California Rescuers Provide Life-Saving Services to Grateful Street Dogs in El Salvador
By now, every dog owner and rescue advocate knows that animal shelters are overcrowded and underfunded. Some places can't keep up with the influx of new animals in their care, and it's no different in many other countries around the world. In fact, many places don't have the same amount of helpful resources as we do in North America, and street dog populations are even larger than they are here.
Whether you're visiting remote towns or big cities, you may not even see the stray and homeless animals who sleep on the streets every night. Fortunately, some people do see them, and they're able to do something to help. That's why a group of rescuers from Sandy Dog Rescue in Southern California traveled to El Salvador to give a fighting chance to as many dogs as possible.
On May 15, the rescue team posted a raw and real TikTok video with behind-the-scenes peeks at the life-saving work they did. There's no doubt just how thankful these street dogs were for the medicine and the meals!
Thank you for looking out for these precious dogs! Their lives are just as valuable and worth saving as any other dog, but they have a much harder time catching a break simply because of where in the world they are.
Related: Kind Rescuers Save Street Dog and Her Beloved Stuffed Animals
Not only can it be difficult to get essential veterinary medication like flea and tick protection in rural areas of Central America, but it can also be an expense that people cannot afford--especially for dogs that aren't even their pets. When all these factors are considered, it's easy to see why so many animals are in need of help.
This California dog rescue team was able to administer 10 doses of flea and tick prevention and 40 doses of deworming medication, as well as providing chicken dinners for dozens of dogs. This may be a small change in the grand scheme of things, but it may have been the boost these dogs need to keep surviving on the street. It can be hard enough to find dog food--or any food--as a homeless pet, but few animals have the chance to prevent themselves from getting sick.
How to Help Animals in Need
As inspiring as this life-saving rescue mission is to witness, it's also important to remember that not many people are able to drop everything to help stray dogs in another country. And that's OK! There are many ways a person can support animals in need, whether they're in another country or in their own neighborhood.
If you're unable to volunteer your time at a local animal shelter or rescue organization, consider donating instead. You can often choose between one-time donations and recurring donations, or you can even see whether local rescues are in need of dog food, cat toys, or other essential pet items.
The folks with Sandy Dog Rescue have done a wonderful thing for the dogs of El Salvador, but there's no single right or wrong way to help animals in need!
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