|
Save Our Shelter
June 10, 2009 Update |
|
|
|
S.O.S. Drive Continues! |
|
Monthly Pledge Goal & Total to Date (US$)
| |
|
|
Pledge Drive Progress Report |
|
Let me begin by saying THANK YOU! to all the Friends of Baja Dogs who have signed up for a monthly membership, made donations of food, money and supplies, offered to volunteer, posted our SOS on blogs & websites, or just sent along ideas and good wishes.
We now have 34 monthly members, and our pledge total has grown from $440 to $1020 usd /month in just 2 weeks.
The one-time cash and 'in kind' donations we've received are much needed and greatly appreciated, however we have not included them in our Pledge Total because our ultimate goal is long term financial stability through monthly membership pledges. Your cash donations have bought us a little extra time to reach our goal, but we still have a long way to go and only a few months to get there.
 In the event we do not reach our goal, an exit strategy is currently being developed, including a plan to relocate all 50+ dogs ... because the alternative is simply unthinkable. To that end, we will continue to look for adoptive and foster homes, as well as the ways and means to transport the dogs out of Mexico.
Some of you may be waiting to make your monthly pledge because you're not sure the refuge will be operating beyond this fall. The irony of course is that if you don't, we may not be! Rest assured all monthly subscription payments will be cancelled if or when the decision is made to close the refuge. The amazing response to our SOS gives us hope for the future of Baja Dogs. We're not out of the woods yet, but we are making progress.
If you haven't yet made your pledge, please do so to guarantee we can continue our work in the future. |
|
|
|
|
How will the money be used every month? |
|
Once a dog is healthy and awaiting adoption, our basic costs average about $450 pesos ($33 us) per month per dog. This includes the cost of 2 part-time employees providing food, water, cleaning and care for the dogs at the refuge 7 days a week, their related taxes and benefits, veterinarian fees, spay and neuter costs, food, cleaning supplies, utilities and water at the refuge. (In comparison, the average cost of dog ownership runs between $813 and $3185 pesos ($60 to $235 us) per month.)
Here are some of the variable costs the $450 pesos does not cover:
- Initial intake costs which can run $1000 pesos for medical tests, vaccines and treatments as we take only the neediest dogs (for example, we currently have 9 dogs in our hospital and 2 more in isolation)
- Much needed overtime pay for the employees (they are truly overworked with so many dogs to care for)
- Emergency medical treatment
- The 'extras' like weekly fumigation (to control ticks, fleas, scorpions, parasites etc)
- Much needed building and improvement costs at the refuge (shade for the summer for example, cement pads for the pens, a floor in the refuge, a roof that will withstand a hurricane, etc)
Because Baja Dogs is primarily a volunteer organization, no one but our two dedicated Mexican employees receives a cent of the money raised. Any money donated is, quite literally, "going to the dogs". However, we are hoping to increase the hours of our 2 valued employees and to hire a Director at some point to handle the day to day management and growth of Baja Dogs La Paz (before we all collapse from exhaustion!). These costs would also be included in our monthly tally, budget permitting.
|
|
Your dollars really do make a difference! |
 Chacha is an example of some of the dogs we take in. On the first day, layers of her fur peeled off, exposing red sore skin. It appears as though someone may have tried to "help" her by submerging her in car oil, which is a crude treatment used to get rid of ticks and fleas. It appeared to be too strong for this  fragile tiny poodle mix and she obviously was abandoned shortly after.
Thanks to Mirella and the wonderful people at Pawsitive Match for finding loving homes for some of our dogs. Yogi obviously looks very content in his new home in Alberta, Canada.  |
|
Bits and Bites |
 For regular updates on Pledge Drive totals. check the thermometers on our Help and Adoption pages.
Do you eBay? We are in the process of registering Baja Dogs as an eBay 'Giving Works' charity so that we can run our own charity auctions and enable other dog-loving buyers and sellers to support our cause. Please check the eBay charity list from time to time to see if we are on it.
Please continue to help us spread the word: to dog blogs, local animal groups and agencies, your vet, community media outlets, local and international celebs ...anyone who may be able to help! ( Editor's note: I sent an email the other day to the Oprah Winfrey Show. Call me crazy, but what they hey; it doesn't cost anything to ask!)
If you wish to donate food to Baja Dogs, please note that the pups seem to prefer Purina and Pedigree (and these are the brands they are accustomed to eating).
A couple of the dogs currently at the refuge appear to be lost rather than homeless (one was fished out of the bay wearing a collar and necklace, possibly after falling off a boat!). If you or someone you know has lost a pet in the La Paz area, please check our Lost and Found page regularly. We would love to reunite these cuties with their owners!
Important note about forwarding our e-letters: If you use the "Forward" feature in your own email program and the recipient clicks "unsubscribe" or the "Report Spam" button, your subscription to the Baja Dogs newsletter will be automatically cancelled, and/or we will be reported as spammers. To avoid these problems, we urge you to use the "forward email" link at the bottom of our newsletters when sending them on to your friends, family and co-workers. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. |
|
 |
|
Because we care, we help. But we can't do it alone.
Your generous donations and membership fees help us continue to supply food, kennel care and vaccines against deadly diseases like parvo and distemper. They help us rescue dogs in need, and care for those without a voice who are injured, abused and neglected. Unlike rescue agencies in Canada and the U.S., Baja Dogs receives NO government funding or assistance. The best way to help is to make a monthly membership pledge of $10, $25, $50 or $100 ... but any help you can offer is always greatly appreciated.
Dhorea Ryon
Founder
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Baja Dogs La Paz
ph: English 612 140 2575
Espanol: 612 155 8948
P.S. You can send your donation through Paypal using the 'Help' links located here and on our website. If you live in the US or Canada and prefer to mail a check, please make payable and send to: Baja Dogs LaPaz Inc , 206 E Bay Blvd., Port Hueneme, California, USA 93041.
Baja Dogs La Paz, A.C. is a Federally Registered Mexican Charity, RFC# BDP060927KW0. Baja Dogs La Paz, Incorporated is a Public Benefit Non-Profit 501c3 Corporation in the State of California. Donations to Baja Dogs La Paz, Incorporated are tax deductible in the United States. |
|
Dog Rescue ~ Adoptions ~ Safe Refuge ~ Education ~ Spay & Neuter Program |
|
|
|
|
