Juarez Street Dog Finds New Life in San Diego as Charity Ambassador Sandra Dibble - The San Diego Union-Tribune
go to original January 28, 2013

Pancho, a street dog from Ciudad Juarez, moved to San Diego last week and stepped into a new role as border ambassador for the International Community Foundation. He is pictured last month in Tijuana with Tom Fremantle, a British traveler and volunteer, as the two neared the end of their 1,000-mile journey from Ciudad Juarez/El Paso. (David Maung/U-T San Diego)

Pancho is one happy hound.

The onetime street dog from Ciudad Juárez moved to San Diego last week, launching into his new life as goodwill ambassador for charities along the U.S.-Mexico border.

His current master, International Community Foundation president Richard Kiy, described him as spunky and good-natured. “He cheers everyone up,” Kiy said. “Pancho represents hope for the border.”

Pancho first came to Kiy’s attention late last year as the animal walked half the length of the border, from Ciudad Juárez to San Diego.

Pancho was accompanying Tom Fremantle, a British volunteer who spent time in Ciudad Juárez and wanted to raise funds for charities there and bring positive attention to the border before returning to England.

One of those beneficiaries,Colitas Felices (Happy Tails), rescues abandoned animals. The group’s volunteers found Pancho along with two other dogs in the neighborhood of Los Ojitos. Pancho, now about two years old, is a mix of labrador and golden retriever who had been at Pasitos for six months when Fremantle selected him.

The duo spent 50 days on a journey that covered more than 1,000 miles and took them to both sides of the border. They reached the Pacific Ocean at Playas de Tijuana on Dec. 27. Besides raising more than $20,000, the walk served to show that "the border is not such a scary place," Kiy said.

Fremantle, who had promised to return Pancho to Colitas Felices, drove back to Juárez with the dog. But arrangements were soon made to have Pancho returned to San Diego.

Pancho is now living with Kiy in Carmel Valley along with Kiy's wife, Monica, and their two sons, Derek, 16 and Danny, 13, and dog Bindi. He'll be spending some days at work with Kiy at the National City-based foundation, to help support Colitas Felices and other groups that carry out projects in Mexico.

While Pancho doesn't have his own office, Kiy has set him up with a Facebook page. Kiy has also launched Pancho's Frontier Fund, to raise money for the charities that Freemantle and Pancho supported in the walk.

“We made a commitment to use him as a border ambassador,” said Kiy, who plans to have Pancho join him when he visits nonprofits and attend events.

In a message from England, Fremantle said he misses his companion, but is happy with the outcome. "He is a very social, friendly dog, who likes both people and other dogs, so I think he will suit this new role beautifully. Doing this work, he's also bound to get sneaked the odd bone or biscuit which he always enjoys!"

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