I think I’m in trouble here.

Jeff and I have been talking about getting involved in pet rescue groups here in our new town of  Patzcuaro, Mexico.

The problem is, there really are no secific “rescues”, just a loose bunch of people, mostly foreigners, that sterilize or take in strays and try to save lives. There are no shelters like we are familliar with in the states or other parts of Mexico.

There are, however, a couple of active sterilization groups that work closely with local vets to offer low-cost spay/neuter to local dogs. This is probably THE most important and effective way to control the out-of-control population of street dogs here. And it truly IS out-of-control. Stray dogs (and cats) roam the streets, parks, fields and parking lots, looking for food, a kind word or a mate to make even more strays.

Since we have our own rescues— Chance, a former street dog from Atlanta, Ga, and a foster fail who is now around 14, and not in great health,, and Frida, a young and rambunctious rescue from Puerto Vallarta, we weren’t actually loooking to add another, at this time, to our pack.

Meet Diego.

Diego was running loose on the sidewalk at the Plaza Grande near our house. I was walking Frida, and the two playful pups took to each other “like white on rice.” They began playing, Frida all the while pulling my arm out of socket trying to get off-leash. The other dog was adorable, but he had on a collar, so, I just assumed he belonged to someone. (Many of the loose dogs in Mexico have “owners”, albeit not responsible ones.) We eventually discouraged the funny fluffball to stop following us, and a very disapppointed Frida and I went home.

The very next day, there was a post in the local facebook group that that very dog, Frida’s newest BFF, needed a home, and fast.

And well, my friends, that’s all she wrote. I picked him up that afternoon and brought him home, with every intention to vet him, clean him up and foster him while I found his forever home with someone else.

After noticing a near-constant “tic”, I took him to the vet the next morning. Seems sweet Diego suffered the nasty distemper virus (very common in Mexico) at some point in his life, and has been left with neurological problems that cause a bobbing-head and jerks and tics in his body. Jeff wanted to call him “Bob”, but that didn’t fly with me. I decided to calll him Diego, because, well…Frida

He isn’t in pain, he’s a funny, active, personable and very affectionate little guy, and he looks so, SO much like my past Tibetan Terrier, Kismet, that it just melts my heart.

I would still like to find the perfect home for Diego, but I have a feeling he has already found it.