Hello friends and supporters of dogs everywhere.
This is a time of great change, great momentum. Life always brings unexpected turns; some see them as bad, others good, and others with a neutral repose and rational understanding. We need not judge all things that happen to us, but rather understand them: and make rational adjustment to create a stronger foundation for why we are here in the first place.
We are Perros Libres Inc, a newly official 501(c)3 nonprofit under tax code D20 for the protection and welfare of all animals: specifically dogs. We've worked in Tzununa in Solola, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala for approximately 2 years now and have made a lot of change in our community. We've rescued over 100 dogs in our time and gotten over 30 adopted to new homes and happy families all around the world. We've worked with different local indigenous families while working with other Animal Rescues around with rescue dogs and street sterilization, and our ultimate aim is to aid our community in rescuing, sterilizing, feeding, and rehoming all dogs possible in our reach.
I come to you right now with a strong challenge we are up against. We were asked by the community, in no uncertain terms, we must relocate half of our dogs, approximately 30, within a month's time. They have requested this because our Sanctuary grew to a size they were uncomfortable with, and asked me in a personal meeting with the community members that we change this. I agreed to the terms and we aim to have half of our pack moved from Sanctuary A in Tzununa to a new location, Sanctuary B by June 20th, 2023.
The great news is, we have already been granted permission to use a portion of new land in a neighboring town, to make an Emergency Pop-Up Shelter, which will act as a second location for our pack until further notice. This is a high-level demand to meet in a short time, however we have the capability of making it happen. For this, we need your help.
We're asking for $8000 USD, approximately 60,000 Q in the Guatemalan currency called Quetzales, to be raised to aid for the building of such a sanctuary on short notice. We'll have workers working week-round, staff on-site, and delivered dog food. We will be 100% transparent in usage of all funds and provide progress reports, using our donations and allocated budget to pay for all costs involved. This including staff living on-site on the new Sanctuary, workers to build the Sanctuary, all dog food and needs, and building materials so the project can begin right away. Any little bit helps, and if you are not able to donate, just sharing or spreading the message can help contribute to saving our animals lives.
We have 3 main phases to accomplish this goal in 3 weeks.
1. Clean the new land. In 1 week the entire measurement of land for the dog sanctuary will be cut of unnecessary plants, leveled, tilled, and open in space.
2. Build infrastructure. Put up fencing, build pens/dog houses, pipe water, make cement floors, holes for compost, patio roof and sleeping shelter for the animals. (There is living structure for people already present.)
3. Staff and train new employees for the new Sanctuary to begin immediately.
If you can help us at this time, we would appreciate it to the fullest one can. This is perhaps the most intense moment in all of our 2 years of creation and development of the Sanctuary. For the safety and wellbeing of our animals, and for all animals we have yet to save, please support us if it calls to your heart.
Lastly: we have photos of the land on our and will be posting update pages accessible on our website and newsletter (you should be redirected at the end of this page) with what the land looks like, and next update with the designs we draw up, and the budget of construction. This is phase 1, and with phase 2 we'll update on the design plan and progress.
PHASE 1 UPDATE:
We have gotten a lot of clearing done on the land! This page doesn't allow the photos because they're too large in file size, however I'll be posting them in our next email and blog update. Funding is already currently in use to pay the workers to clear the land, terraform the ground and prepare for solid construction. Look forward to these updates to see what your donations can do! We're gonna make a Sanctuary fast!
PHASE 2 UPDATE:
After 2 weeks of digging the land is nearly flattened. Next week we need to do the fence and the roof. Materials need to be ordered still. No major materials yet purchased, and next phase of action is a large order of metal pipes and malla to make our fencing!
Any and all further information you'd like about us as an organization is available on our website at www.perroslibres.info. We are an official 501(c)3 and all donations are tax-deductible.
Thank you for your time. Libertad para los perros.
- Aaron Bartlett
