Expat rescue groups work to stem Mexico’s never-ending tide of unwanted pets

With few municipal resources available, foreigners have formed animal rescue groups in many states

Published November 16, 2022

“One of the first things we foreigners notice when we arrive [in Mexico] is that the treatment of animals is different,” says Rebecca Raab of Friends of Megan animal rescue, just outside of Oaxaca city.

Phaedra Barrat of the Balam Foundation puts it more bluntly. “Animal suffering is off the charts here.”

With one of the highest pet ownership rates in Latin America, it seems that Mexicans love animals. Fifty-seven percent of households have at least one, with dogs by far the most popular.

However, the federal Chamber of Deputies estimates that of the more than 18 million dogs in Mexico, only about 30% have an owner. Street animals live short, horrible lives, but those in homes may not fare much better. It also reports that Mexico ranks third in the world for animal cruelty. The federal statistics agency INEGI ranks it first in Latin America.

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