Family Photos

From left to right: Nena, Penny, Gio & Lil' Man Copernicus

~ Kika ~

~ Cool Breeze ~

~ Unica ~

Adopted Babies

Here are just a few of the lucky rescues that we have found homes for. Although these stories have happy endings, it is estimated that over 1 million dogs are roaming the streets of Costa Rica.

Abbie was dumped in the street at a month and a half of age. She is now in a very loving home.

Sabastian (1-1/2 Year Yellow Lab) was abandoned and wandering the streets. He was skin and bones. He is very happy in his new home.

Dottie was dumped in the streets. Found at 3 months old she has a good home now.

Camila ( 2 years) was found dodging traffic on a highway. She had one of the worst cases of Mange I have ever seen. She now spends her time happy on a farm here.

We have been involved with the Market Dogs for about 2 years now. This group consists of anywhere from 4 - 9 dogs at any given time. They live around a Central Market here in Costa Rica. The faces have changed over the years as many of the original pack I met, have lost their lives to the streets. Of the original market pack, only Wolf, Spud & Gitano Jr. remain. Prince & Rollo are the newest permanent faces to the group. It may interest some to learn that the alpha of this group is a female, Wolf. The Market Dogs always consist of her and up to 8 other males these days, all following her lead. The group allows no other females in the Market Area.

We spend time with this group almost daily. They are, every one of them, Angels of the Streets. Finding good homes for adult dogs is no easy task. Being inundated with abandoned puppies & kittens almost every day and trying to find them good homes is a full time job. With no shelters and not enough foster homes, this group "The Market Dogs" will likely remain where they are, on the streets.

They are all fixed and receive food & regular medical treatments. And they are truly a family pack, they love each other, watch out for one another, and do enjoy the freedom of being on the streets.

The downside is this. In my own work with this group and many others over the years, I have learned that street dogs here in Costa Rica have a life expectancy of about 2 years. That is if they even make it to adulthood in first place.

If Project Sanctuary ever comes to be they will be some of the first residents. I look forward to a day when I know they are safe and out of harms way.

Posts will be made regarding this pack on a regular basis. In the meantime, keep reading.

Market Dogs

WOLF (Wolfs twin sister was poisoned about a 1-1/2 years ago)

GITANO JR. - (Sr. was lost to the streets)

SPUD - (after the potato) - Our baby Spud has just been diagnosed with Cancer and given 6 months-1 year to live without treatment, we are desperately trying to raise the almost $1000 needed for Chemo - Oct. 1st, 2009

Market Dogs

ROLLO THOMASSI

PRINCE - R.I.P.

Prince was just lost to the streets. He was hit by a car sometime in mid August 2009. He was a great dog but largely misunderstood. He thought it HILARIOUS to go and nip folks whenever possible. I miss him horribly, he was a good friend and died much to young. He was a one of a kind character...

There is one unavoidable fact about the kind of work we do. The more animals you let into your life, the more chance you have of something bad happening to them. Doing this kind of work, your heart will be broken in ways few can imagine. It can be difficult to separate your feelings somewhat, from what we do, the way some professionals can. For me I feel every pain they feel, I remember every one of their faces, and at times it has been unbearable.

In spite of this, we will never stop helping animals in need. we are doing what needs to be done.

Here are just a few of the faces, of some of our friends, who have lost their lives.

Maya, Cleo & Ninja- Were the best of friends. Maya was a soulmate of mine. She died before her second birthday. She, her sister Cleo, & Ninja the Cat, ate rat poison someone had put out in the streets. They were inseparable in life and in death. I will never get over losing them...Ever

This one about killed me... It was largely because of this incident that Project Sanctuary started to take shape in my mind.

2008

These are but a few of the newer faces. There are so many that it boggles the mind. How can civilized people be so blind, so uncaring, as to let life suffer?

Long ago I decided to focus on animals as opposed to people for the simple fact that animals are helpless & truly innocent. I hope that people see the goodness of this and the many other charities in the world. Just imagine the good that could be done if everyone on this planet gave a damn. It makes me sad when I think that goodness in all people is not the reality, but just a dream...

Welcome to Project Sanctuary, and our temporary home here at C.R. Referrals. We are currently still developing our own website. Project Sanctuary has just one mission, rescue and rehabilitation of street dogs and cats here in Costa Rica.

Project Sanctuary, if we ever get off the ground, hopes to be able to achieve this through education, free clinics, adoption events, and brining together all the different groups in Costa Rica that are currently addressing these problems separately. Lets not forget about the Sanctuary itself.

Our dream of the Sanctuary is a small farm with updated veterinary medical facilities, areas for physical therapy/ rehabilitation, and space for up to 500 dogs or more.

We are NOT currently accepting any public donations. Some companies such as C.R. Referrals and the businesses in their network do support our cause. We are still in the process of getting all the paperwork to be a non-profit organization in Costa Rica. The process is long, and complicated here, but we will be making updates on this webpage.

Thank - you for your interest in our vision of a kinder, gentler, world.

Charity at Work - Animal Rescues in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a beautiful country. A peaceful Democratic Society that has abolished its military and set aside almost 30% of its land and marked it as protected. It was recently concluded by an international study in 2009 that the people living in Costa Rica were the happiest in the world. The whole big, wide, world. That is impressive...

These are all good things, but you can also find tragedy here. As with any country, Costa Rica has its fare share of issues as well. Lack of education and poverty have made an issue of spaying and neutering family pets. The results are the daily dumping of puppies and kittens in the streets, rivers, parks, & roadsides. They don't have dog catchers here. Nor do they have much in the way of shelters . Help for these innocents come in the form of small groups (usually foreigners) and individuals, located around the country, but often times we are too late and too few.

This is where Project Sanctuary comes in. Project Sanctuary - Costa Rica is just in the initial planning stages, but the end vision is a safe place for animals. A place where they are provided the love and the chance at a life they deserve. The Sanctuary would include medical facilities, adoption programs, educational programs, free spay & neutering, and help to bring all the groups and individuals working on this problem throughout the country together.

Project Sanctuary - Costa Rica will be launching its own website sometime in 2010. Details and announcements can be followed here at CRREFERRALS.COM

At any time, any of our clients are welcome to meet or adopt any of the dogs & cats in our network. Below I have posted some of the faces of these Angels of the Streets. The lucky ones I know only briefly, as they get adopted. Others are dear friends of mine that I visit with daily in the streets. I love them all, & they all need our help.

Cointnue to read some of our stories below