By Working Gringos
Topic: Yucatan Survivor
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Inevitably, as a gringo living in the Yucatan, you will probably own a pet or rescue one. There are few of us who are able to live here without adopting a homeless dog or cat, and many of us bring our furry friends when we make the big move to Mexico.

The Working Gringos have two sets of furry dopplegangers, so we speak from experience. We brought our cats, Penguin and Byrd, with us from California. It was surprisingly easy to import them to Mexico. The vet in California knew the correct form to fill out. We took them on the plane in cat carriers and presented the form in Cancun when we arrived. It took the bureaucratic wheels about 45 minutes to spin out a permission and voilá! we had Mexican cats. Much easier than importing a car…

We were soon to learn that our homegrown cats are about twice the size of a typical Yucatecan cat. Cats here don’t generally eat as well as ours have all their lives, and we think their DNA makes for a smaller cat as well. Our office (a small colonial building in the Centro Historico) has roof access, so we were adopted by about ten neighborhood cats who realized that if they came around and looked hungry, we might feed them. Soon we found ourselves arranging for them to be fed when we went away, and discovered that their numbers began to grow. One black cat in particular that we call Sbu, (for short, black and unattractive), brought us her two kittens one day. We found homes for the kittens, had Sbu sterilized, and she is now a permanent fixture in our office back yard. She has earned her position through tenacity and because she is an affectionate animal. The other dozen or more cats were demanding and typically unaffectionate… in other words, feral. When our two dogs arrived in our lives, we were not unhappy to see that the majority of neighborhood cats no longer seemed interested in hanging around.

Dogs of course, are a different experience altogether. Both of our dogs, URL and Mali, are street dogs. That is, we found them on the street. URL was a dying puppy laying by the side of the highway outside of Taxco in the state of Guerrero. That’s him at the beginning of this article, two days after we found him. Mali was a six-month old lost soul wandering in Santa Ana Park here in Merida.

The Mayan word for dogs of uncertain breed is malix (ma-LEESH), and that’s what the locals call our dogs. But we suspect there’s a bit of cultural bias in their appraisal. Our dogs are (mostly) the coated (hairy) version of the Mexican hairless dog, called Xoloitzcuintle (show-low-eets-KWINT-lee), depicted in prehispanic art as the "dancing dog". These dogs are thought to be the oldest breed of dog in the Americas. While the hairless variety are carefully bred for show, the coated variety are commonly associated with Native Americans, hence the cultural bias.

The Xoloitzcuintle does seem somehow ancient. The coated variety does not have fur, but they have very short hair like a deer or horse. They have almond-shaped eyes ringed with black "eye-liner", traces of a mane around their unusually long necks, bat-like ears and rubbery skin exposed on their bellies. We call them "essence of dogness", and they are probably the most wonderful dogs we have ever known: gentle, sweet-natured and incredibly hardy. They don’t shed and they don’t smell, but they can wolf down an entire chicken from Pollo Brujo - bones and all - without taking a breath.

Caring for pets in the tropics can be a bit different than up north in more temperate climates. The most common ailment for dogs and cats here are problems with skin and ears due to the heat and humidity. Allergies are also an issue, again because of the humidity and also the polvo (dust) that’s kicked up in building and renovation. Even if you aren’t renovating, a neighbor a few houses away can kick up enough dust to cause a problem for your pets. The youngest of our cats developed a terrible allergy after being here for two years, which manifested as heart-wrenching coughs and sneezing. The vet now has Byrd on a monthly schedule of shots (delivered at home) which keeps the nasty allergy at bay.

Pulgas (fleas), garrapatas (ticks) and parásitos (parasites) are also more of a problem here. A monthly regimen of Frontline or the equivalent treatment seems to keep our dogs flea and tick free. Our cats don’t get out of the house much, so they don’t have those problems.

Another thing that a pet owner needs to be more aware of here is the heat. There are months and months of the year when we just can’t bring our dogs anywhere in the car if we have to leave them for more than a couple of minutes. The heat is just too great, even with the windows rolled down. They are better off at home where at least they have a cool tile floor to lie on.

Pet food isn’t as easy to come by here either. For months, we shopped at one particular store because it was the only one that carried the cat food that our cats would eat. In the States, a can of salmon Friskies was easy to find… but not so here in Merida for many years. Dog food that is easily available is sometimes not nutritious enough for a dog with certain ailments. Specialty dog and cat food is only available at a few pet stores and through your vet. There are a few good pet stores now (every major shopping mall has one) and the ability to buy supplies is getting easier all the time. But you can’t just drive to your local store and find your favorite organic brand of dog or cat food, and the range of toys, clothes and pet accessories is more limited.

One of the most important people a pet owner needs to know, as you can imagine, is a veterinarian. There are many veterinarians here in Mexico and we’ve put a short list of our favorites at the bottom of this article. Apparently, it isn’t as difficult to get into veterinary school in Mexico as it is in the States. That means there are more vets, but their skills and experience vary. If your pet is a member of the family (like ours ), it is important to find a vet that you and your pet can trust. We have found some wonderful vets and can vouch for the care they have given our animals. One of the things we LOVE about vets here is that house calls are a common practice. So the cat gets her allergy shot at home. And when our dog, URL, had his backside visited by a tourist bus, our vet was at our house within an hour to care for him - on a Sunday!

Vets provide the grooming services that are often a separate business in the States, and they often have a small shop set up in their office selling collars, leashes, medicine and food. Your vet can put you in touch with a trainer for your puppy, should you be so inclined. Vets will also occasionally board your pet, but don’t expect five-star accommodations. Medically, pet care is the same here as anywhere else in the world, but boarding services are more basic. Fido just needs a place to sleep that is safe and dry, a good meal and ample water. Air conditioning, play time and a down pillow are out of the question.

We have found a few good vets who speak English and some who don’t, because what matters more to us is how well they communicate with and care for our animals. We certainly welcome your recommendations to add to our list. Feel free to send us your vet’s name and number if you have found one you like.

Sadly, there are far too many dogs and cats in Mexico in relation to the number of people with the resources to be able to care for them adequately. Anyone who has traveled in Mexico has seen street dogs that look too neglected to be happy or healthy. The Yucatan presents an even more difficult situation for an animal living on the street, because the heat is punishing and water is often hard to find.

If you see a dog or cat in need of rescuing, what should you do? First of all, be careful. Some animals are feral and may be dangerous if you approach. If you have determined that the dog or cat is friendly, and you want to help, the first thing is to take the animal to a vet to be evaluated and vaccinated. If you choose not to be that involved, we know of two places that rescue and care for stray pets in Merida and they are listed below. (We’d love to hear from any readers that know of similar shelters on the Mayan Riviera.) If you want to adopt a pet, we encourage you to visit these shelters and adopt an animal from them. They will have given the animal the required vaccinations and sterilization. In our experience, the shelters are full of friendly, healthy animals deserving good homes.

Some Meridanos let their pets roam the streets freely but it isn’t something we would recommend. But this means if you find a dog on the street, it isn’t necessarily without a home. As a pet owner, you should know that the city of Merida (and most other big towns in Yucatan) do their best to keep the stray pet population to a minimum. In Merida, this involves rounding up stray dogs and routinely euthanizing them. A dog wandering the streets without a collar is liable to be picked up, taken out to the Perrera (dog pound) on the Periferico and destroyed if it hasn’t been claimed in a week.

If you rescue a stray dog or cat and give them a loving home, we can’t say there won’t be times when you’ll wonder what you were thinking. When Mali chews a hole through a precious article of clothing or URL tracks mud through the house, we are not pleased. But precisely at these times, they turn on their charms and look up at us with their big, brown eyes and wry smiles to remind us that, while they may occasionally be burdens, they are also our teachers. They teach us that playing, walking, resting, eating and simply being can be their own rewards. Through our pets, we learn unconditional love of life and our complicated human hearts are softened.

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Pets and Company
Location: Calle 17 #222, Depto 2 x 20-C
Colonia Jardines del Norte near the Periferico
Sandra (for cats and dogs) and Jose (for horses)
Jose speaks English
Pets and Company carries Science Diet and Royal Canin food.
Tel: 999-943-7787
Emergencies: 044-999-900-9445

Planned Pethood
Location: Calle 10 #344 x 3 y 3C
Colonia Gonzálo, near CostCo
Nelson and Tony (both speak English)
Tel: 999-944-2310
Emergencies: 044-999-156-9806

Dra. Beatrice Carajal Garcia
Location: Calle 29 # 98B between 66 & 68, Progreso
Tel: 935-0775

Miguel Angel Martin Arjona
Royal Canin Authorized Distributor and Dog Trainer
Tel: 987-7917, Cel: 044-999-955-1220

Dr. Sergio Pech
Science Diet Authorized Distributor
Cel: 044-999-947-8772

If you see an animal that needs rescuing badly or if you want to adopt a rescued animal in the Merida/Progreso area, please contact either of these two organizations:

AFAD (Albergue Franciscano del Animal Desprotegido)
Director: Lidia Saleh (she speaks some English)
Tel: 920-5019
Cel: 044-999-947-6319

Location: Just off the Periferico on the road to Cholul, on the left hand side.
About AFAD: Lidia and a very tiny staff work very hard to provide the dogs (mostly) and cats (some) that they rescue with the best care. They are always in need of donations in money, food, medicine, blankets, towels, leashes, toys… you name it.

Asociación por Los Derechos de los Animales en Yucatán
Tel: 999-920-7501
Cel: 044-999-958-0583

Perrera
The place of last resort if you’ve lost your dog.
Location: Periferico at 34.5 KM Poniente
Tel: 911-0250

• More about the Xoloitzcuintle breed
• Our dogs on Dogster: URL and Mali
• Our article about a visit to AFAD
• A dog looking for a home…
• Story Of Dealing with Dogs in Patzcuaro, Mexico

If you wish to donate money to AFAD, you may do so by clicking the Paypal button below. Please make a note with your payment that your donation if for AFAD. The money will go into our account and you will have to trust us that we’ll give it to the animals. We will… you have our word!

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