By ADRIENNE GALLER LASTRA from the Pinones Beach Project
Well guys - I'm so sorry it's taken so long to update. More than a month has passed and I've been running around like a whirling dervish. My professor, John Saccenti, President of Career Development Institute has come and gone and our Animal Control Officer/Cruelty Investigator course is taking a life of it's own. The course will be given January 25th through 29th with a large animal welfare summit to follow on the 30th. Below is the flyer for the course.
Today i had a meeting with Maximiliano Brandt, the Member Society Development Manager of World Society for the Protection of Animals who has always been our contact on the island. Other large foundations have come and gone (Pegasus for one) but WSPA has been constantly present in Puerto Rico, trying help the animal welfare movement here. They have been communicative and helpful. WSPA funded my ACO certification course and my flight to New Jersey.
Max was excited that the course is coming to fruition and he will be present with Dr. Monica List who is WSPA’s veterinarian. He and Dr. List will be attending the summit and he knows Dr. Carazo, Head Veterinarian of the state and Wilma Rivera, Director of Animal Control, and he has also met Dr. Gonzalez and has been to the Carolina Animal Control Center so he’s thrilled with all the teachers who will be giving the course.
WSPA will be a major presence in this inaugural ACO/CI certification course and they have invited me to attend the‘ First Dominican Conference for Animal Welfare’ at the Veterinary College of Universidad del Este, in Santo Domingo to attend their workshops AND meet and greet all the WSPA people who he says can help make our Latin American portion of our ACO/CI certification course happen.
Well that’s the recap – I need to make plans to go to the center for OCAM (municipalities) next week and get all the mayor and town info so we can send off letters to the mayors. Lois Reed, our web designer is already working on putting the registration form and information about the course on the Amigos de los Animales web site and I’m waiting for the WSPA logo to add to our marketing materials.
I will give you updated pictures of the 34 kids I have at home and will be showing you pictures of big Homer, who will be coming home tomorrow!! Yay!!! It's been a long time since I've been able to ship doggies because apparently the economy has been as affected in the states as it is here and people are giving up their 'best friends' to shelters. It's very bad here and in pinones where I live, I see 3-5 new dogs every weekend. i just found 3 puppies on Friday night that were dropped off at the beach.
Folks - Sorry it's been so long since I've written. Please forgive me. It takes a lot of time for me to write and make sence, and when I go to bed at night (with my 6 dogs that sleep with me in bed)I just black out with exhaustion.
Please don't forget to donate to the animals at my mini shelter here at home and always adopt the adoptable! You can either donate to my doggies upkeep through this blog's donate button or you may send your check or money order to: Amigos de los Animales, PO Box 79169, Carolina, PR 00984
Thank you so much for reading. You are appreciated!
Blessings,
Xx Adri
