Obvious Tip for Adopting Pets in Latin America

Are you thinking of any tips for adopting pets in Latin America?

Well, the tip I have today is a pretty obvious one but perhaps it needs to be said.

I say "it needs to be said" because I notice that sometimes other foreigners, simply for being in another country that isn't home, might not apply the same strategies to get stuff down here like they would home.

Perhaps those same strategies go over their heads.

Being in another country where you think that things are done so radically different down here when, in many cases, they are similar.

Though it could be the case that they are very different from home!

In terms of adopting pets, one difference from home is that you have a lot more people who seemingly treat pets worse down here and that the locals don't do as good of a job sterilizing the pets.

As I wrote here, it definitely seems like animal treatment is sometimes a little bit rougher than what I saw back home.

And, while most of the locals are aware obviously of the importance of sterilizing cats and dogs, it clearly does seem like they don't do as good of a job on the matter.

With way more homeless animals in the streets than what I saw back home in the US.

But that isn't to say that the US is perfect either.

In my hometown, they had some homeless animal shelter that would have to kill the occasional cat or dog and would complain of new homeless cats or dogs in the streets all the time.

It definitely was not cat and dog heaven back home.

Just seemingly a lot better with more resources to help these little cats and dogs than what I have seen in most of Latin America over the years.

I remember being in a Colombian city called Barranquilla hanging with an old friend named Andres.

We went for beers as always and there were some homeless cats begging for attention.

Obviously, I gave them attention while drinking my beer at midnight in the streets of Quilla.

More recently, I remember living in an apartment in an area of Mexico City called Pedregal de Santo Domingo.

And that apartment was a favorite among the cats of the streets.

As you can see here, we had cats visit the house all the time!

They mostly went through the gaps in the black metal gate at the front so they can sit in the front yard to watch all the birds we had.

Some of them looked less homeless than others.

You had most of them running from me even.

Though, as you can see here, this cat specifically liked me a lot and returned on multiple visits for pets.

With any of these cats, I'd have gladly adopted them if I could.

I can't though.

There are reasons but it'd be complicated for now.

There will come a day where I will adopt some pets down here but right now it wouldn't make sense as I plan on traveling soon again.

But I'd love to.

Living here in Latin America does mean though that you need to have a thicker skin when it comes to these homeless cats and dogs.

At least compared to back home.

Back home, I never saw any of this.

Here -- in many countries and not just Mexico or Colombia -- you see way more in the streets.

And so you have to have a thicker skin when you see so many needing a home and it's much more in your face the problem at hand.

With Facebook, it's even worse as you'll see soon. 

Many Facebook groups I am part of for local neighborhoods I either currently live in or have lived in are constantly posting photos of homeless cats and dogs asking if anyone wants to adopt them.

Always someone of the neighborhood who just happened to come across a cat or dog that needs a home.

They take some photos.

Give it some food, water and a roof for the night (hopefully with pets included!).

And then they post that information on Facebook asking if anyone is available to adopt the pet in question.

Though, as you can see here, I suppose you should be careful who you give the homeless pet to.

Tacos de cabeza… ¿de perro? Esto encontraron en una taquería de CDMX

You know never -- tacos de perro? No mames weeeey

Still, that probably won't happen.

Probably.

In all seriousness though, it is an obvious tip for the foreigner looking to adopt down here.

The Obvious Tip for Adopting Pets in Latin America

As I said before, sometimes we foreigners have obvious shit fly over our heads because we are in a foreign country and don't always think to do shit we'd do back home for whatever dumb reason.

Usually it just slips over the head for no reason if said foreigner is new here.

But, with time, you see much of what works back home works here too (though sometimes with more informality).

Anyway, the tip in question is as I referenced: use Facebook.

Some foreigners get that but they stick to, for whatever reason, using foreigner Facebook groups as you can see here when asking for any pets to adopt.

As you can see in the last comment, obviously adopting any street cat or dog might not work if you want a specific type of pet. But keep your eyes open. Maybe you will find a chihuahua pup in need of help. Or adopt however works best for you. 

It's like foreigners who look for a place to rent and only use foreigners only groups (which usually leads to higher rent).

But, for whatever reason, a lot of said foreigners don't think of joining local Facebook groups for the exact neighborhood they live in like I wrote here.

Perhaps due to the lack of Spanish (though Google Translate does exist).

Still, I can only recommend to such foreigners to use Facebook if you wish to adopt a pet.

You can go to animal shelters too.

But I'm just asking to consider too the pets in the streets without a home.

I get there are more complications with that.

But, like you can see here, there are no shortage of cats and dogs in the street who need help and who local people are CONSTANTLY posting photos of in their neighborhoods asking if anyone can help the little guy out.

As you can see, obviously sometimes the pet in question simply might be lost and does have a home. Something to keep in mind.

You can adopt however you like though. It's all cool obviously.

Just saying that it's one way to do things if you wish.

After being in many Facebook groups for local neighborhoods with very few neighborhoods, I can say that these posts are DAILY.

Many each day.

Always a new cat or dog that needs help and, at no cost to you (being taking care of it afterwards), is available to be adopted.

It's just something you see everyday when being part of these Facebook groups and, as I said, there are many right ways to adopt a pet and I'd say this is one option to consider.

If you got anything to add, drop a comment below.

And follow my Twitter here.

Thanks for reading.

Best regards,

Matt