Like in many cities, stray dogs and cats, cruelty, abandonment & negligence are a common issue in Playa del Carmen. Proper education and awareness programs, as well as permanent low cost / free spay and neuter programs, are the main approaches this project takes in order to reduce the number of dogs and cats that roam the streets. Support animal welfare through the permanent sterilisation and education programmes that our partners carry out in Playa del Carmen.

Around 70% of dogs in Mexico live on the street, either due to being born on the street or being abandoned. Even cats, who are naturally independent are suffering from neglect and numbers are increasing constantly With these animals being left unchecked they are free to breed and transmit diseases, affecting the health of the community and decreasing value in these areas.

Playa del Carmen is one of the fastest-growing cities in Latin America but this growth hasn’t been well organised and has resulted in a host of concerns. Among them is the amount of dogs and cats that roam the streets. Although some owners care for them, many lack money or transportation to access the resources necessary. Some neglect and abandon them in the street. Additionally, roaming animals suffer from preventable diseases and are left to scavenge and continue reproducing unchecked.

70% of all dogs in Mexico live on the street, which is why awareness is an important part of this project. Our partners who are working on bringing together community stakeholders to address the root causes of animal suffering in order to improve dog/cat care, prevent abandonment and support humane population control. Our partners are the region’s only spay and neuter clinic and it assists animals in Playa del Carmen & neighbouring communities.

During the five years our project has been running, we have spayed or neutered 18 500 dogs and cats. They have 2 permanent veterinarians and a permanent community support program. They are also committed to education which encourages responsible pet ownership and challenges negative perceptions of feral cats, sometimes resulting in cruelty. With your support, we will develop this model across Latin America.