ANIMAL HUMANE SOCIETY OF ZIHUATANEJO

"HELENE KREBS POSSE"

The "Sociedad Protectora de Animales de Zihuatanejo" (Animal Humane Society of Zihuatanejo) was founded in 1982 by the late Mrs. Helene Krebs Posse, a long-time Zihuatanejo resident who also raised her family here. She began without adequate installations and funded it entirely out of her own pocket.

Here she is to the right attending to an injured baby burro found along the highway.

The idea came about due to the obvious need to care for, attend to, rehabilitate and provide refuge for hundreds of wild and domestic animals which had been abandoned, abused, neglected and injured in the streets, beaches and surrounding countryside. They had been previously left to their fate to die in slow, painful agony, subject to thirst, hunger, injuries and illness.

To the left is one of our typical heartbreaking abandoned and undernourished puppies. We get a lot of these.

To the right is an estuarine turtle typically found in mangrove areas. This one has a cracked shell.

The fundamental principal which inspired the foundation of the SPAZ-HKP and which guides each one of its projects, programs and activities is the avoidance of the unnecessary suffering of animals.

In order to achieve this we propose and carry out the following activities:

• Give refuge to all abandoned, lost, sick, injured or abused animals of any species.
  
  
• Provide treatment and rehabilitation for wildlife and release them anew.
  
  
• Provide a permanent adoption program for domestic animals.
  
  
• Euthanize by humanitarian means wild or domestic animals which are sick or wounded and beyond hope for recovery.
  
  
• The SPAZ-HKP manages a permanent sterilization campaign at low cost for proven low-income owners of dogs and cats.
  
  
• Supervise the correct application of methods of sacrifice in the municipal slaughterhouses.
  
  
• Collaborate with the authorities in vaccination campaigns, control of harmful fauna and halt the illegal commerce and hunting of endangered wildlife.
  
  
• Make the public aware of the Animal Protection Law in the state of Guerrero, advising them of the manner in which to make accusations legally upheld before the competent authorities.
  
  
• Promote coordination between the SPAZ-HKP and the authorities in order to facilitate the recommendations made by the Sociedad to those responsible for writing the infractions to the previously mentioned law by individuals and/or authorities.
  
  
• With the registration of new members we plan to establish a permanent program of education and awareness focusing on the humane treatment towards animals, directed especially at the new generations in elementary and secondary schools.
  
  
• Establish an annual award to the most deserving of those in favor of animal rights in the region among the citizenry and another award for public functionaries. Also, extend recognition and condemnation as often as necessary to those individuals or functionaries for their actions in favor of or against the mistreatment of animals.
  
  
• The SPAZ-HKP has the capacity to respond to emergency calls in order to end the suffering of an animal recently hit by a car, maimed or dying abandoned in the street, and for those animals reported with chronic illnesses wandering about alone.

To the left is another one of our typical patients. Many pelicans, boobies and frigates are injured in run-ins with local fisherman as they try to steal bait from trolled lines.

To the right are orphaned baby herons from one of our local mangrove estauries.

The Society is overseen by a Board of Directors comprised of Enrique Rodriguez Krebs (President), Natalia Rodriguez Krebs (Treasurer), Cristina Rodriguez Krebs (Secretary), and their Voting Members Stein Dehli, Adriana Sanchéz Zoletto and Silvestre Pacheco León. It includes about 70 members, among them active members and collaborators, and the employee Daniela Hernández Juárez who is in charge of the reception, feeding, cleaning and care of the animals.

The Board of Directors together with its members assembles to hold meetings the first Saturday of each month at 8:00 PM. There they are informed of the advances of the programs and the financial state of affairs, as well as to welcome new members. Persons interested in applying for membership may do so by calling beforehand and attending any of these meetings.

To the left is one of our more celebrated customers, Pánfila the sea lion (read her story). She is a rare species whose natural habitat is Isla de Guadalupe, an island about 250 kilometers west of the Baja Peninsula in the Pacific Ocean. Found starving and lost by fishermen in Papanoa, she was eventually released to another group of sea lions near La Paz, Baja California del Sur.

To the right is an adopted pig along with a couple of abandoned cats. This cute little guy thought he was a dog!

The SPAZ-HKP now has its own installations in downtown Zihuatanejo for the reception of animals, treatment, surgery and offices at:

Casa Marina
Paseo del Pescador #9
Centro
C.P. 40880 Zihuatanejo, Guerrero
Mexico
Cel. 755-112-1648
e-mail: SPAZ@zihuatanejo.net

Find us next to the Plaza Principal on the waterfront. Our hours are from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, Monday to Saturday.

The organization maintains itself with the sale of T-shirts bearing the logo of the Society and with donations from persons within the country and abroad.

We are trying to build a new facility. Please read about it here. (Word doc.)

All donations are welcome and can be made at the Society's installations or deposited to their bank account at:

Bank: Banamex
Branch: 0018
Account: 8005020
CLABE: 002282001880050202