Do you remember some of the faces above? In May, our program was at full capacity when we received a call about 30 dogs that were in an abusive and neglectful situation. A person who is being prosecuted, placed tiny dogs in small cages and left them outside to survive in the heat of the sun, with no shade, food, or water. They are interbred and we found them traumatized and in terrible mental and physical conditions. Thanks to your support, we flew over 100 satos in two months which opened space for these 30 satos.

These angels, even with their horrific background, are doing fantastic in our program. They can be a little shy at first, but they are social and appreciate affection and compassion. Each one has their own personality and quirks. For example, Candelero(bottom left photo, dog on the left) is intrigued by water and when he sees a bucket filled with water, he loves splashing it around with his paws. After being fully vetted, vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and microchipped, it's these newly rescued satos' turn for their chance to fly to their forever homes.

They will take their Freedom Flight to White Plains, NY on July 29th. Because a few of them tested positive for heartworm, they will need to stay in our program until they complete our extensive heartworm treatment. But after the 90-day treatment, they will be clear to fly to the Northeast just like the rest of them.

We will be flying 45 satos in total. Every sato we rescue, vet, rehabilitate, and home is because of the support from our community. Every dollar you give goes towards helping the most vulnerable satos. We focus our rescue efforts on the beach of Yabucoa, where it's historically been a dumping ground for unwanted dogs. YOU are the true hero of all the work we do. Because of YOU, this is all possible. Thank you!

Help save satos.

Because we have been flying a lot of dogs to the Northeast this summer and in the spirit of Lost Pet Prevention Month, we want to share some tips on what to do to help prevent a lost sato.

1. Microchip Your Sato. If you adopted from us, your sato is already microchipped. However, don't forget to register the microchip with your contact information. If you adopted from somewhere else and aren't sure whether they have a chip, check with your vet.
2. Always Have A Collar With Contact Info. The first thing that people do when they find a lost dog is check their collar. Having a customized tag or collar with your contact information would ensure you will be contacted immediately.
3. Teach 'Come' And 'Stay'. We always stress the the importance of basic training when you adopt a dog. It not only builds trust and a deeper bond between you and your sato, it could help them come to you when needed.
4. Keep On A Leash. A dog can be attracted by a smell in the distance or get scared by a sound and could run unexpectedly.
5. Keep Doors Closed At Home. Whenever you open doors to go in and out, keep an eye on your sato and close the door behind you, even if it's for a minute.
6. Stay Safe In The Car. Dog seatbelts are not only great to protect your dog in the event of an accident, but also keep your sato secure as you open car doors to place a leash on them.



We have some VERY EXCITING NEWS that we will be announcing next week. Please keep an eye on your inbox to see what we have planned!

Thank you for following the work we do for the stray dogs in Puerto Rico. If you would like to support our rescue efforts, you can make a donation today. CLICK HERE to help fund our life-changing rescue efforts for so many satos.

Macy flew to her adopters, Anjali and Mehul, on June 17th.

A month and a half before, Macy was rescued after our team spotted her on the beach, digging to find cooler sand to cool off. She immediately caught our rescue team's attention because of her brindle coat and need for cold water and care. Macy was brought into our program and her health improved. Then, on June 17th, she was one of 40 lucky satos to fly to their forever homes.

In January 2023, Anjali and Mehul lost their beautiful girl, a black German shepherd. Fortunately, they had a 3-year-old sato, Charlie (fka Amelia). They have had two dogs in their home for many years so they knew they had to get another soon. Anjali had knee replacement surgery scheduled, so they decided to wait a little while before looking for another dog.

Thankfully, their sato "grand pups", 5-year-old Wilbur (FKA Nico) and 3- year-old Joey (FKA Isa) are regular visitors. As Anjali's knees were getting better, they started looking for another dog. Anjali and Mehul say, "we knew we would get a sato, as we love the three in the family so much. Also, seeing what the dogs went through and looked like before they were rescued and the complete transformation that so many of them undergo is so heartwarming and compelling."

They emailed Melissa, our Adoptions Coordinator, and told her what they were looking for-- a young adult female, 30-40 pounds, and most importantly she had to get along with other dogs. She sent them links to pups that fit their criteria and they had to make a very difficult choice. They received a few videos of each of the dogs and were so taken by Macy playing in the little pool and with the little pups, they decided she would be the one. Anjali and Mehul also loved her cute face and dark brindle color!

When she met Wilbur and Charlie, she hid behind Anjali's legs for about five seconds. They were all sniffing each other with wagging tails in no time. They rode back in the car very nicely together. She met cousin Joey and our daughter, Nandi, soon after and was running around and playing with them like she had known them forever. Anjali says, "She has had an absolutely wonderful time running around and playing with them. Sadly, Wilbur went back home on Monday night. Charlie is quieter and not quite as boisterous and she needs some quiet time. However, they have been playing in the yard, going for walks together, and getting to bond."

Macy, now Remy, is incredibly curious, energetic, and athletic, and loves food and playing and cuddling with her humans. She is very smart and a quick learner. Remy wants to say hi to every human and every dog she meets.

Anjali also shared a sweet note about the process of adoption through The Sato Project. "The love, dedication, and hard work that goes into rescuing these sweet, innocent creatures, nursing them back to health, and caring for them is incredible. Our vet was so pleasantly surprised by the level of veterinary care and detailed records that the dogs came with. The adoption counselors do a great job matching dogs to appropriate homes. We are always going to look to the Sato Project for our family dogs."



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