For My Neighbors: A Little Alpo Goes A Long Way/Straight From The Horses Mouth

Herein lies the deal - a lot of people look at this and read it. I have no idea who or why or how but thank you for reading, for donating, for sending me pictures and emails and everything else. But I don't know who, if anyone, is reading it here in Nica. I know that this blog wound up on 'Best of Granada' and 'Info About Nicaragua' websites. I have no goddamn idea how, but thank you. But because of this I assume some people here in Granada do check this occasionally. And maybe they're people who aren't on Donna's enormous mailing list. Thus I re-print this letter from Donna.

For my friends in the States and Canada that are having kittens over the quality of what we're feeding, please remember we feed A LOT of dogs. And dog food here is pretty pricey and you have three choices: two supermarket brands from the States and one that comes in an unmarked bag. And quite frankly anything the fact these animals are getting anything on a daily basis is an enormous step towards keeping them alive.

And now, the letter:

Hi Neighbors,

To get to the point quickly and painlessly, we need your help.

Our small but hardy volunteer group at Casa Lupita has been faithfully feeding homeless dogs daily...both at the clinic and on the streets....while searching for adoptive homes for them. We've had great luck these past few months. A number of dogs, and cats too, are living the good life after being brought to a great state of health and taken to live with people who love and respect them.

None of them were placed overnight. It took bathing, medication, good nutrition and a lot of TLC to bring each of them to their peaks. Once covered with mange, plagued with parasites, ticks and fleas, and just enough flesh to cover their weak bones, these dogs and cats were finally turned over to their new owners in good health and great dispositions.

We want to continue this practice for as long as we can. But we need you to be a part of it too. Each day we feed as many hungry dog and cats that present themselves. Each morning I drive into the lakefront's tourist center where five homeless dogs and three cats (two of them with litters) wait for their breakfast. Further down the road, two more wait for their idea of a doggy bowl of cheerios. Toni and Nico Edwardson, our community's Peace Corps volunteers, and Finn Dowling, a vet tech who has been volunteering with us for the past few months, have been caring for several street dogs in jeopardy as well as those kenneled at Casa Lupita awaiting adoption.

Here's where you come in. We need a steady supply of dog and cat food. These critters have discovered the joy of eating, and they want to continue as long as we''re able to provide them with it. If you can commit to a bag of dog or cat food each month, this would help the small population that we're feeding now as well as allow us to expand to include other hungry animals.

Please don't let the attitude "They're just dogs" prevail in our community. They are living beings that feel hunger and pain just as you and I do. It's easy to turn our heads the other way and not allow ourselves to see the hope in their eyes as they wait for a morsel of your food to fall to the ground for them. Our community can only become a better one with each homeless animal that is made well again and taken into someone's heart and home. But the first step is to help it find the state of health that it deserves.

One bag of food each month. It's a small gift that, in a way, you will be giving yourself.

Thanks so much. Please drop it off at Kathy's Pancake House. I'll pick it up there before Sandy serves it as a side dish with waffles.

Toward peace,

Donna

***And no, Donna is not a horse. I'm just using the expression. And yes, I had permission to reprint it***