Save A Sato finds a spot for street dogs
by Marla Browne, Best Friends Network VolunteerThere she was. Standing outside of the dormitory’s big windowed entryway, fur spiked from the downpour, ears drooped, and her eyes, filled with worry, locked with mine. I’d seen her before in the parking lot curled up or with her nose down sniffing between cars. And sometimes when it’d storm, I’d see her hindquarters stretched out from under a parked car; belly down on the pavement, head under the oil pan, she found refuge from the thunder and rain. But that night she was trying to sneak shelter from the storm inside the building. “FUERA!” (OUT!), an employee shouted as he spotted the little brown dog and she recoiled instantly.
I began to bring food to her in the parking lot, and she ate cautiously, constantly peeking up at me. Gradually, she came to recognize my whistle and would pull herself from under a parked car to greet me. When she came trotting toward me and I saw the sparks of her personality, I decided she was my dog. I was living in the dorms at the time and wasn’t permitted to have a pet, so we continued this routine for a week while I searched for someone to foster her until I brought her back to the U.S. with me.
I made countless phone calls to kennels and shelters all throughout Puerto Rico, but the cost to board my new friend for six weeks was beyond my means. Eventually I was put in touch with Edi Vasquez, a woman who does extensive foster and volunteer work for
Save A Sato, a stray dog rescue. She said she would foster my dog, whom I named Rio, in exchange for my commitment to come to her house everyday and work to socialize a very terrified dog called Big Guy.
On the day I went to meet Edi and Big Guy, I was greeted by an onslaught of barks, a few meows, and then lots of sniffs. Edi was fostering fifteen to twenty dogs and a handful of cats. During the next month, I saw her bring home a myriad of puppies and dogs she found on the streets. Almost all had mange and were malnourished. She’d make a spot for them, get them fluids, skin medicine, and food, and within a few days, they were feeling better. Some would shy away from a hand while others were eager for attention.
Save A Sato’s objective is to remove as many dogs from the streets as possible, get them healthy and then adopt them out. On the island, there is not a large population looking to adopt these dogs; however, in the U.S.—perhaps due to their small size or sympathy for their situation—these satos have found a fan club. Once the pups are in good form, they are shipped up the east coast to a sister shelter and soon find their forever homes.
Save A Sato has an overcrowded shelter on the island and is therefore extremely dependent on foster homes where the dogs can build strength, gain weight, and be socialized before being adopted. Save A Sato and their volunteers are responsible for easing the suffering of thousands of homeless dogs. (There is also Save-A-Gato for cats. See below for links.)
Rio fell in line with the other satos at Edi’s and eagerly awaited my mid-day arrival, yet became quite distressed when I left, barking and pawing at the gate. Big Guy, on the other paw, didn’t want to leave his gated sanctuary for anything. He was terrified of human touch and interaction, but thankfully, he was incredibly food motivated and we were able to make immense progress with the help of treats. He was later flown up north and matched with a family in Massachusetts.
I can’t imagine not sharing my days with Rio. We’ve walked miles and miles together, up mountains, along rivers and through cities in scorching sun and chilling snow. I am amused by her day after day and cherish every bit of her quirkiness and zest for adventure. She is beautifully wild and spirited. Pure love for her.
Thanks to Edi Vasquez and Save A Sato!!
Top photo: Marla Browne / Rio
Second Photo: Marla Browne / Big GuyHow you can helpFor more information, to make a donation, or to adopt, visit:
http://www.saveasato.orgAnd also for the gatos (cats)!
http://www.saveagato.org