It’s no secret Puerto Rico has had a serious issue for a very long time with the quantity of stray dogs in our streets. Unfortunately, after Hurricane María, the situation worsened because a large number of dogs were abandoned during and after its pass through the island. Thankfully, there are organizations like Angelitos Peludos that are devoted to rescuing stray and abandoned dogs from the streets of Puerto Rico and finding them forever homes.
Angelitos Peludos is a non-profit organization that started in 2014. Their hope is to prevent animal abandonment and diminish the quantity of stray dogs in the island. They are able to do this wonderful labor through monetary donations and the help of volunteers in their temporary placement homes for the animals. Additionally, they have a doggie foster system in which volunteers provide a temporary home for their rescued furry angels until the organization is able to find them a permanent home.
In the past, they have organized fundraisers and lemonade sales in order to raise money for their organization. On Saturday, September 22nd, they had their first major activity: a collaboration with Come Colegial where they hosted a Puppy Picnic for the university’s population. The activity was held in the outskirts of the Mangual coliseum in the UPRM campus.
As part of their picnic, they held friendly competitions in order to interact with the public. For example, they had contests for the biggest dog, the smallest dog, and the dog and owner who looked the most alike. They also had a few artistic performances, with a presentation from the UPRM Dance Team and the band Los Salaos. Additionally, the Miradero Veterinary Clinic offered an educational chat to inform the public about the importance of dog sterilization, as well as to offer information about dogs’ general care and animal abandonment.
Their goal with this activity was to provide a “pet friendly” familiar environment for all dog lovers, while getting more exposure for their organization and collecting funds by selling stickers and t-shirts (designed by local artist Monika López). They describe their first big activity as a “total success” and are looking forward to hosting more activities like this in the future. “We loved providing a friendly and fun space for all dog lovers,” expressed a member of the organization.
If you want to get involved with Angelitos Peludos and save the lives of many furry friends, you can contact them on Facebook at Angelitos Peludos, Twitter, and Instagram as @AP_PuertoRico or by email at info@angelitospeludos.com. You can also donate to their cause through ATH móvil at 787-408-5888 or Paypal at angelitospeludos@outlook.com. If you want to give one of their furry angels a forever home, they always have pictures and information of each and everyone of their rescues on their social media platforms and on their official website. They would like to encourage all readers to “be a part of the difference and help us save our furry angels!”