Humane Society of Tijuana

The government of Mexico lacks a mechanism either to treat the thousands of starving and sick street animals roaming the city of Tijuana or to provide veterinary care to the pets of the poor. To address this gap, the Humane Society of Tijuana (HSTJ) had to get creative. Lacking funds for a private shelter, it found an alternative. While HSTJ volunteers still do one-on-one street rescues, the organization has also devised another type of rescue, the Street Clinic. They realized a lot of abandoned street animals could enjoy a markedly improved quality of life through simple medical treatments; this care would improve their looks and demeanor enough for them to be accepted by neighborhoods and/or individuals who would then care for them in an ongoing way.  In this model, people in the poorest neighborhoods are encouraged to bring their pets for free or very low cost basic treatments (de-worming and mange, tick, and flea treatment). They are encouraged to bring the street animals along too. After being treated and no longer suffering from diarrhea, mange, ticks and eye infections, these street animals look and feel 100% better and are often adopted by individuals or by a group of people on the block where they were roaming. Instead of a miserable existence on the streets, sick, starving, frightened, and in pain, these animals now are given food, clean water, and a place to sleep; they are often even brought to HSTJ’s monthly free spay and neuter clinics which is an ideal outcome as the cycle of overpopulation is slowed.  Thanks to some very simple interventions, they now have a chance at a decent life.  You can see some of their amazing recoveries by looking at the before and after photos below.

In addition to the Street Clinics, Friends of HSTJ educates the public about general health and sanitation, particularly in regards to living in proximity to animals.  They also instruct pet owners in poor neighborhoods on proper care and feeding of their animals.

Finally, the organization promotes humane legislation and is working to eliminate the electrocution method of killing at state-run pounds in Mexico.

SPCA International is proud to honor this program for its innovative and successful efforts to improve the lives of street animals and pets in Tijuana.   

You can donate to this organization by sending a check to:
Friends of the Humane Society of Tijuana
641 E. San Ysidro Blvd. #B3-431
San Diego, CA 92173

Web site
www.friendsofhstj.org