February 8, 2019:
I can't believe it's been 4 YEARS since we found our struggling "Baja 34" pack on that beach in La Paz. So much has happened! Together we have raised enough funds to rescue over 300 dogs and several cats too!
From getting those first 40 out of the local shelter and to Minnesota so our pack could go to the shelter for aid, to seeing them again after they were well enough to travel north, to finding them forever homes (even the tough ones), to officially partnering with the fabulous Baja Dogs La Paz, Inc. for continuous rescue of dogs locally and to the US, a new wellness program for the animals there, countless rescues and care of animals by tireless and dedicated volunteers, and the creation of some life long friends with folks who love these deserving pets as much as we do, it's been a fantastic ride!
We can't thank everyone enough for your continued support. Rescuers & Rescatistas, Fosters, Transporters, Supporters and anyone who has ever shared our story - THANK YOU! We are constantly amazed and humbled by the passion of so many that are dedicated to making a difference "four paws at a time". We are looking forward to more great rescues and rescue stories in the next year. :-D Thank you for following along and supporting when you can, whether its with donations, spreading the word, adopting, or just your words of encouragement.
Sincerely,
Jeff & Diana
February 9, 2018
It’s difficult to believe that it’s been 3 years since we found “our pack” of starving animals. We are so incredibly thankful to have been put in the right place at the right time to be able to help them. With a few chance connections and ideas, we’ve been able to rescue those animals, new dogs dumped on the beach, and many more animals in the La Paz area.
The Baja 34 Rescue Project was created to help the initial 34 animals that were starving and in need of immediate medical attention. Since we vowed to help them, we’ve met so many wonderful people and groups and are amazed at the amazing things that have happened.
We partnered with Baja Dogs La Paz (BDLP) early on because we needed to find a team to translate US dollars to pesos in order to get the pack the help they needed. We didn’t realize at the time that this was a wonderful thing! BDLP, inc. is a non-profit group dedicated to addressing the overpopulation of dogs in and around the city of La Paz, BCS, Mexico.
The path has not always been easy and is sometimes downright heartbreaking. The worst of the worst has happened a few times when we sadly realized a person or group of people were not really in it for the right reasons. It is beyond our understanding that people can put greed in front of suffering. The best we can do is fully support our partners that we KNOW are doing the right things in the right way, and also provide any support and testimony to the authorities that, paws crossed, will make sure those folks get what they deserve.
As frustrated and angry as these discoveries made us, we became all the more determined to be a part of the right solution. We are incredibly thankful to BDLP and all the volunteers and rescatistas (rescuers) that do the right thing every day. They work hard to find fosters, coordinate adoptions (a BIG job when most rescues find homes in the US or Canada), distribute food and medical supplies, and much, much more.
We are humbled, proud, thankful, and hopeful for all that has happened and continues to happen for the neglected and abandoned animals in the area. So many good things are happening! And, while we are not the only source of support for all the great things that BLDP is doing, we make a difference to their efforts every single day.
Together with your generous support, we have been able to raise over $71,000 through our Baja 34 Project to support the continued efforts. Here are just a few details that show what has been accomplished in the last 3 years:
The Baja 34 Project alone resulted in the rescue of 74 dogs and 24 cats
BDLP and their volunteers have rescued, rehabilitated and adopted out over 380 dogs
10,000+ pounds of dog food and medical support has been distributed to dogs in need
The rescatistas network has grown to be able to foster more than 60 dogs at a time
BDLP has expanded to offering support and grants to qualified organizations and individuals to make an even greater impact
We are also inspired to report that the rescue community is beginning to see a shift in the culture which leads us closer to the goal of ending suffering of animals and the beginning of a new way of living. It is a long road but we are further down the path than we ever dreamed and are excited for the future!
We are truly grateful for all the support we have received and the difference that has been made. We want to thank the wonderful organization of Baja Dogs La Paz for their foresight and determination to make a difference. Thank you to volunteer veterinarians, who without their professional assistance, many rescues could not happen. Thank you to the giving travelers who assist with transporting pups to their new families. And, special thanks all the rescatistas and local volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure animals are treated with love and care and find their forever homes.
Our sincerest and deepest thanks go to our financial supporters. We continue to be humbled by those who can spare $5, $10, $20 or more towards our goals. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you. Without your donations, we cannot continue to make a difference. You are the fuel to our vehicle for change.
Please share our story so we can continue to support everyone in their amazing efforts. We are looking forward to see what 2018 brings and will continue to keep you posted on the great things happening in La Paz.
Sincerely,
Jeff & Diana
PUP-DATES:
About Us
September 30th, 2016
With our latest efforts from our great volunteers, our project has now rescued 69 dogs and 23 cats! These animals have all gone from slim chances at survival and happiness, to their new fur-ever homes. We're truly thankful to be in a position to help these deserving creatures and it can't be done without the wonderful volunteers with and our supporters around the world!
Our latest transport included Morgan (now known as Stuey) who went from being dumped on the beach and scooting around because his back legs are paralized. It isn't clear whether the injury happened before or after he was dumped, but needless to say, without our help, he didn't stand a chance.
Stuey is now rolling in a brand new set of wheels donated by K9 Carts, and lives with his new family in Seattle!! Check out his happy video under our VIDEOs tab.
We will continue to support and rescue in partnership with Baja Dogs La Paz (for the pups) and other volunteers (for the kitties). Thank you for your support and keep following us on Facebook for regular updates and opportunities to help these furry friends find their forever homes.
Thank YOU!
-Jeff & Diana
In February of 2015, we traveled on vacation to La Paz, Mexico. Our goal was to swim with the whale sharks, a bucket list item for us. We love to discover new places and on our second day, we were driving to check out a local beach. Along the drive there were various beaches and desert scenes but we never expected what we found on a beach called Pichelingue. We suddenly saw a group of 8-10 dogs on the side of the road, begging for food from some other travelers. Being "dog people" we immediately pulled over. As we walked towards the beach, filled with fishing boats and other miscellaneous trash, dogs and cats started coming out of everywhere to see if we had any food. Most of them were very thin and in need of medical attention. We counted 34 puppies, dogs, and cats living together in one big pack.
The overpopulation of dogs in Mexico is a known problem, with an estimated 10,000 dogs in the state of Baja California Sur alone, but we were awestruck by the number of dogs and cats living in one pack and trying to survive together.
We knew immediately that we needed to help these dogs and cats as best we could. We discovered on our trip there was no way to bring any of them back with us due to regulations and requirements. We provided food and water for them daily, but felt helpless not being able to do more. We researched rescue groups in the area and discovered a local shelter, was working hard to rescue and rehome the dogs of La Paz, however, their facility was full. We also found Baja Dogs La Paz, an organization created out of the US to help the dogs of La Paz with donations and organizing transfer of dogs to the US and Canada for adoption. These organizations have been very helpful and have assisted us in our creation of a project to take care of the Baja 34 Pack!
We are determined to do our part to raise funds to help this pack of stray dogs and cats. This site will generate tax-deductible funds that will go straight to the Baja 34 Rescue Project. Our goal is to help the dogs that are already at the refuge facility so they can be found homes which will open up space for our pack to get help. There are many that need immediate medical care, we need to spay and neuter in a clean and safe environment, and we would love to bring some of these pups home to find their forever families in the state of Minnesota - where we live and own Camp Bow Wow Burnsville, a doggy daycare and boarding facility.
More about the Baja 34 "pack”…
· We counted 34 in total: 8 puppies about 3-4 weeks old, 5 puppies about 14 weeks old, 14 adult dogs and 7 cats.
· There is a homeless man sharing his meals with them. His name is Jorge and he is an animal lover and takes care of them as best he can. Unfortunately, since none of the dogs are fixed, things have gotten out of hand. Jorge gets some money helping folks with their fishing boats but he lives there on the beach in his makeshift home. We don’t speak Spanish and he doesn’t speak English, but he knew we were there to help and accepted our water and food (for him and the animals). He showed us the new puppies and I think he hoped we would take some with. Sadly, we couldn’t.
· Of course they are skinny – some more than others and many need medical help. One appeared to have a broken tail that was infected for example.
· We couldn’t believe how they all got along! We fed them as one big pack and they just dove for the food and had no food aggression – even with the cats! We had some wet food and could feed them a forkful of food one at a time and they would all sit there and take turns, yes, even with the cats. They were well behaved and very friendly. It took a while for a couple of them to trust us, but in the end they were all happy to eat out of our hands – even the toughest little guy finally came around.
· Those of you who know us, know our passion for taking care of animals. It wasn't a surprise that as soon as we saw the pack, we didn't even have to say anything, we just pulled over and immediately went up to them to learn more. Was it coincidence that we were there or destiny? We truly believe we were meant to be the people to help rescue these animals. At one point we drove down a side road so we could take a picture of the beach on which these animals were living. It wasn't until reviewing pictures that Jeff noticed the name on the boat in front. Coincidence?
Yappy Anniversary to our Baja 34 Rescue Project! 1 Year ago today, we started our fundraising efforts to help the pack of hungry and sick dogs and cats we stumbled upon while on vacation. As of today, 70 animals have found their forever families and 15 are being cared for by fosters and volunteers to make sure they are healthy and well fed. We have learned so much and met so many fabulous people, it's been incredible. When we began, we focused efforts on the original 34 discarded pets we found, but as our followers know, that number grew to include the puppies and kitties that were born to our pack, as well as helping the animals in the already-full refuges so they had room to help ours. We encountered many challenges along the way, from figuring out how to most efficiently transport dogs to MN and then get the crates back to Mexico, to finding the best way to get funding to the animals in need, and even discovering who we could really trust to help our cause. It's has been humbling and yet the most rewarding experience we could have imagined.
100% of funds we have raised have always gone to help these animals. While there isn't much left, we are working hard to utilize the remaining funds as best we can to address the next challenge: the shelter we've been working with is closing. That means there are now 40-50 more dogs that need our help. There are efforts in place to find foster homes and medical care for these dogs. Some will need rehabilitation/socialization as well. We are already working hard to assist with getting the word out about this need and continue to raise awareness of the plight of the stray animals in La Paz. We will continue to support the spay and neuter clinics, medical care, and transportation to forever homes until funds are depleted.
We've always said this venture was meant to be - who would have thought we'd make it this far?! We will follow the path as far as it leads us and are eternally grateful to our supporters and the incredible volunteers that spend their time and money helping save these most deserving creatures. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your help and support and for caring about these wonderful animals. You are saving lives - 85 so far! How many more can we save together? We can't wait to find out and we will continue to share their stories with you. Here's to another year of happy-ever-afters!
Each and every one of these dogs and cats are well behaved and would make wonderful family pets. We were in awe of their trust in us and we saw hope in their eyes. Although they are starving for food, it was apparent they are also starving for love. Anything you can spare will help us toward our goal of rescuing them. A few dollars here will fill an empty puppy belly, help an animal in pain, or give them another day to survive. Reaching our funding goal will help the Baja 34 pack and so many more animals in need. Thank you for reading and sharing our story with those who can also help.
Sincerely,
Jeff & Diana Hall
June 14th, 2016
Announcing our official partnership with Baja Dogs La Paz, Inc!
Baja Dogs La Paz (BDLP) has been working to help pets in La Paz for over 10 years. It is a registered California non-profit (501c3) with a clear and simple goal: help injured, abandoned and abused dogs in the La Paz area.
BDLP funds organizations and individuals who rescue, rehabilitate, and re-home dogs in the La Paz communities. They do this through their network of volunteers and generous donors. They organize, volunteer and work at free spay & neuter clinics, in animal rescue efforts, and to educate the communities to help change the world for the deserving pets of La Paz.
BDLP jumped in to help us with our Baja 34 Rescue project and has been nothing but supportive and helpful every step of the way. From helping us understand the methods to convert US dollars to pesos, to linking us to the awesome volunteers doing the wonderful work on the ground in La Paz.
We’re thrilled to now be joining forces and making an even greater difference to pets in the area. While most pets have been rescued from the beach were we found our Baja 34 Pack, there are many more in the La Paz area, especially in the rural communities, that need our help.
Our beach is still a “dumping ground” and we continue to rescue and care for animals that are abandoned there and in nearby areas. We can’t do this without the tireless and dedicated help of BDLP volunteers!
We are so thankful for the opportunity to work with this great group and to continue to help raise funds to help even more animals that we ever imagined. Our focus has grown but our hearts are the same. Thank you all for your continued support to help these deserving creatures.
As we launch this partnership, we are rolling out some better ways to communicate with everyone on efforts and successes we have. Check out our new donation form on this site or on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/baja34rescue) that makes it easier for you to support our efforts with monthly, quarterly, or yearly donations. We will be rolling out a new text messaging feature so you can follow each rescue effort too! Stay tuned and thank you all for making this possible and making a difference four paws at a time!
Sincerely,
Jeff & Diana Hall