With 400 dogs at Barb’s Dog Rescue, we go through truckloads of dog food each week! But…as many of you know, laws don’t allow for truckloads of food to come into Mexico, leaving us with yet another challenge to overcome. You may wonder why we don’t buy our food locally, and that’s a good question. We do actually purchase food here in Rocky Point quite often, but it is expensive…buying high-protein food here is oftentimes pricier than buying it in the U.S., and the supply doesn’t keep up with demand. We buy it when we need to.
Most of our food is purchased through a supplier in the U.S., and this is a story about how we get it to our dogs…
It starts with a phone call every Monday morning, where we place our order. Each 50# bag of Diamond Dog Food costs us $31 USD, and we typically order 120 bags at a time. The food gets delivered on pallets to our superstar friends at Steel Creations & Fabrication in Glendale, and this is where the fun begins! The team at Steel Creations helps unload it, they make space to lovingly store it, and then we get to work on an itinerary to get it down South. Barb’s Dog Rescue has a few good people with big ole trucks, and they’re always ready to help. The food needs to be unpacked from the pallets and then repacked on the truck(s) before the journey begins. These are heavy loads, so the drive South is a slow one, and often, there are hiccups. We’re no strangers to blown tires, and one recent food transport ended in a blown engine and a tow truck ride back to the States. Our transport volunteers are unstoppable, though, and while there may be moments of “mild frustration” (ok, it may be a little more than mild), there is no giving up!
Mexico’s rules say that food can only come into the country 50 pounds at a time, so what’s a dog rescue with 400 dogs to do? We lean on others for help, of course, and it starts with our heroes at The Why Not Travel Store! Our 6,000 lbs. of dog food gets driven to Why, where a small army of employees and volunteers help unload it from the truck and into a storage unit for safekeeping. The Why Not team tags each bag, and what happens next is truly magic. Slowly but surely and one bag at a time, YOU pick it up and deliver it to the rescue. You gas up, you grab some snacks, and many of you make it a point to also load a bag of food into your already packed cars to deliver to Barb’s Dog Rescue! If you’ve not gotten on the dog food delivery bandwagon, please join this feel-good campaign…what a beautiful way to begin your Rocky Point vacation! The rescue is a super easy stop on your way into town, just look for the bright yellow billboard on the right-hand side of the highway, just a couple of miles before the bridge. The dogs will be watching for you! It is a highlight of their day to watch all the nice people roll into the rescue with their bags of doggie goodness, and you’ll be welcomed with happy howls and tail wags! If you have a minute, come on in and pet some pups while you’re there, and if you don’t, we have a convenient drop-off area at our front gate. Let us offer a pro-tip: pet the dogs. You’ve had a long drive. Stretch your legs for a minute and let our pups give you a few kisses. It will make you smile, and your margarita that’s waiting for you in town will taste even sweeter after a visit to Barb’s Dog Rescue.
We don’t always have food at Why Not, but you can call them, or us, to find out if there’s anyone needing a ride. Lots of folks choose to buy a bag of food for us when they do their pre-trip shopping, and we really appreciate that. We need you to continue to donate food to help supplement our purchased supply! If you buy more than 50 lbs. (thank you!), you can also drop the extra at The Why Not Travel Store for other travelers to bring down. Your ongoing food donations help us offset this huge expense. Food can be purchased down in Mexico, too – both Sam’s Club and Walmart have chicken and seafood-based options.
In addition to food, we are always in need of all things “dog,” including blankets, towels, sheets, toys, beds, crates, leashes, harnesses, treats, etc.
Thank you for being a part of this team effort…nothing good comes easy, and we couldn’t do it without you. If you haven’t yet joined this effort but would like to get in on it, come on…just do it! Do it for the dogs. Do it for your soul. Thank you, friends!
Photo Caption:
More than seven years ago, a tiny little puppy we named RCA arrived at Barb’s Dog Rescue. We have loved her like crazy for all these years, and are hopeful that soon, she’ll get to experience life as a family dog. She has a sweet, gentle disposition and loves her scritches. Let’s find RCA her forever home!
