January 2011
As the car turns off the highway and bumps along the country road on the way to the Spay and Neuter Ranch, the first dog welcoming visitors is Blaize, a shaggy, black male.
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December 2010
Now that the holidays are just around the corner and the New Year is only a breath and a heartbeat away we fleetingly think of the things we plan to change in the coming year.
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November 2010
A new flier from the Friends of the Animals (LFA) is going around town.  It states that they are giving money to all Animal Organizations at Lakeside.  That is not correct.
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October 2010
A new flier from the Friends of the Animals (LFA) is going around town.  It states that they are giving money to all Animal Organizations at Lakeside.  That is not correct.
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September 2010
Hi, I’m Beethoven.

I have a wonderful life, a great Human Mom and Human Dad. We do everything together, we take long walks, play ball or sometimes just sit and talk. They always laugh at me because my voice is deep and strong, and when I tell them that I love them it comes out all garbled, but they know what I’m saying and tell me that they love me back.  They take care of me and I take care of them, that’s what love is all about, taking care of each other.
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August 2010
Only a few weeks ago my very good friend left Ajijic to go sailing the seven Seas. “I have to follow my dream before I grow too old” she said.   That remark made me think back to when I started to dream.

I was eight when my father came home from the war, severely disfigured from the wounds he received when his plane was shot down over England. I never knew the man he once was, nor the handsome face which at one time was his. All I knew were scars, a limp and only one arm with which he tried to embrace the world; unhappily I exchanged his dashing photographs for this broken man. I am ashamed to say that I did not want to be seen in public with him, but at home, away from the eyes of the world, we became inseparable. It did not take me long to realize that his mind, his heart and soul were never wounded.
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July, 2010
Don’t Breed or Buy While Homeless Animals Die

For years hundreds of animal protection organizations and caring individuals all over the  world have tried to shed light on the tragedy of dog and cat overpopulation and the spay & neuter solution. Millions of companion animals, brought into the world by irresponsible owners, are condemned to death every year because the cute little kitten or the playful pup for one reason or another no longer pleases, is no longer convenient, has grown too big or is  too small – we have heard it all. The Lakeside Spay & Neuter Center. A.C. has seventy-four stories to tell. Seventy-four tails that wag and seventy-four hearts that hope. We cry for each one, and if you hear some of the stories you will cry too.
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September, 2009
Everybody who has dogs would like for them to be well trained and well behaved. I too would like that – but to be very honest mine fall into the category “Will you come - or not.” The only time they come running is at feeding time. I know that dog behavior problems can be solved, all it takes is patience and understanding.  I do know a few things, for instance you should never call a dog to you to be punished; your dog will think he is being punished for coming to you.

The perfectly trained dog should stop what he/she is doing, run to you as quickly as possible, and sit down in front of you.  Ha…But there is a way to achieve this? Simple, if you have the time and patience have your dog on a four to six foot lead. When you have your dog’s attention, take several swift steps backward as you guide the dog to you with a treat held at his nose level. When the dog is in front of you, stop and raise the treat up slightly, causing the dog to sit, then give him/her the treat. After a few practice sessions do this while standing in place rather than backing up. Then eliminate guiding with food and switch to simply giving the command.
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August, 2009
Being a Volunteer at the “Dog Ranch” is wonderful, but it is not easy, it is hard work and there are times when your heart will ache, and even break a little when a new dog comes to the Ranch - a dog that is unwanted, abandoned and unloved. Sometimes it takes a while for these animals to trust again, for the tail to give a spontaneous wag when you come into view or the quick lick of the hand if you happen to reach into their kennel, however, your heart will never be shattered for there is a joy in being among these animals and in knowing that you are making a difference in their lives.

There are many people who are not afraid to show that animal welfare is an important aspect of life.  They are the ones who keep us going and they are the ones who eventually will change the world as far as animals are concerned. One of our youngest volunteers is eight year old Yara De Bois from Mesas, Arizona while she was visiting her grandmother. Volunteering at the Ranch became one of the highlights of her vacation. Watching this delightful little eight year old interacting with those Magnificent Mutts proved to me that dogs and children go together. To the dogs, Yara was the favorite and every tail wagged when she appeared. To Yara each dog was special.  If you have a grandchild visiting, bring him or her to the Ranch and let them experience what animal care is all about. (Click Here to read entire Paw Prints article)

July, 2009
She is just a little thing, hungry lost and afraid. It is only a dog and so many of her species face the same fate and we are unaware of the plight that goes on around us. This one was lucky, for the little dog was found and is being fostered at the Maskaras Farmacia until someone gives her a forever home. Her hair is starting to shine again and is beginning to feel silky to the touch and her beauty is starting to show; but then to me all dogs are beautiful. When I was outside of the Farmacia taking pictures of her, several people commented on how cute this little blond cocker spaniel was and I hoped someone would take her and give her the love she hungers for. One bystander in particular seemed interested, but then he told me that he was leaving for the USA where he had made a down payment on a dog of a very rare breed.

For the world of me I cannot understand people who pay an extraordinary amount of money to get what they call a "rare and unusual breed" of a dog when there are so many needy dogs right here who can be all the things a dog should be. (Click Here to read entire Paw Prints article)

June, 2009
There are times when I wonder how my heart can keep on beating, it has been broken so many times that I think the cracks will make it crumble and it will no longer function. Sometimes I wish that I could put an iron cast around my heart so it can feel no more. Today again I felt the pain of a breaking heart when I had to retrieve a little dog that only a few days ago had found a home of its own. "It doesn't work out," I was told over the phone.

When I arrived at the home and rang the bell the little dog greeted me at the door. With a wagging tail and happy little barks he ran around the room picking up various items that he deemed to be his, showing me all his treasures. He ran from me, back to his owner, back to me not sure where to place his allegiance. On the way to the car, tail still wagging, he kept looking back for his master, not wanting to go anyplace without him.
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May, 2009
I believe in God but I also believe in reincarnation, why else would my heart tremble when I see a beautiful sunset, why else would my soul yearn to be someplace that my mind does not remember but my heart knows I have been there before. Is this a past life memory?

I believe that we have to come back to earth until we get the living right. Maybe in one of my past lives I was cruel to animals and that is why now I feel so strongly about animal welfare and want to take away their suffering. I want to give them refuge, give safety to the abandoned, comfort the abused, heal the sick, and care for the old. Perhaps there will be a time when every companion animal can be shown true commitment, care, and compassion, making the vision of a world where all life is treasured a reality. Maybe some day all companion animals born can be a part of a caring forever home.
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April, 2009
Life could be easy in the idyllic village of Ajijic, Mexico , but for an animal lover it can be torture. An animal in Mexico is a throw away life. Eight 1/2 Tons of dog carcasses are incinerated at the Guadalajara dump each month, yet there are still staggering numbers of homeless dogs and cats roaming the streets. Starving children, homeless people and severe poverty leaves little concern for animal care. The Mexican government's solution to the overpopulation of stray dogs and cats is to round them up and kill them. In Guadalajara and surrounding areas, this is done by either shooting, or poisoning the animals.

The Lakeside Spay & Neuter Center, A.C. was founded September 18, 2001 in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico by Gudrun Z. Jones and Diane Hazen. Our solution is to sterilize as many animals as we can, and try to stop the daily heartache of seeing the streets populated by mange-ridden, starving and sick dogs which are still producing litter after litter of unwanted puppies, many of which are thrown into garbage cans or starved to death. Our original mission was to spay & neuter to stop the overpopulation of street dogs; however, it very quickly became apparent that there was an urgent need to rescue injured, abandoned or abused animals and thus we expanded our mission.
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