Homeless Dogs, That Is!
By Ada Letelier

(Ed. Note: Ada Letelier is a regular volunteer at The Santiago Times and lifelong animal-lover. She and her husband Renato are retired educators from New York City and have been living in Santiago for several years.)
 
It doesn’t matter to me, dogs or cats, I love them both. I have had several dogs and cats in my lifetime and can’t say whether I prefer one over the other. I also seem to be surrounded by people who feel the same way. My best friend Laura is always picking up stray animals. The last time we spoke, she had rescued nine cats and five dogs.  She has a lovely ranch in California so she can provide food, shelter and a loving home for all of them.

 

 

A Chilean friend who lives in Colchagua has, at last count, 57 animals on his property – most of them rescued dogs.  He just can’t seem to stop finding and rescuing them. And we never, never know what Steve, the Santiago Times Publisher, will bring into the office on any given day – stray dogs, cats or even a ground hog.  Anyone interested in tropical fish?

My daughter, who has had a host of unusual pets from the time she was a little girl – guinea pigs, frogs, rabbits – recently got a dog. She accuses her dad and me of abandoning her when we retired and moved to Chile four years ago; ergo the dog. And let’s not forget the Obamas. They also made finding dog for their daughter one of their top priorities after moving into the White House.