SayulitAnimals

Volunteer With Animals Abroad in Sayulita, Mexico

About SayulitAnimals

SayulitAnimals was founded in 2009 by Sara Briner. When Sara arrived in Sayulita, there were only biannual, ambulant spay and neuter clinics in the area. Between this and a lack of education on pet care in Sayulita, stray animals were in abundance.

It pained Sara to see so many sick and abandoned street dogs and cats. So, she started taking animals into her home through an assistance program called Perritos Merecen Mas (Dogs Deserve More). Eventually, she gathered a group of animal-loving volunteers together and started SayulitAnimals.

SayulitAnimals isn’t an animal shelter. Instead, it’s an organization that runs a spay and neuter program to prevent an overpopulation of dogs and cats. They also help with animal rescues, finding foster homes, and assisting with adoptions.

In an average year, SayulitAnimals matches around 120 dogs and cats with foster or forever homes. Almost all of these animals travel to foster and permanent homes in the United States and Canada. 

Furthermore, SayulitAnimals opens their clinic every Wednesday for locals who want to spay and neuter their pets. The clinic operates on a donation basis. That way, people of all income levels in Sayulita and neighboring communities have access to their services.

In addition to the clinic, which is located near the bus station, SayulitAnimals has a shop right in town a block from the beach. Here, you can purchase an array of adorable pet-related shirts and other souvenirs, with all proceeds going to SayulitAnimals.

The work that Sara and other dedicated volunteers do for the dogs and cats of Sayulita is palpable. Happy, healthy dogs roam the streets and beach beside their owners. Even animals without collars appear well-fed and happy, given that a shop or restaurant owner usually cares for them.

It’s a true testament to how a group of dedicated individuals can improve a community’s relationship with pets through leading by example, education, and a spay and neuter program for people of all income levels.

SayulitAnimal’s Contact Details

Volunteer Opportunities at SayulitAnimals

 Below are the areas where SayulitAnimals needs the most help:

Fostering a pet is SayulitAnimal’s biggest need. Since they’re not a shelter, they have limited space to care for stray dogs and cats, so they rely on foster homes in both Sayulita and abroad for support. In fact, they work closely with a foster organization called Street Dog Hero in Bend, Oregon.

If you’re interested in fostering an animal during your stay in Sayulita, please double-check that your accommodation permits dogs or cats before contacting SayulitAnimals. They’ve had many cases where well-meaning people agree to foster, only to discover that pets aren’t allowed where they’re staying.

The good news is that you don’t have to stay in Sayulita for a long time to become a foster parent. SayulitAnimals works on matching their foster animals with a permanent family as quickly as possible. So, it’s common to foster a dog or cat for a month or less. As a result, fostering can be an excellent opportunity for tourists visiting Sayulita.

If you don’t have the capacity to foster, you may be able to help SayulitAnimals with their spay and neuter clinic on Wednesdays. Alternatively, if the clinic happens to have a dog or cat waiting for a foster home, they may need volunteers to help with feeding or spending time with the animal.

Donate to SayulitAnimals

SayulitAnimals is always in need of the following donations:

Monthly donations are one of the best ways to support SayulitAnimals since it helps them manage their budgeting to know how much outreach they can do. You can donate to SayulitAnimals on their donation page and select “donate monthly” to make a recurring contribution.

Their spay and neuter clinic costs a lot to run and maintain, especially since they offer this service on a donation basis and need to pay the veterinarian. Furthermore, the animals they rescue need veterinary treatment, which quickly adds up.

Visiting SayulitAnimals’ shop in town is also a wonderful way to support monetarily. The shop’s hours can vary depending on volunteer availability, but it’s typically open every day of the week.

How to Adopt

If you’re interested in adopting a dog or cat from Sayulita, SayulitAnimals can help connect you with a pet from the many foster homes they work with. Local adoptions are available, although the majority of dogs and cats get adopted in the United States and Canada.

In order to ensure that you and the animal you want to adopt are a good match for each other, SayulitAnimals will have you fill out an adoption application. The application asks for information such as the type of home you live in, your ability to afford pet care, and ensuring you know someone who can care for your pet if you have an emergency and have to go out of town.

A volunteer from SayulitAnimals will then be in touch with you to discuss potential adoption options if they think you’re a good fit for one of the animals they have in foster homes.

What to Do if You Find an Abandoned Animal in Sayulita

If you find an abandoned or abused animal in Sayulita, do your best to help them. At the very least, provide them with food, water, and shade. 

However, if you have the ability, please take them to a veterinarian and foot the bill. There are a few vet clinics in Sayulita.

Whatever you do, please don’t bring abandoned dogs and cats to SayulitAnimals since they’re not a shelter. Furthermore, there are only volunteers at the clinic on Wednesdays. So, in your effort to help the animal you could be abandoning it.

However, you can contact SayulitAnimals to let them know about the dog or cat you found, as they can assist with finding them a foster home while they remain under your care.

Connect With SayulitAnimals Online

Stay up-to-date on current events at SayulitAnimals by following their website and social media pages.

Leaving Pawprints

Leaving Pawprints connects travelers with animal shelters across the globe for free. We lay the foundation by communicating with the shelters to find out what support they need. If you want to volunteer abroad with animals in Mexico, check out the animal shelters we’ve partnered with to find out how you can help.