A Heart-Warming Story of Mexico's Dog Lady and the Abused Animals She Lovingly Cares For David McCormack - Daily Mail UK
go to original January 12, 2013

One of the bravest animals is Pay de Limon who was left for dead after a vicious gang cut off his front paws.

Mexico City has a serious stray dog problem, with an estimated five million wild and unwanted animals roaming the streets.

The life of a stray dog in the city is cheap and many are subjected to terrible torture by cruel owners and are helpless against violent attacks from gangs.

A lucky few get a second chance at happy life if they are fortunate enough to find their way to Milagros Caninos, a sanctuary for abused and abandoned dogs.



Patricia Ruiz plays with dogs at her sanctuary for abused and abandoned dogs in Mexico City. (Eduardo Verdugo/AP)

The sanctuary, which claims to be the first in Latin America, was opened in 2006 by Patricia Ruiz on the grounds of her family’s country home, 15 miles south of the center of the city.

She felt compelled to do something to help abused dogs after she and her daughter stumbled across a Jack Russell terrier mix that had nailed to a tree by its ears. They managed to save the dog, called Bobby, although sadly his ears had to be partially amputated.

There are dogs in wheelchairs, blind dogs, deaf dogs and even ones suffering from serious illnesses including cancer. The animals are finally safe and free to run around the large grounds of the sanctuary.



Other dogs at the sanctuary include Menta who has been equipped with a dog wheelchair. (Eduardo Verdugo/AP)

All have been subjected to horrific acts of cruelty. One of the worst cases is a Belgian shepherd mix called Pay de Limon (Lemon Pie) who had to be fitted with prosthetic front legs.

Pay de Limon was found last February in a trash can where he had been left to die after having his two fronts legs surgically removed.

‘Pay de Limon had the misfortune of running into an organized crime group, in Fresnillo, Zacatecas, Mexico, and they used him to practice cutting off each one of his paws, like they do when they cut fingers off human beings that have been kidnapped,’ said Ruiz.

‘Unfortunately, Pay de Limon had to live through that, but thanks to a few good people who rescued him, Pay de Limon was able to come to Milagros Caninos and here we try to give him the best life possible.’



The Milagros Caninos sanctuary near Mexico City is home to about 128 abused dogs. (Eduardo Verdugo/AP)

Ruiz raised over $6000 in donations to pay for Pay de Limon to receive his two prosthetic legs.

Because no facilities exist in Mexico for fitting dogs with prosthetic legs, moulds of the dog’s legs were sent to OrthoPets, a company based in Denver, Colorado which specializes in animal prosthetics.

‘What we did was take a kind of mold with a cast called an orthocast, which is a made of plaster,’ said Dr. Osvaldo Vital Reyes, Medical Director at Milagros Caninos.

‘We made the mold, which includes the entire anatomical structure of the limbs. This was sent to the United States. In the United States, they calculated the size they (the prosthetic limbs) would be, based on x-rays we sent and other measurements.’



Another of the dogs at the sanctuary is Capuchino, who uses a dog wheelchair to walk. (Eduardo Verdugo/AP)

After gradually spent more time in his new legs, Pay de Limon has became used to them and now has a new lease of life at the sanctuary along with other dogs including Capuchino and Menta, who both use doggie wheelchairs.

It remains is a constant battle for Milagros Caninos, which translates as Canine Miracles, to find the resources it needs to continue to help dogs like Pay de Limon and pay for the food and medical supplies needed to care for 128 dogs.

Ruiz told Outside that she currently pays for nearly everything, including her ten staff, with what she calls 'personal resources.' For more information visit the sanctuary's website or Facebook page.

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