Amigos de Zaguate

You may recall Luis Pink, the kitten we picked up on the old cemetary road. Well, he grew, and his maturity necessitated a special visit to the opporating table. Yes, poor Luis Pink had to be neutered. He was not any too pleased to go without food and water through a night. The cage only added insult to injury, but after a while, he gave in. Luis Pink had a long wait. We opted to have him fixed at one of the spay-neuter clinics offered by Amigos de Zaguates in Puriscal.

Lots of people turned out. There were dogs of all sizes, and cats of all colors.
It was one of the few occasions I was able to observe the tenderness between pets and their owners here in Costa Rica.
Of course there were also the rebellios strays, and cats by the sackfull which appeared to be participating solely for crowd control. Not even the cat who ate the canary was turned away. Operating stations stocked full of supplies were manned by Vets who were there to get the job done, and they did, much to the dismay of Luis Pink.

Events like this don't just happen. It takes a lot of organization and effort to get the word out for the cause of preventing unwanted animals. Amigos de Zaguates was founded by longtime Costa Rica resident Lise Schaffer. While these clinics are open to all dogs and cats, it is the humble street dog, "el zaguate," that stole Lise's heart and inspires her to work for their cause. El Zaguate, the mutt, not just a common cross of breeds but a a dog with the pure blood of natural selection. A canine potpourri that has traveled for thousands of years down the evolutionary path.

The work that Lise does is constant and involves much more than the well organized clinics. She regularly rescues roaming and injured dogs off the streets. While she maintains over twenty dogs on her large farm, her real desire is to improve the lives of these animals before they hit the streets. Too often dogs are discarded when they show signs of illness or are simply too expensive to feed. When people call her in hopes that she will take over an animal they can no longer care for, she offers instead assistance with food and medical care as an alternative to their abandonment. This way the dog is able to stay in its own home with the dignity of belonging, rather than in a shelter situation.

Lise also works to educate the community about how to best care for their dogs. She designed a coloring book which offers a fun and creative way for kids to learn about dog behavior and safety. Her ambition is to groom the community's awareness and compassion for animals and improve the the lives of these loyal companions. Lise's cause receives support from individuals around the world as well as other animal wellfare organizations like Costa Rica's own, SASY. If you would like to learn more about Amigos de Zaguates and how you can participate, feel free to contact Lise directly. lufthans@racsa.co.cr