CWOB Cofounder Christi Camblor’s Diary of the Spring 2009 Mexican Dog Rescue
Every few months Christi and Moncho Camblor, CWOB cofounders, load up a rescue van with donations and head out to Mexico to drop off the donated items and pick up a van full of rescued Meximutts. The drive is approximately 24 hours each way and is usually packed into an extended weekend since both the Camblors are also busy working full time atop their volunteer labors for Compassion without Borders.
Read Christi’s diary of events from the latest rescue!
THE NIGHT BEFORE
Thursday, April 9th: 6:00 pm – 10:00pm
After a full day’s work at the Humane Society, we start loading up the CWOB rescue van with donations to bring south. An early Spring’s rain makes the process a bit more difficult and leaves us soggy, yet determined. We loaded all the donations collected over the past few months – dog and cat beds, medical supplies, dog and cat food, collars, leashes, crates, feeding bowls, toys,etc until the van is so full we can barely fit our own suitcases.
DAY 1
Friday April 10th 4:00 a.m.:
It seems like my head just hit the pillow when the alarm sounds. I creep out of bed, throw myself in the shower, stumble out into the darkness, and load up to begin the 24 hour drive ahead of us.
Friday, April 10th 4 pm: 12 hours on the road and we are still going strong. Things have been a bit slower than normal due to some bad weather and a Los Angeles traffic jam. We still have more than half way to go, but all is well.
DAY 2
Saturday, April 11th 2 am:
We finally stop for the night in a cheap hotel in the middle of nowheres-ville, America --- round about the Arizona/New Mexico border. Exhausted from far too many hours on the road with far two few pit stops, I can still feel the wheels spinning beneath me as I crawl into my hard bed and try to rest for a few hours before day 2 of the trip.
Saturday, April 11th 6:30 a.m.: Just 4 1/2 hours after stopping, we’re back up and on the road. One cup of bad roadside coffee later, the desert sunrise guides us dead East across highway 10 and towards Juarez.
Saturday , April 11th,11:00 am: We arrive to El Paso and meet up with local Juarez volunteers before crossing the border. Rain has given way to hot desert sun as we prepare our passports and set out into Ciudad Juarez.
Saturday, April 11th, 12:00 pm: We arrive at our local Anapra clinic on the outskirts of Juarez and get a chance to see it in full swing – one local veterinarian is doing spay/neuter, while another performs free consults and vaccinations in another small room of our free clinic. The area resident’s line up by the dozens for the services. We speak to the locals about the animals they have brought to receive care – dogs with severe skin disease, young dogs, old dogs, starving dogs, wounded dogs – all wait in line for desperately needed veterinary services and free food and other basic items.
Saturday, April 11th, 3:00 pm: We arrive at our local stationary clinic in the heart of Ciudad Juarez and check on operations there.
Saturday, April 11th, 5:00 pm: We reunite with all the foster dogs and their devoted local foster parents. The dogs have been patiently waiting for transport and each one is given a physical exam and temperament test as we review the paperwork and health records for the entire gang. Local rescue groups are called and brought up to date on who will be joining us for the trip North as we prepare our final list of Meximutts for the trip.
Saturday, April 11th,7:00 pm: Meeting with local staff and volunteers who work in various programs we’ve established throughout this region of Mexico. We review each of the programs , discuss goals, accomplishments, and other general organizational issues.
Saturday, April 11th, 10:00 pm: Finallly get around to unloading all the donations at our local storage area where they will be dispersed appropriately for each program by local volunteer extraordinaire Alma Morfin.
DAY 3
Sunday, April 12th, 12:00 am: Time to hit the sack for a few hours of much needed shut-eye before we load up the doggies and start the long trip back north.
Sunday, April 12th 6:00 am: Rise and shine and a pre-dawn meeting with local foster parents to get dogs walked, loaded up, and ready for the trip across the border.
Sunday, April 12th 7:30 am: Crossing back over to the US border with a van full of rescue pooches, plus a few local fosters crossing their own foster doggies alongside us. Doggies are asked to show their health certificates and vaccine records before passing onto US soil for the first time!
Sunday, April 12th 8:00 am: We meet up with foster folks at a local coffee shop in El Paso so they can all say goodbye to the 16 doggies we are bringing back and wish us well for our long trip back to Northern California. Dogs are walked again, given some water, treats, and giant smooches by their Juarez saviors and loaded up in the van with a nice blanket and the promise of a brighter future just ahead!
Sunday, April 12th 12:00 pm: Pit stop numero uno for the Spring Meximutt gang. We take the dogs out one at a time to get to know them a little better and indulge in a longer than normal stop to establish ourselves as trusted friends for each member of the furry gang. Getting to know each one is an absolute delight and the exhaustion and fatigue from the trip seems to melt away as we rejoice in the happiness represented by each life we are saving.
Sunday, April 12th 5:00 pm: Pit stop numero dos. This time we walk doggies two at a time – water and potty breaks for everybody. We turn a lot of heads as we roll up and unload the 16 canine passengers and lots of travelers and folks passing by stop us to inquire about the odd scene!
Sunday, April 12th 9:00 pm: Pit stop numero tres: Doggies are getting used to the routine. Everyone patiently waits their turn and takes the opportunity to stretch their limbs and get some good cuddle time in before loading back up.
Day 4
Monday, April 13th 12:00 am: Final pit stop for the day – doggies are fed, watered, and allowed to romp about one last time before being tucked in for the night.
Moncho and I recline our van seats at a local rest stop and pass out from shear exhaustion!
Monday, April 13th 5:30 am: Back on the road after a sunrise walk with the doggies. Hardly refreshed, but with at least a bit of rest under our belts, we head North on the open highway with the 16 meximutts in tow.
Monday, April 13th 10:00 am: One last pit stop before meeting up with rescues. We snatch some photos of the group and enjoy each and every moment with them before loading them up for the final leg of our journey.
Monday, April 13th 3:30 pm: Rendezvous with local rescue group CAPE {Center for Animal Protection and Education} to drop off the dogs they will be taking. We say goodbye to the two foster dogs CAPE takes, Bruno and Runa, and rest assurred they are in good hands.
12 of the rest of the doggies make their way to Animal Place Sanctuary where they will spend the night before being picked up by Small Dog Recue and Yolo SPCA for placement.
By the time we are done with our rescue partners just two dogs, Freda and Oso, who require some special medical attention and care, are in the van. They will be heading home with us for a few weeks of foster in our home before being placed with our rescue partners. I will provide their ongoing veterinary care myself.
Saying goodbye to the rescue dogs is always bittersweet – we are so glad their long journey is over and they can rest, relax, and enjoy the pampering of our rescue partners whilst looking for their forever homes – but we get so attached to every one that it makes saying goodbye very hard.
Monday, April 13th 8:00 pm: We finally arrive home with Freda and Oso. With barely enough energy to drag ourselves out of the van we manage to introduce the two new rescue dogs to our own doggies, who have missed us very much, yet they have long since grown accustomed to sharing our home with temporary foster friends from Mexico.
Monday, April 13th 10:00 pm: I fall into bed after taking a hot shower and allowing myself to revel in the happiness I feel from knowing that after a lot of hard work, long days, many miles, and some serious exhaustion, 16 lives have been saved and that each one of these doggies will go on to enjoy many years of happiness with families whose lives will be forever changed and enriched by their presence.
I fall asleep with a smile on my face and a genuine appreciation to be part of such meaningful work – admittedly it is draining, but I can’t think of time, or mileage, better spent.
Help us to Save More!
For just $100.00 you can sponsor a rescue dog from Mexico and help to save his or her life! We'll send you the photo and story of your rescue dog and you will literally have enabled us to save that animal from certain death in Mexico.