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 News from Around Banderas Bay | March 2006 
Local Animals Looking for Love
 PVNN
| | Banderas News video journalist, Laura Gelezunas, shows us around the Animal Shelter of Puerto Vallarta. |
Puerto Vallarta - Walk along any street in Vallarta and you will undoubtedly see a dog or cat rummaging around for something to eat. Many of these animals are homeless, hungry and starved for affection. There are an estimated 45,000 dogs and twice as many cats wandering free around the area.
In a country, culturally, where people view companion animals as "things" and not as members of the family, one local organization is trying to compensate. The Animal Shelter of Puerto Vallarta, Centro de Acopio Animal, is trying to alleviate the suffering of street animals.
For over 1 1/2 years the shelter has been promoting the wellbeing, respect and care of these animals. Maintained by local animal-lovers, the PV City Animal Center takes in about 150 animals per week, and all of the animals kept there receive complete veterinary care and sterilization.
The animal shelter is also a place where individuals may receive information, visit animals and understand the adoption options offered. Animal-loving tourists will be happy to hear that it is not a problem to take pets back home to the states. Prior to adoption, the animals receive all of their shots, are spayed or neutered and are checked for temperament. The shelter also makes the adoption process easy by providing all of the proper documentation.
Animal adoptions are free, however, donations are encouraged. If you could find some space in your home and have a little extra love to give, former street animals can be your new best friends. The shelter is open every Mon-Fri from 8 am to 2 pm. Adoptions take place every Thursday between 10 am and 2 pm.
For more information, call the Centro de Acopio (PV City Animal Center) at [322] 293-3690. Liliana speaks some English and the Shelter Director, Dr Guevara, speaks Spanish. In the meantime, check out the exclusive video footage taken by Banderas News video journalist, Laura Gelezunas, as she takes a look at this fairly new facility and puts on a Pet Parade to show us some of the cuddly creatures who are ready for a new home.
Directions to the PV City Animal Center:
Take Francisco Villa (same street as Library) heading toward Pitillal. At the Guadalajara Farmacia take a RIGHT (this is Pavo Real street.) After a block or so, Pavo Real is a one-way so you must bear RIGHT. Follow that road straight until you reach a stop sign at a T intersection where you must make a turn. Turn LEFT. Go to the second street on your right and make a RIGHT (this will put you back on Pavo Real.) Follow Pavo Real - you will pass Rancho Leon on your right, and then you will pass Colegio Vancouver on your right. You will come to a sign that says "Colonia Santa Maria." At that street you will need to make a SLIGHT LEFT onto Santa Maria. Go 1 block to the Y split in the road and stay STRAIGHT onto Playa de Oro street. Go about 4 blocks to the stop sign (you will see the high tension power lines). Take a LEFT. Go to the first street on the right (looks like a run down log cabin on the corner) - this is Costa de Oro street. Take a RIGHT at Costa de Oro (no sign) and go up the hill - you will see a bright lime green building on your left. Another block or so up the hill and you will see the CENTRO DE ACOPIO ANIMALS buildings on your left. Turn left in front of the buildings and the driveway is on your right. |
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