensitive with humans. Popcorn shows the same tendencies, but fought with older males and got bitten, so he was in treatment for several weeks. But he is fully recovered and available and he is indeed a treasure.

We had lots of good news this week. Savannah, a San Miguel Especial, is finally being adopted! Our oldest resident, she has lived at the SPA for four years having been surrendered when she had had a litter. Her initial name was Radiographia or X-ray because she was so thin that you might see through her. Now fit and sweet, having lived a long hard life, she is finally getting an excellent home with one of our best volunteers, Marie, who says all her dogs sleep with her in her bed. We also adopted out Delilah, Viernes and Sparky, who went to Santa Fe, New Mexico, to be adopted there by waiting fans, thanks to Kelly Karger and Save A Mexican Mutt. And Cappuccino, our older Siamese male cat hero is being adopted. Things are looking up for the animals of the Sociedad Protectora de Animales, located at Los Pinos 7 just off Calzada de la Estación. We are open Monday to Friday for visitors and volunteers from 11am to 2pm..