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.

Tunco is an all black mixed breed with a piece of a tail. He had been hit by a car and was laying down on the median when I rescued him. He was here 6 months or so and then a friend of a friend whose house was robbed a couple of times adopted him. He’s much more of a pet than a guard dog though. But he’s very intelligent and full of energy, very friendly with people but an alpha dog with dogs.

Burbuja was adopted by a woman from Lima, Peru who moved to Tegucigalpa last year and wanted company for a Shitzu mix. We had her sterilized before she went to live in her new home. 

• 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.
• UPDATE: Canosa died peacefully at Pilar’s Refugio.
• 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.
• UPDATE: On 22 April 2010, Blackie died.  RIP We will all miss his funny face and bat ears and grouchy personality. 
• 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.
• UPDATE: I had to have Felipe euthanized—he had 5 major surgeries for cancer, and he was ready to go.  He was content and had a good life even with his troubles.  

VIDA, an organization that sends teams of medical and veterinary specialists to under-served areas, recently visited Honduras to work with Pilar and Helping Hands for Hounds of Honduras.  VIDA is headquartered in Costa Rica, and as this March 24 email from VIDA to indicates, we laid the foundation for a new relationship that we hope will have a real influence on the street dog situation in Tegucigalpa. Click here to read more and view photos.

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.