By PATRICIA TANTESSIO | HEAD BOARD OF DIRECTORS
As we move through 2025, El Refugio continues working tirelessly to protect, rehabilitate, and rehome the animals who depend on us. This year, we have already welcomed 141 new animals into the shelter and celebrated 110 adoptions — each one the result of the dedication, compassion, and daily hard work of our entire team.
Our adoption work happens in two key spaces. At the shelter, families visit us to meet the dogs and learn their stories. In addition, thanks to the ongoing support of Portones Shopping, we host two adoption events every month at their facilities. This partnership represents an exceptional example of corporate social responsibility: the shopping center provides us with a dedicated stand and regularly promotes our work on their social media. Over time, these events have created a strong bond with the community. People now know they can visit Portones to find their new family member, and many adoptions begin with a simple conversation at our stand.
Despite these successes, we are also facing one of the most difficult challenges of recent years. A distemper outbreak has emerged in the neighborhood where the shelter is located. Distemper is a highly contagious and cruel disease with a low survival rate, and preventing its spread requires immediate action and significant resources. Vaccinating every dog under our care is essential to protect them and to avoid new outbreaks.
How You Can Help
We are deeply grateful for the support we have received so far. Today, more than ever, your help is vital. Contributions allow us to:
Purchase and administer distemper vaccines
Strengthen disease prevention measures inside the shelter
Continue receiving new animals in need
Support our adoption efforts both at the shelter and at Portones Shopping
Every donation, no matter the size, helps us save lives and continue providing safety, dignity, and hope to the animals who have no one else to turn to.
From all of us at El Refugio: thank you for standing with us during these challenging times.
Together, we can protect the most vulnerable and help them find the loving homes they deserve.
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