In Memory of Vallarta’s SPCA Founder Janice Chatterton SPCA de PV
March 9, 2022

Three years ago this week, Puerto Vallarta lost a strong, kind, tenacious and inspirational woman. Like so many before her, Janice Chatterton arrived in Puerto Vallarta to start the next act of her life. As she settled in, she and her family would often see animals in need: A puppy stuffed in a hole, or a box of kittens on the streets...and always found it difficult to witness.

She eventually took steps to help these vulnerable and helpless little souls. Her motivation, as she described it to her friends, came from her son, who had passed on. After he died, she said she felt like she got his heart, and her compassion for animals eventually became so great that she had no choice but to take action to create change in Vallarta.

That change came to be the SPCA de PV. Out of all that she created in her lifetime, the SPCA was what brought her the most joy.

Janice began her efforts with a tiny two room place she called “The Casita.” She began rescuing dogs and paying from her own pocket, without donors or assistance, to shelter and provide medical care in this tiny structure.

From there, she caught the attention of like-minded locals, and in 2007, more ambitious plans for a shelter were conceived.

Between that time and 2012, the Sanctuary, as it came to be known, turned from a dream, into a reality. During the construction of the Sanctuary, a stray named Alpha was living in the streets with her sister, Coqueta.

Both dogs were only about nine months old at the time, when Alpha stumbled upon the construction of the sanctuary.

The construction workers were friendly, gave her food, and eventually Coqueta joined her. The pair would spend their days and nights at the construction site, and eventually became the first dogs to enter the SPCA and find their furrever home.

Eventually the Sanctuary gave home and care to 80 dogs at a time and cared for over 200 animals a year. Janice also facilitated a network of animal rescuers in Canada who traveled here several times a year to transport dogs to permanent furever homes. The Sanctuary, as it was called for years before it became named the SPCA de PV, was by her design, a no-kill shelter.

Janice never wavered from her mission to protect animals. She was an unstoppable force who worked around the clock, never took a day off, and even did it while wearing high heels! Those who knew and loved her still feel the unexpected loss deeply today. Sadly, another loss came this past August when Hurricane Nora brought the Sanctuary to the ground. Heroic efforts were made to save the animals at the sanctuary that evening and the morning after. Today, all possible avenues are being explored to rebuild what Janice created so many years ago.

Janice was her SPCA community. Friends and family will remember, love and miss her always. She not only left a hole in our hearts but in Puerto Vallarta too.

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