Throughout Mexico, unwanted dogs are collected by animal control and brought to the city pounds (called Perreras). They are held for 72 hour and receive no medical attention and often no food or water. These poor suffering animals then meet their end via electrocution – two jumper cables attached to their bodies, followed by an insufficient electrical shock that usually is repeated several times to ensure death. These facts are true across Mexico and were also the case in the Tijuana perrera before United Hope for Animals was formed and developed a program for change, a program we now call the Perrera Program.

The Perrera Now

After years of working for change in Tijuana, United Hope for Animals has become the first animal-welfare organization to form a relationship with the Tijuana pound officials. While only a few years ago officials often refused to let us enter and certainly not take photographs, today we are welcome.

Inside the perrera hundreds of homeless, hungry, injured and ill dogs, swept from the streets by animal control officials are now attended to by our trained UHA volunteer technicians who travel to the state-operated perrera in Tijuana daily. While dogs in shelters in the United States have excellent chances to be returned to their owners or find new homes, no one is coming to rescue these animals. They are held untreated and unfed. But, thanks to our supporters, the ends of their lives are no longer filled with fear and pain.

We take these poor animals individually into a separate room, provide food and water, rub their bellies and calm them. They lick our hands and then, after a painless injection of euthanyl, they fall gently asleep, no longer suffering from the misery, hunger and fear that had dominated their lives. At times, we are excited to find a dog that is adoptable, not injured beyond repair, suitable to become a loving pet. Our network of foster parents helps nurse them back to health and care for them until we find permanent homes. Today, hundreds of dogs, once destined for death, are living happy lives with loving families through out Southern California.

But, we can't do this without financial support. Your support. Sadly, we must bring a gentle passing to as many as 200 Tijuana dogs a week. Drugs alone cost us at least $1000/month. While our goal is to persuade Mexican authorities to initiate a policy of humane euthanasia, until then we must take the lead. For now, just for the drugs we must raise $1000 a month, each month, to ensure that the final days of so many dear animals aren't spent enduring pain, with empty stomachs, on a cold concrete floor. And that their last moments aren't spent in utter terror.

Your help will ensure our Perrera Program continues. United Hope for Animals is a volunteer organization. In fact, a volunteer has written these words and a volunteer has developed this web site. So, every last penny we raise is spent for the animals . . . for rescue . . . for spaying and neutering . . . for fostering . . . for adoption . . . and for humane euthanasia.

Your tax-deductible contribution today will help ensure that we can continue to bring a gentle passing to the many homeless, sick and injured street animals of Tijuana - enable us to rescue and find homes for those longing for love - and that we can spay and neuter others to ensure that more unwanted animals don't face the same fate next year.

Click here to donate now.
Click here to volunteer.