Animal Advocates of the US was founded in 2008 by Marlene Revelen after visiting a Mexican dog pound ("Perrera") where she found hundreds of street dogs and cats needing food, clean water and basic medical care at the temporary shelter. Unable to erase the memory of the overwhelming need, Marlene has dedicated her life to making a difference. She gathered a small, but dedicated team of U.S. and Mexican volunteers to provide compassionate care to more than 6,000 street dogs and cats each month that are temporarily sheltered at the Tijuana, Mexicali and Ensenda, Mexico Perreras. Animal Advocates of the US helps feed, water, clean the kennels, provide basic medical care to sick and injured animals and supply the drugs needed for humane euthanasia for the dogs and cats not adoptable or too sick or injured. Before Animal Advocates and other humane organizations, euthanasia was performed by electrocution. Without support from donors like yourself, most street dogs and cats would die without humane and compassionate end-of-life care or have no hope for adoption. Animals Advocates goes where most others won't, and does what many can't. Marlene dreams of the day when all street dogs and cats will receive humane and compassionate care, and have the chance of becoming family pets.

Overpopulation and neglect of street dogs and cats is a major problem in many of the poorest communities of Mexico. Sick, injured and starving dogs are not only a public health issue but a moral issue. Overwhelmed by the enormity of the problem, the Mexican government has implemented a policy of collecting street dogs and cats and temporarily sheltering them at the dog pounds ("Perreras"). Enormous challenges occur because of the number of sheltered animals needing food, water, shelter and medical care. Often, many of the animals are injured, sick, malnourished and have puppies or kittens to care for. Until recently, most of the perrera animals were euthanized by electrocution. With funding from generous donors such as yourself, we are able to provide the drugs to provide for humane euthanasia. But, we aren't stopping there.

SOLUTION 1: Feed and provide basic life and medical care for more than 6,000 dogs and cats each month that are temporarily sheltered at the Tijuana, Mexicali and Ensenda Dog Pounds ("Perreras").
We strive to make a positive difference in the lives of street dogs and cats in Mexico. Every day, our volunteers are working in the United States and Mexico to provide the desperately needed food, medical supplies and end-of-life care for the thousands of street dogs and cats that are temporarily housed at the Mexican dog pounds ("Perreras"). Our success is measured by the countless hours of volunteer time spent providing compassionate and humane care for these street dogs and cats who but for the Mexican staff and all the volunteers, the end-of-life for these abandoned, homeless, injured and sick animals would be as bad as the totality of their brief lives. For 6,000 street dogs and cats, including puppies and kittens, they get a full stomach, clean water, and basic medical care to soothe their injuries and provide dignity in their last days. Without your help, these animals would not eat, have clean water or kennels or have humane euthanasia. With your help, we strive to accomplish much more with Solution No. 2, below. read magazine article about AAOFUS

SOLUTION 2: CONTINUE TO IMPROVE SHELTER CONDTIONS FOR STREET DOGS AND CATS
Providing warm, clean, and safe kennels for street dogs and cats at the Mexican Perreras is our goal. Hundreds of street dogs and cats are brought to the perreras every day. The animals are put together, and many must live in over-crowded, unsanitary conditions during their end-of-life or while waiting for adoption or claimed by an owner. During the winter, sick and injured animals must endure the cold, harsh weather conditions on cold, dirty cement floors and open-aired kennels.

Our WARM FOR WINTER PROJECT strives to improve the shelter conditions for street dogs and cats. We are working to weatherize and re-floor the kennels for a more humane, compassionate shelter particularly for the old, sick and injured street dogs and cats.See more pictures of the perreras

CAUTION: Some of the photos in this slide show may be disturbing to viewers. We advise to view at your discretion.

SOLUTION 3: COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO PROMOTE HUMANE TREATMENT OF STREET DOGS AND CATS
We strive to partner with our Mexican neighbors in promoting humane treatment of unwanted street dogs and cats. Our goal is to expand community educational outreach to pet owners to assist and develop needed spay-neuter programs in Mexico, develop easier and effective ways for pet owners to locate and reclaim their lost pets sheltered in the perreras, and create a model adoption programs for street dogs in the perreras.

Our recent success story of Aausy (named after our organization) below shows that street dogs and cats can become wonderful, loving pets.

SOLUTION 4: CONTINUE TO DEVELOP STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE MEXICAN AUTHORITIES AND OFFICIALS TO PROMOTE HUMANE TREATMENT OF STREET DOGS AND CATS

We are committed to building strong partnerships with Mexican government, officials and animal-welfare organizations operating in Mexico to meet our goals of improving the lives of street dogs and cats, reducing pet over-population, educating the community about animal care, providing assistance to pet owners and the community with pet education, spay-neuter programs and developing effective adoption programs for street dogs and cats.