The Rio Grande is one of the longest rivers in the world. It forms the entire border between Mexico and the US state of Texas.  I found myself driving over it on Sunday, as I have so many times before. Each time I make my way over that bridge, toward the southern shore, I find myself impacted by its significance and all that it divides. Border towns are heavy, complex places where divisions are felt deeply, enforced fiercely, and sometimes held in place by rapidly running water.

I descend the bridge and am plunged into Ciudad Juarez. Seduced south of the border, yet again, by the promise of saving lives. I am here for one day and one day only. I will meet all the beautiful dogs Compassion without Borders has rescued and been caring for over the past several months. We will be driving these dogs north in a few short weeks for placement.  While I am in Juarez, I will also be meeting with local folks to discuss ideas we have about how to increase adoptions locally, so that we can increase our rescue efforts and the total numbers of lives we can save.

I am immediately in a whole new sensory landscape – different sights, sounds, and smells. We head to the outskirts of town, to the house where the dogs are gathered. The ride gets steadily bumpier as paved roads on the interior of the city give way to smooth  dirt roads just on the periphery and eventually erode to rocky uneven terrain, sloped irregular neighborhoods and lots and lots of dust the further we get out. As we move further from the main part of the city, the building materials change, too. Office buildings and storefronts give way to crumbling cinder block houses and corrugated metal roofs and doors. Fences made from trash, tires, bus doors and anything folks can get their hands on surround these homes, and empty plastic bags and garbage  flap in the wind, clinging to any surface they can.

We arrive to the house. The dogs are amazing. As I enter the patio, there are over 20 Meximutts waiting to meet us. A white hot bolt of joy travels directly to my heart as I enter and am immediately covered in enthusiastic kisses, eager paws, and wagging tails. These dogs are so relaxed, dignified, and so effortlessly joyful.  They are in their essence.

There is nothing quite like Mexican street dogs. Having to overcome such hardship and struggle strengthens their characters and sharpens their intellect and resourcefulness. There is an ease about them that you don’t see in many dogs stateside.  Gratitude is present in the slightest of their gestures.

I am kissed smack dab on the face by Vaquita, a stout little gray and white poodle mix. We rescued her a few months ago from an animal control center in Chihuahua where she would have undoubtedly been killed had we not been there that day. Vaquita has been getting ready for travel – spayed, vaccinated, and the works for the past few months. We’ve missed each other. She lets me know she’s ready for the trip and that life these days is pretty darn good.

Then there’s Ebony, who was found covered in motor oil and matts, nearly starving. Now, Ebony can’t be bothered with thoughts of that dreadful past and mostly just runs around wagging her tail, showing off her healthy, gorgeous black coat, and living each moment to its fullest. She is vibrant, happy, and carefree.

Each dog has his or her own personality. There’s Panchito, the class clown. Blue, the coy, thoughtful type. Let’s not forget Cookie, the outgoing blue-eyed party gal who loves center stage.  Coco, a pint-sized wire hair terrier,  stands in the background and lets others get their time in, gradually  moving in before capturing your heart completely.

Sweet Akira suns herself on the side patio before swaggering over for a little love. This little gal was rescued by someone who saw her being thrown from a car window on a busy road. Sadly, the resulting injuries were severe enough that several toes had to be amputated. She is, however, now fully recovered, uses the foot well, and the charm of her plump little figure and chocolate brown eyes are not lost upon me as I kiss her soft little head.

I love these dogs. Every single one. Deeply.

That’s why I want to save even more. Our idea is to start increasing adoptions locally by creating a kiosk in a crowded local mall where we will display dogs for adoption. We will then have an adoption councilor who will make good matches, follow up with folks, and also provide humane education materials and encourage spay and neuter at a low cost local clinic we helped to get up and running.

Of course, we will continue our international rescue, but we want to try to start promoting the idea of adoption and responsible rescue locally, as well.

I leave the patio dirtier than I care to tell you, but happier than I could ever express. The love I have for these animals is why I am here and why I am who I am and why I do what I do.

We go off to have meetings about the local adoption process, visit some potential commercial sites, and talk shop with local veterinarians and rescue folks.

And as I make my way back to the northern side of the Rio Grande, my work has only just begun. Now, we must find the funding for the local adoption program, work out the budget, identify folks who share our vision and who can help us to make it a reality.

On my way home to California, I take a break from budget making , calendar planning, and strategizing, and pick up a magazine. My efforts at leisure down time immediately implode when I turn to a page that announces a local jewelry maker in LA just started making nail polish that has real black diamonds in it — retailing at  $250,000 a bottle.

A quarter of a million dollars for a bottle of nail polish?

I am momentarily disoriented by this. My place in this world and understanding of it fragment as I struggle to understand this baffling product and the implications of its existence. Images of the harsh poverty I was just surrounded by flood my mind, juxtaposed against diamond encrusted fingernails, as I  frustrate myself to no end thinking of just how many lives I could save with $250,000

But then I remind myself that compassionate philanthropy can and does exist right alongside items like diamond nail polish  and that people believe in our work as much as we do. I trust that the love and passion we bring to these animals will be supported by folks who feel just the same.

So, I’m reaching out to all of you who do care and who want to help us to help these animals. It costs just $150 to be a rescue dog sponsor, which enables us to undertake on the costs associated with their rescue, care,  and travel.  Please donate today so that we can save  as many lives as possible.

How You Can Help:

Be a rescue dog sponsor today and save the life of a dog south  of the border!

Help us to Promote Adoptions Locally!

Support our efforts to save more lives sustainably via promotion adoptions in Mexico. We are trying to raise $15,000.00 to launch this project , which could potentially save hundreds of lives each year and help to create  a culture of rescue and humane education south of the border. Every penny counts – donate today!

www.cwob.org