Pilar, Marvin, Fernando, and Gerardo, after a long day of work, laying concrete for the Helping Hands for Hounds of Honduras shelter. 

A huge thank you to Fabrizia, a US Agency for International Development staff member, who was linked to Pilar and HHHH through Animal-Kind International.  Fabrizia organized her friends to undertake this shelter improvement project, and donated material.  She regularly donates food to the shelter and helps Pilar with various tasks. 

At Helping Hands for Hounds of Honduras, Pilar usually cares for over 20 dogs (there are also birds, cats, and often a couple wild animals she is rehabilitating).  Some of the dogs at HHHH are permanent residents—it is unlikely they’ll find other homes because of the intensive care they need, their age, or their injuries.  Some of the dogs are available for adoption, and before they are adopted, Pilar makes sure that they are spayed or neutered, have all their vaccinations, and that the adoptive home is the best possible place for the dog. 

Your support to AKI helps feed and provide veterinary care for the dogs at Helping Hands for Hounds of Honduras.  A 66 lb. bag of Pro-pet costs $30.  Pilar uses 7 to 8 bags a month (about 450-500 lbs. a month).  Please donate by “Adopting” one of the Dogs to the right or some of the other residents at the HHHH sanctuary. Your support helps Pilar care for these wonderful dogs at HHHH.        

ADOPTIONS! Pilar sent us the following good news!
Pascual, the three-legged French Poodle weighs only 9 lbs., and was adopted about a month ago. I still miss him. I had him about a year.
Galan, el Guapo, an adorable, mop looking thing, was adopted two weeks ago (October 2009). I only had him a month, but he was calm and loving.

• Puppy came from Charamusca, where she was found as a stray in a deplorable state. She smelled terrible with infected mange and she was pregnant. Once she had her puppies and was healthy, I had her spayed. No one has yet wanted to adopt Puppy so she has been staying here. She is a big mutt, and now weighs about 60 lbs.
• Colita is a female, tailless dog (her name in Spanish means small tail), who was covered with lice and extremely emaciated. She had been run over at the university when I was still working there, and was brought to me so I could help her. She’s been here about 4 years.
• Canosa is a blind, completely gray muzzled old female Chihuahua, probably 12 or more years old. A 12 year old street kid was trying to sell her--blind, almost no teeth, and old. I couldn’t leave her with him. She loves to eat 2 or 3 times a day. She has her own little box to sleep in, where she’s very comfortable and feels safe.
• Sadie is an old, large mutt, who had been run over near UNITEC University. She was in such bad shape, thin and malnourished left to die by side of road. She’s 12 years old, large shepherd size, and has been here about 2 years.
• Sara is a two-month old puppy, who was part of a group of more than 20 puppies, being sold by gang members, more than half died, malnourished, no vaccinations or deparasitations, lots of worms, fleas, and ticks, but now she is fine and happy, living with us at HHHH.
• Blackie is a 10 or 11 year old mixed breed—looks a little like a Papillon, weighs about 10 lbs. He’s blind in one eye. About 8 or 9 years ago, I rescued him from a trash can at the university. He was very thin and covered with ticks (the fat female ticks, they call patacones here). Three students and I worked on him for about 2 hours, pulling off these big ticks—they were in bunches all over him, and looked more like tumors than ticks! He growls if any dogs or people (except for me) get near him.
• Pancho is a little brown dog, maybe 9 months or so, pretty face, brought here at the end of October (2009) by a student. Has a broken back.
• Vago is a huge, terrier mix, about 70 lbs., and completely blind. He was wandering streets near vet Orlando, full of mange and ectoparasites and emaciated. He has been here about 3 or 4 years.
• Felipe is a pit bull mix and his previous owner completely cut off his ears. Very sadly, aggressive cancer is killing him. I will probably have him put down next week once I get some people to help dig the hole to bury him. He weighs 50 lbs. Felipe is getting weaker. I am buying him cans of food and roasted chicken to keep him happy before having him euthanized. He is such a sweet dog and very strong and brave. He never complains even though he falls down some now.

Get To Know Pilar – We at Animal-Kind International think that once you get to know about Pilar and her dedication to the welfare of all animals, you will think her work deserves support.  We have compiled some email correspondence that we get regularly from Pilar so you can see the kind of work she does in Honduras, the challenges she faces, and  why she needs our support. Click here to read.