First of all, there is a dog pound here, called the Perrera. If you want someone to accompany you there, there is a group called Yucatan Expatriate Services (http://www.yucatanyes.com) that can help you do something like that. They are bilingual and, for a small fee, they can accompany you to go there and look for your dog.

However, I cannot say that I would recommend it. Shelters do not keep dogs for long here… they cannot afford to. And it’s not a pretty place. Also you should look at AFAD and Evolucion, the two animal shelters in town. Neither one of them would put a dog like you describe to sleep… they would keep it and try to find a family for it.

The good news is that, since she was obviously a pretty dog and a dog of a certain breed, it is more likely that someone took her in, assuming that she was a stray. They may even know that she ISNT a stray, and still have taken her (thus not telling you).

Do you have a photo of the dog? If you send it to us, we will publish it, along with your story. You should also visit AFAD (www.afad.org.mx) and Evolucion (evolucion69.spaces.live.com/) with a photo. You might also consider putting up a flier with her photo advertising a reward. At this point, I’m sure you’d be happy to pay one and it may just be what the (maybe) kidnapper is waiting for.

Good luck… we’ll help in whatever way we can.

She is a Carin Terrier, 4 years old. Light brown, medium pointed ears, and a medium length tail. She has been fixed, weighed about 18 pounds when lost. She was shaved pretty short before we came to Merida, but her hair may have grown out some. Her hair is somewhat corse, and will become a little waive when longer. She has a silver chain collar with rabies tag, and a name tag that has her name and my US phone number. Please, if you have her, have seen her, or know someone that has, please call me collect on the number on her tag, or contact me on my Telcel number: 999-135-6168.

I have had nightmares about what might have happened to her! I keep telling myself that someone found her and is caring for her. I just can’t think about any other possibility! Every time I think about her being hungry, scared, injured, or worse, I start to cry. I tried to find out if there was a shelter in Merida, but as my Spanish is limited, I didn’t have much luck. I have asked police officers, school guards, taxi drivers, anyone I came across that I could speak with about her. No one has seen her. Its like she was lifted off the planet the instant she turned the corner from my house. She just vanished! So please help if you can. If you know where I might look, a shelter, rescue home, anywhere or anyone that I can look or call, please send the information to my email or call me on my Telcel number. I am so desperate to find her. Her sisters and brothers and I miss her very much.

My name is Terry, her name is Heidi, my number is: 999-135-6168. PLEASE REPLY. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

As a Canadian Teacher, I found your comment above a bit disturbing but also very “American”. Canadians have as much cultural influence or more on the youth of the world. After that being said, I congratulate you all on your good work with the animals of Merida.