Surfers For Strays - SD Fosters and Friends

Surfers for Strays was started in January of 2017 by Isabel Velasco and Natalie Ritenour when they rescued 7 puppies and their mother, who had been abandoned at a local hot springs in Lagunillas, Guerrero, Mexico. The puppies were being eaten alive by parasites and their mother was severely malnourished. Working together the women devised a plan to house and care for the animals and raise funds and more importantly, raise awareness to sterilize pets. They gained enough support in the local community to start helping “callajeros”, street animals in the villages of Troncones, Los Llanos, La Saladita and surrounding regions. With the help of local veterinarians and citizens, they organized spay and neuter clinics and a program to educate children on how to treat and care for animals. Surfers and other travelers began volunteering and growing the network to foster and adopt animals in the US and Canada. With that momentum and the love and support of key volunteers, Surfers for Strays Inc. was founded in August of 2019 to cover more ground and help more animals escape the cycle of neglect, abuse and abandonment. From 2020-2021, Surfers for Strays adopted out more than 250 dogs and cats to fur-ever homes in North America and paid for more than 3,150 dogs and cats to be spayed and neutered in local communities in Mexico. Your donations support our programs to sterilize, rehabilitate, find fosters and adopters for animals in need. Your donations also support education programs for the humane treatment of animals in underserved communities. Together we are saving animals and sharing the Mucho Aloha spirit.