Below are the tales of Don Pedro and Dingo, beloved pets of long time PEACEAnimals supporters Marsha and Ken. Both pets were rescues from Mexico, both went on to live their best lives with owners that adored them.

This is Don Pedro. We were staying in a beautiful home in north Bucerias (which has since been torn down to build more condos). I saw this little kitten in a field. I assumed it was feral, but he let me pick him up. I took him into the house where he was fondled and loved all eight of us. One day Ken and I took a bus into town, and upon our return, noticed that Don Pedro was missing. The maids told us that the owners of the home did not want a cat hanging around after we left, so they were ordered to get rid of him. I told them that wouldn’t be necessary as we were taking him back to Wisconsin with us. The young maids were absolutely thrilled and got him out of the shed where they had placed him. So the next day he got to take a bus ride to the vet where he received his traveling shots. Everybody that saw him with us was so happy to hear that he had a home. The day we flew home, the airport folks gave him his own seat on the plane, and many of them came out to watch us board with him to say good- bye. Don Pedro lived with us, dogs, ferrets and other cats for fourteen years when he died from kidney disease.

DINGO when we first met him in Bucerias. The following is the obituary Ken wrote about our Dingo.

Sadly, we are mourning the loss of our 14 year old friend and companion, Dingo, who died after a two month long battle with Cushings Disease.

Dingo was a familiar sight in our neighborhood since he regularly found ways to escape from our yard. He especially liked to tag along with other people walking their dogs. Initially neighbors would ask “Is this your dog?”, but it soon became “Here’s your dog.”
When he found us, Dingo was a two year old Mexican street dog wandering the beach and streets of Bucerias, a former fishing village just north of Puerta Vallarta. One morning when we opened the gate to the property where we were staying, we found him lying outside. He was covered with fleas and ticks, too weak to even eat. We knew we had to get to a vet if he was going to survive.
There was a veterinarian located about a mile away on the main throughfare where we had once taken a kitten. After a few blocks, Dingo couldn’t walk any further. Ken tried carrying him, but as he was already in his seventies, we made little progress. Fortunately, a good Samaritan came to our rescue, and called a cab. The cab driver wasn’t happy to take our dog, but finally agreed to drive us. We left him a sizable tip knowing that his cab would be full of fleas and ticks.
The vet was shocked when he saw Dingo’s condition. He found stomach parasites in addition to the fleas and ticks. The vet gave him several shots which appeared to immediately improve his condition. While at the vets, we bought Dingo a collar and leash. He was particularly proud of his orange collar.
By this time we had already decided to bring Dingo back to Wisconsin. When we asked about the immunizations Dingo would be required in order to fly to the United States, we were told it would be several weeks before he was strong enough to receive the shots. We were only a few days away from returning to the states, so we had to find someone to board him.
We were very fortunate to find a very caring and capable woman named Melanie Blair who operated an animal shelter and boarding facility in Lo de Marcos, a small town near La Penita where we spent half of our time in Mexico every year.
Dingo received the best of care until it was time to begin his journey to Wisconsin. She took him in for necessary vet appointments, found a carrier for him and eventually drove him to the airport in PV.
Lucky for us, there is a large network of animal people, mostly Americans and Canadians in the area around Puerto Vallarta. The organization PEACE ANIMALS sent out emails to find Dingo a ride to Wisconsin. A couple from Heartland, WI agreed to fly Dingo home and we were able to pick him up at their home near Milwaukee.
It quickly became clear that Dingo was no longer the docile sickly dog we left in Mexico, but rather a hyperactive and very exuberant puppy. Until his last year, that never changed. He approached life on his own terms and never doubted that God created the world solely for his enjoyment. Dingo is so missed.