Adopt This Dog, Get Free Fishing

I stopped by our local Humane Society a few days ago to see my buddy Dr. Pedro Watlington, our San Juan based veterinarian who comes over to the island once a week. The Vieques Humane Society is one of the best examples of a bunch of people doing so much with so little. Currently, they’re overrun with puppies like Aleida, the little four-month old girl pictured here.

Every dog at the Vieques Humane Society is a sato, which is the Puerto Rican word for mutt. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no sweeter animal on the face of the Earth. Three years ago Amanda an I found our dog Maggie down here, and I‘ve written about her quite a lot. She’s more beautiful, clever, and loyal than any expensive purebred could ever hope to be, and I can’t even imagine life without her. Right now there are a couple dozen dogs just like her at the shelter and you folks coming down for a visit need to stop by and take a look.

The Vieques Humane Society exists on a shoestring budget. They care for all the lost, abused, and injured animals of this island that are lucky enough to be found in time. They also spay, neuter, and vaccinate every animal that comes to their door. A lot of cats and even some horses find safety here, too.

A couple times a year the island will hold benefits like art auctions or a chili cook-off and I always donate a fishing trip as a prize. Since the shelter is in a tough spot right now I‘m going to make that an open ended offer. If you come down to Vieques and take a dog home with you I’ll throw in a free half day bonefishing trip for two.

I normally charge $300 for a this. If you ask me, this is the ultimate win/win/win situation. You get a great dog and free fishing trip, the dog gets a new home, and I get to spend time on my boat with someone nice enough to come down and adopt one of our shelter’s homeless dogs.

Not much of an angler? No problem. I’ll still take two of you out for a great half-day sightseeing, snorkeling, and beachcombing tour. Some of the most stunning parts of Vieques, like the bay and reefs of Ensenada Honda, are only accessible by boat and I can easily get you to all of them with my flats skiff.

I’m fully aware that adopting a dog is, and should be, a major undertaking. You‘re basically adding a new member to your family. Some of you reading this may want to help but simply have no room for a dog. I understand and appreciate this, and you folks can get a fishing trip, too. Write a check for $500 to the Vieques Humane Society and you’ll get the same free half-day offer. That $500 will go farther than you’ll ever know and it’s also tax-deductible.

Yes, I know that $500 is a lot of money these days, but maybe Bill Gates is reading this. Open your checkbooks and help these animals out a little bit. Let’s face some facts here; no matter how bad things might seem with the recession, no one is going to go hungry, in both the States and here on Vieques. There are piles of money available for people, but these animals will suffer without our help.

We humans created the domestic dog for our own purposes; security, labor, companionship, and pure enjoyment. They do so much for us and all that we owe them in return is a loving home. So right now, Vieques is full of great dogs in need of a loving home. I already have one and will probably take a second pup back to the States later this spring. Do yourselves a favor and stop by the Vieques Humane Society while you’re down here. Say Hi to Dr. Pedro, Emily, or Aleida, and try to come up with a reason not to take one of those animals home with you. You can also go to their website at http://www.viequeshs.org/ and donate right there.