Dogs of the Huasteca
Meet Kiko, a black and white spotted dog living with two widows in San Luis Potos铆, Mexico. Kiko is a happy dog, who loves being petted and likes to bark and chase chickens. He is also well fed, and is a very active little canine.
Although this type of dog may seem quite normal to us Texans, the fact is there are very many dogs in Mexico that do not have such a good life. In the La Soledad community, we were preparing to eat lunch with the brethren there when a couple of dogs came up to where we were and began sniffing for crumbs on the ground. These dogs were quite reserved, and thin as well. When I tried to pet one, it shied away, and I was warned by one of the Aztec preachers that such dogs often bite.
Later I asked whether the dogs belonged there, and I was told that they were just neighborhood dogs, belonging to no one. During lunch, an elderly lady got up wielding a large stick, and soon chased the dogs off, beating them all the while. They lost no time in fleeing, tail tucked under the legs. It was clear they were unwelcome, but one cannot help but feel sorry for such homeless animals.
In Chalchocoyo I saw some more homeless dogs, which seemed to be faring better than others. Nearby I saw some that were tied up, and these seemed much better taken care of. Last of all, we visited the two widows in Tampamol贸n, and accordingly visited their dog as well. It was nice to meet a friendly dog after all the starving ones I had seen, and Kiko enjoyed my petting, which I continued despite the risk of fleas.
And the moral of the story? Spay and neuter, of course. And don’t abandon your pets on the side of the road to fend for themselves. They’ll be much happier with an owner.