Comments on: The Shadows of Their Smiles http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/the-shadows-of-their-smiles.htm Online magazine about living, working and traveling in Merida and the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:38:05 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Sharon http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/the-shadows-of-their-smiles.htm/comment-page-1#comment-104842 Sharon Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:26:39 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/the-shadows-of-their-smiles.htm#comment-104842 I read this story months ago as my husband and I were planning our trip to the Yucatan. It brought tears to my eyes too...then and now. I wondered when I was first reading it how I would feel about seeing all of these street dogs during our visit and whether we would end up with our own "adopted" beach dogs during our stay. It was very sad to see all of the dogs roaming around with no apparent home. The only thing remotely positive was to see their "friendships" with each other. Many of them seemed to travel around in pairs and look after one another. I was awed by their street smarts given the 3 dogs I have at home who don't even know to take cover when it rains. We did end up with a regular visitor at the house we were renting. She found us on the beach our first morning. She looked like Bambi with a spotted coat, white chest, and the sweetest eyes. She wouldn't come close to us - she just wanted to walk along with us but pretend we weren't really there. We didn't see her again until the next morning when we found her lounging just outside the kitchen door - looking very hopeful for a meal yet not quite ready to get close. We fed her various things and found that she was not interested in tortillas or bread - just meat or cheese! We left fresh water outside for her. Each visit, she became more friendly and before long she was running up to us and diving onto the ground for a belly scratch. She was definitely an independent dog as she would visit for a few hours and then disappear to continue on with her daily routine. We were only there for a week and she seemed to know on our last night that we would be leaving soon. She had an extra big meal and hung around much longer than usual. She didn't come for her usual morning visit so we didn't see her again before we left. I'd like to think that maybe she did have a home and was just visiting us while we were there. I'm still thinking about her and hoping that the next visitors will share some meat, cheese, and belly scratches with her. Thank you Terry for your story and to Yucatan Living for having a place where people can find out how to help. I read this story months ago as my husband and I were planning our trip to the Yucatan. It brought tears to my eyes too…then and now. I wondered when I was first reading it how I would feel about seeing all of these street dogs during our visit and whether we would end up with our own “adopted” beach dogs during our stay. It was very sad to see all of the dogs roaming around with no apparent home. The only thing remotely positive was to see their “friendships” with each other. Many of them seemed to travel around in pairs and look after one another. I was awed by their street smarts given the 3 dogs I have at home who don’t even know to take cover when it rains.

We did end up with a regular visitor at the house we were renting. She found us on the beach our first morning. She looked like Bambi with a spotted coat, white chest, and the sweetest eyes. She wouldn’t come close to us – she just wanted to walk along with us but pretend we weren’t really there. We didn’t see her again until the next morning when we found her lounging just outside the kitchen door – looking very hopeful for a meal yet not quite ready to get close. We fed her various things and found that she was not interested in tortillas or bread – just meat or cheese! We left fresh water outside for her. Each visit, she became more friendly and before long she was running up to us and diving onto the ground for a belly scratch. She was definitely an independent dog as she would visit for a few hours and then disappear to continue on with her daily routine. We were only there for a week and she seemed to know on our last night that we would be leaving soon. She had an extra big meal and hung around much longer than usual.

She didn’t come for her usual morning visit so we didn’t see her again before we left. I’d like to think that maybe she did have a home and was just visiting us while we were there. I’m still thinking about her and hoping that the next visitors will share some meat, cheese, and belly scratches with her.

Thank you Terry for your story and to Yucatan Living for having a place where people can find out how to help.

]]> By: Jayne Brunel http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/the-shadows-of-their-smiles.htm/comment-page-1#comment-104245 Jayne Brunel Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:52:25 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/the-shadows-of-their-smiles.htm#comment-104245 I am still in tears after reading this heartwrenching story!! My husband and I will be travelling to Telchac, Yucatan on Monday 30th November for a two week holiday. We are both animal lovers and have helped cats and dogs on the island of fuerteventura where we have both lived for the past 15 years. We will no doubt befriend some of the stray dogs whilst we are staying, but would like to help in anyway we can whilst there. I will make a note of the number of AFAD. I am still in tears after reading this heartwrenching story!! My husband and I will be travelling to Telchac, Yucatan on Monday 30th November for a two week holiday. We are both animal lovers and have helped cats and dogs on the island of fuerteventura where we have both lived for the past 15 years. We will no doubt befriend some of the stray dogs whilst we are staying, but would like to help in anyway we can whilst there. I will make a note of the number of AFAD.

]]> By: Working Gringos http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/the-shadows-of-their-smiles.htm/comment-page-1#comment-97248 Working Gringos Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:27:55 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/the-shadows-of-their-smiles.htm#comment-97248 You'll have to call AFAD. You can get their number at http://www.afad.com.mx You’ll have to call AFAD. You can get their number at http://www.afad.com.mx

]]> By: Cala. http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/the-shadows-of-their-smiles.htm/comment-page-1#comment-97232 Cala. Sun, 28 Jun 2009 12:12:57 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/the-shadows-of-their-smiles.htm#comment-97232 I recently just saved a puppy from the street and i was wondering if you could give me the number of your place. I recently just saved a puppy from the street and i was wondering if you could give me the number of your place.

]]> By: Jackie http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/the-shadows-of-their-smiles.htm/comment-page-1#comment-95323 Jackie Tue, 05 May 2009 01:16:45 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/the-shadows-of-their-smiles.htm#comment-95323 Thank you for taking the time to post this article...it really does help tourist from America in particular prepare for their stay, as far as finding a way to cope with this sad situation.....I was in Merida in Jan for 3 weeks....and found my self feeding these hunger stricken inocent dogs, granol bars, candy, chips, anything I had in mu purse while site seeing....it broke my heart, and it is a cultural shock to see how it is a mexican way of life for most people of mexico to not see these hungry creatures....bad karma I say... As Ghandi so eloquently stated " You can measure the humanity of a society by the way they treat their animals" Thank you for the tip about leaving water out. Thank you for taking the time to post this article…it really does help tourist from America in particular prepare for their stay, as far as finding a way to cope with this sad situation…..I was in Merida in Jan for 3 weeks….and found my self feeding these hunger stricken inocent dogs, granol bars, candy, chips, anything I had in mu purse while site seeing….it broke my heart, and it is a cultural shock to see how it is a mexican way of life for most people of mexico to not see these hungry creatures….bad karma I say… As Ghandi so eloquently stated ” You can measure the humanity of a society by the way they treat their animals” Thank you for the tip about leaving water out.

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