I don't know of any local organization that has more volunteer support and participation than BMA! Every clinic is made possible by donations from supporters but beyond the monetary support there are volunteers who help in countless ways. They get up in the dark to set up. Someone sweeps and cleans the clinic grounds, Someone bakes homemade goodies for mid morning. Someone takes the garbage, washes the laundry, prepares a lunch, buys supplies, cleans the bathroom, fixes the electricity, coordinates the appointments, arranges rides for animals, and clients, scrubs cages, sterilizes instruments, and then there are those who clean ears, remove ticks, cut toenails and trim hair. All of this compassionate care comes from our community. Let that sink in, folks...people give their time, resources and energy to come together each month for the dirty work of sterilization. They do it from their own impulse to help make things better where we live. This is the best part of BMA - the togetherness, the shared willingness to do something for the love of animals and the love of our home.
 

We sterilized 25 animals: 9 cats and 16 dogs on Saturday - one of the hottest clinics ever. Thank you Team BMA - you are all mighty special people!

Heroes for animals and for BMA - Clinic Sept 18, 2021

Lately it feels like the earth is wobbling on its axis...

September's clinic was fraught with challenges. It was postponed by a week and August was canceled too because of COVID so because of that we had a full roster. Everyone held up and performed well with a positive attitude but the day was long and it rained hard. It was 8:30 at night when all was finished. Ana and Shunashi began at 5:30 to set up so their day was exceedingly long.  Bill carried dogs all day. Sandra managed smoothly,powered by her genuine love for animals. Medico never took a break but worked calm and steady setting the pace for everyone. Minerva, beautiful, loving as ever. Super volunteers, Jenny, Hiromi and Minerva carried us through the recovery of 24 animals. It felt like more.

We hold one another up, whether we realize it or not. Each worker holds in a way that is vital and unites us together. Each person is an essential part of the whole effort.

I don't know how the others experienced the day, but that's how I saw it. I know everyone was exhausted. I hope they felt proud and not abused. They are the heroes of Aticama. 

Hazy, Hot BMA Clinic - July 10, 2021

 

We see animals arrive at the clinic via many modes of transportation. Saturday's clinic had a caravan of cats in birdcages.  All said and done, 7 cats and 12 dogs. It was a long, hot day for 19 total but maybe that's best. Animals don't like the heat any more than we do. 

We have a new clinic director at the helm of BMA - Sandra Diaz has been volunteering for more than a year and when she's at home in San Blas she does the same. She has been caring for street dogs and organizing sterilization clinics on her own initiative just because...how can you beat that! She's got a powerful good heart and we feel proud and strengthened to have her on our team. If you haven't met her stop in at the next clinic and say hello.

BMA - June 12 Clinic 2021

 

A balmy, grey day for June... a nice change from the summer sun.

26 animals total - 17 dogs and 9 cats

Friends came by to see how we are in action. One surprised us with a donation. Another with sweet breads, a client brought ceviche, and Liz and Henriette prepared lunch - such sweet and generous impulses made our day bright.

Thank you friends of BMA - you make the difference!

May Clinic - May 8, 2021

Feels like summer and it is May! The brightness of the day was our constant at BMA's May clinic! Our total for the day was 21 - 6 cats and 15 dogs. 

We have sent our clients home in various modes of transportation: wheel barrows, boxes, wagons, pillowcases, motorbikes but yesterday a full size pick up drove up to our gate with no one at the wheel. The door opened and a 9 yr old boy slid out of the driver's seat to our astonishment - his mother was the passenger.  Anyway, they claimed their dog and off they went...and so another awesome, never a boring moment-day for BMA.

April showers... BMA Clinic April 2021

A pelican walked casually by the clinic gates. That's not the usual traffic. Later, Wally saved the pedestrian pelican from boys who were trying to herd her/him? with rocks toward a boy with a lasso...ay Dios mio! He brought him to the clinic and put him in the brand new plastic dog kennel that Lorraine donated. Hiromi contacted Mark Stackhouse our local bird expert and he recommended Susane Casas, a pelican rehabilitator and vet in Tepic. Sandra talked to her and arranged a meeting. We took Peli home and fed him 5 whole fish over the weekend. The chickens were nonplussed by the guest. On Monday, Miguel Dibildox and Susane performed the surgery to repair the wing and Peli went home with Susane to recover. Prognosis: excellent! A beautiful orchestration of many helpful animal lovers along the way...thank you everyone!

So, the April clinic rained cats and dogs and a pelican!

9 cats (3 males)

17 dogs (3 males)

1 pelicano ?

BMA Clinic March 2021

 Enjoy these scenes from the March clinic...

BMA treated 6 cats, 16 dogs and terminated 2 pregnancies (12).

Poor Medico was recovering from a sprained ankle. Despite bruising and swelling he stood all day to operate with his lovely wife, Michela assisting.

New friends of BMA, Maite and David, provided a special lunch of paella. They are professional chefs and animal lovers. Maite is from Spain and that's where we were transported while enjoying their delicious meal. Thank you for reviving our tired, hungry bodies with your culinary art.

Earlier in the week Ana performed a feat by delivering puppies from their poor dead mother. She has to feed them round the clock so she brought them to the clinic. We all took turns bottle feeding these hungry newborns.

Our volunteer Leslie is moving. This was her final clinic with BMA and we will miss her sorely... Best to you and Pumpkin in your new life.

Thank you, Suzanne and Phil for coming by and gifting BMA with a donation. We are 100% dependent on this community to do what we do. Please consider supporting this much needed service.

February Clinic for BMA - A Day to celebrate LOVE

A modified lockdown won't stop us from doing the needed work of sterilizing dogs and cats...or from having fun and sharing love.

We sterilized 21 in total yesterday:  7 cats and 14 dogs. We worked steady starting at 6:30. Our friend Max Jackson came and recorded our day. You can see what a beautiful team we are! Thank you, Max - you captured our spirt!

Midday we stopped to eat, laugh and revive. Shunashi planned a Valentine gift exchange with many yummy goodies coming from Henriette, Hiromi, Christina and Nena. Of course, there was chocolate... off again on a food tangent! Ana showed off her new prosthesis and burst into spontaneous and heart-felt gratitude uniting us in love. 

We want to thank all of our friends who helped give Ana mobility. It's incredible to think how much has been accomplished in the last year. To all who support this work, in big and small ways, you are our beloved friends. Thank you for helping to make Bahia Matanchen a hub of LOVE.