Dear Sato Supporter,
June has been a very busy month for our small, but mighty team. With outbreaks of distemper and parvovirus continuing to be reported across the island, we spent the first two weeks preparing for our second free vaccine clinic. As soon as the clinic ended, we began readying 30 satos to fly to the mainland on a special critical care Freedom Flight. Please keep reading to learn more about the incredible impact our community made this month and meet some of the lives that were changed forever thanks to these efforts. As always, thank you for being here with us and making our work possible. We could not do this without you.
In gratitude,
-- Chrissy Beckles, President & Founder
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710 Dogs Vaccinated
in Second Free Vaccine Clinic
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Thanks to our #satostrong community's efforts this month, 710 lives are now protected against distemper, parvovirus, and rabies. Simultaneously, we are also helping to prevent these deadly diseases from spreading even further. |
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Our second drive-up vaccination clinic was a success! On Saturday, June 12th, we vaccinated 710 dogs for distemper, rabies, and parvovirus in a single day. It was a very hot and long day in the Puerto Rican sun, but worth every moment. Outbreaks of distemper and parvovirus continue to be reported all across the island and we’ve sadly battled multiple cases within our own veterinary clinics. The ONLY way to stop the spread of these deadly contagious diseases is to work together with our communities and vaccinate as many dogs as possible.
Just like our first free vaccination clinic last month, we received a very positive community response. When our team arrived at 7am to set up, there was already a long line of cars waiting that filled the parking lot (see top photo above). The first person in line had been waiting with their dog since 4:30am even though we didn’t open until 8am. We are so grateful for every person who attended and patiently spent 4 or more hours dedicated to getting their dog vaccinated.
We would like to thank our incredible volunteers for all of their hard work in making our clinic run smoothly. We are so proud and honored to have each one of you on our team. This clinic would also not have been possible without the Banfield Foundation, who provided all of the vaccines plus additional support, and our veterinary team partner Veterinarians for Puerto Rico. Together we are saving lives, preventing the spread of deadly diseases, and making a difference for the people and pets of Puerto Rico.
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Sato Nina was once living in the streets, scared of humans, struggling to survive, and pregnant. Her mom had to work very hard to gain her trust and rescue her. Now Nina is a beloved family member and all of her puppies have gone to happy homes. Nina's mom told us that many people like her want to help Puerto Rico's stray dogs, but cannot afford veterinary care even for their own pets. When she first found out about the clinic from friends, she thought it was too good to be true. She came to the clinic early without her dogs to confirm that it was real. As soon as she saw that it was, she ran home to grab her two dogs and returned. She was very grateful for the opportunity to get Nina and her other dog vaccinated for free at our drive-up clinic. Please stay tuned for more on our community outreach vaccination efforts. We hope to hold a third clinic later in the year so we can reach additional satos like Nina.
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30 Satos Flown to New Lives on Critical Care Freedom Flight |
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Last Thursday, 30 sato treasures flew from Puerto Rico to New Jersey on a small airplane. They included puppies, adults, seniors, and several critical care cases. Above are just a few of the lucky faces who had their lives changed forever this month. |
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After flying 231 dogs and cats at the end of last month, we were not planning to have another transport so soon in June. However, we had multiple dogs under our care who were ready to fly, plus several critical care cases we wanted to get off the island as soon as possible. These included dogs recovering from heartworm, ehrlichia, TVT’s (sexually transmitted, but treatable cancers), and a very special hospice case named Albert, pictured below.
Thanks to our friends at Wings of Rescue, we were able to coordinate an airplane on June 19th that flew 30 dogs from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Morristown, NJ. Upon arrival, each dog was safely handed off to a foster family or their new forever home. We are so grateful for all our volunteers who jumped in at a moment's notice to help our satos along their journey and to all of our donors who helped make this Freedom Flight a reality. Thank you for helping 30 dreams come true this month!
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We rescued senior Albert from the Ponce municipal shelter. He was extremely thin, suffering from a multitude of health issues, and scheduled for euthanasia. We took one look at his gray muzzle and sad eyes and were determined to give him the chance to spend his golden years surrounded by love. He battled through a severe TVT infection and then was exposed to distemper. But he kept on fighting. We were in the process of matching him to a forever family, when his health suddenly took a turn for the worse and he was diagnosed with renal failure. Our veterinarian in Puerto Rico advised us that Albert likely did not have much time left. However, we remained determined to fulfill our promise to him.
Albert took his Freedom Flight last Thursday and was picked up by our incredible foster volunteers, Rob and Robbie. They knew Albert was a hospice case and did not have a lot of time left, but promised to fill all his remaining moments with love.
Early Sunday morning, while snuggled in next to Robbie on the couch, Albert passed away peacefully in his sleep. While we deeply mourn Albert’s departure and wish we could have had more days with him, we take comfort in knowing that Albert finally got to experience the true, pure love he deserved during his time with us. Our dream was for Albert to be in a home, in his own bed, before he left this world. And even though it was only for a few days, that dream did come true. Thank you for helping us give dogs like Albert the chance to know love.
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Last Call to order #SatoStrong Gear! |
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Foster Families Needed in Puerto Rico and the East Coast |
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June is Foster A Pet Month. Fostering is such a vital part of The Sato Project’s rescue efforts, both in Puerto Rico and on the East Coast. Foster families help provide love and a safe place to help a dog get ready for a forever family, and for every dog in a foster home, it means we can rescue another dog from the streets.
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Agave's Howling Success
with Sato Superhero Barbara
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Left: Agave when she was first found abandoned in a cooler in 2019. Right: Agave with her foster-turned-forever mom, Barbara.
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The Sato Project team celebrates every time one of our satos finds their perfect forever family. Every once in a while though, there is a success story that particularly makes our hearts burst - like that of Agave. Agave was found abandoned in a cooler with a litter of pups in 2019. All of her puppies grew up happy and healthy, took their Freedom Flights, and found their forever families a few months later. However, Agave was extremely mistrustful of humans and had to stay behind.
After over a year of rehabilitation, Agave finally took her Freedom Flight in February. Upon arrival, our plan was for her to continue her rehabilitation at a special training facility. Thanks to a member of our volunteer team, however, her life took a different turn.
Barbara Repetski is one of our longest running, most dedicated volunteers who has been a member of our team since 2012. Barbara has volunteered at our spay/neuter clinics in Puerto Rico, transports in NY, and much more. Her biggest role, however, is as a core member of our adoption team. She helps process adoption applications and match our beloved satos to the forever families of their dreams. When Barbara found out about Agave's arrival she stepped in and offered something so much better than a training center: she and her family asked if they could welcome Agave into their home and give her a chance to see what family life could be like.
The progress that Agave made in Barbara’s home astounded all of us. In a matter of weeks, a dog who had never lived in a home environment was sleeping soundly on her foster parents’ giant bed, happily playing with their other satos, and even gradually accepting gentle pets of affection.
We are so excited to share that Barbara and her family have made it official - Agave is home to stay forever. As Agave continued to settle in and get more and more comfortable each day, the whole family agreed that this special sato had been through enough changes and turmoil already in her life. They didn't want her to have to go through any more. Barbara helps many satos’ dreams come true almost every day, and we are so grateful that now she gets to be a part of Agave’s dream-come-true forever.
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Agave still does not enjoy being touched very much and is happiest when she is keeping her distance; however, Barbara and her family are giving her all the time and space she needs to warm up to them at her own pace. They love her just as she is.
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The Sato Project is dedicated to rescuing abused and abandoned dogs in Puerto Rico, where there are an estimated 500,000 stray dogs and a combined euthanasia rate of 94% across all municipal shelters. We have rescued over 5,500 dogs, rehabilitated them with the highest standards of veterinary care, and found them loving homes on the mainland U.S.. We are also working to make permanent change on the island through community outreach and a Spay, Neuter, Vaccinate and Microchip Program. |
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"We fight so the dogs of Puerto Rico don't have to." |
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