By Sudhir Amembal—
San Miguel de Allende is often celebrated as one of the most beautiful small cities in the world. Its cobblestone streets, well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture, and arts scene draw admiration from residents and visitors alike. Just as remarkable is its strong sense of community, reflected in the dedication of both locals and expatriates who support a wide range of not-for-profit organizations.
Yet, behind this beauty lies a sobering reality. The city faces a persistent crisis of stray and abandoned animals, especially dogs. Every day, countless dogs struggle to survive on the streets, exposed to traffic, harsh weather during summer rains and winter nights; and, too often, human indifference. They roam hungry, thirsty, sick, and frightened — their eyes silently pleading for compassion and care. While dogs are the most visible victims, the number of homeless cats continues to grow, though they remain largely unseen.
Fortunately, San Miguel is also home to several animal welfare organizations working tirelessly to change this narrative. These groups rescue, rehabilitate, foster, and rehome abandoned animals, while also conducting sterilization programs that reduce suffering at its source. Their mission balances urgent aid with long-term prevention, offering both rescue and hope.
My own journey in animal welfare began in 1974. After years of involvement in India and the U.S., my wife and I moved to San Miguel in 2000, where I co-founded a local animal welfare organization. After a period away, upon returning, I reconnected with the animal welfare community and quickly recognized the potential for even greater impact through unity and collaboration. That realization led to the creation of Para Los Animales in July of last year.
Para Los Animales is a collaborative platform that amplifies the voices and work of seven dedicated partners: Dogs Without Borders Foundation, Esperanza Equina, Fundación México con el Corazón Nutriendo Almas, Lucky Dogs Club House, Rosey’s Wish, The Balam Foundation, and Yo Amo Animalitos SMA. Each operates independently, yet together they have
performed thousands of sterilizations and have rescued and rehomed more than 2,200 animals. Their results are a testament to their compassion and persistence. While six partners focus primarily on dogs and cats, Esperanza Equina provides sanctuary and care for horses in need.
Our mission at Para Los Animales is simple: to support, promote, and fund our partners. We connect them through a private group chat where leaders exchange ideas, coordinate efforts, and share resources. We also host regular meetings that encourage collaboration and strengthen our shared mission. To promote their work, our newsletters highlight each organization through in-depth articles, interviews, and a community directory linking readers directly to our partners’ websites. The widely distributed newsletters strive to create lasting positive change in the lives of animals throughout our community.
We also provide financial assistance to our partners, both through direct funding and by mobilizing community support via our newsletters and website. The feedback we receive from our partners speaks volumes about our impact:
“Thank you for bringing unity and hope to our community.”
“Grateful to be part of a group with a common goal—for the animals.”
“Since PLA came into my life, I’ve enjoyed advocacy work a hundred times more.”
Looking ahead, we will step up our activities to continue to support, promote, and fund our partners as they continually strive to alleviate—and where possible, eliminate—the pain, misery and suffering of the city’s most vulnerable animals: dogs, cats and horses.
You can lend your support by visiting:
http://www.paralosanimales.org, where you will find direct links to each of our partner organizations. We urge you to dig deep into your pockets to provide them with the financial resources they need; for together, we can make San Miguel de Allende not only beautiful in sight, but also in spirit — for every living being who calls it home.
Sudhir Amembal may be contacted at sudhir@amembalandassociates.com