Sometimes a vacation can change your life! We found our dog Lola on Highway 8, halfway between Sonoyta and Rocky Point. We don’t know how she got there, or why she was on that deserted stretch of road, but we believe it was fate. It was Saturday, June 11, 2011, and we were on our way to Rocky Point to enjoy a weekend at the beach as usual. Suddenly this little black dog crawled out from the side of the road, right in front of our car, and just sat down in the middle divider line of Highway 8. We stopped without hesitation and picked her up. She sat in our backseat on a pillow pet while we gave her water and Ruffles (the only food we had with us). Our Saturday relaxing at the beach plans changed in an instant. We stopped at the pet store coming into town and got directions to a veterinarian office. We were pleased to find the veterinarian’s office very clean, professional, and modern, and equivalent to any vet in the States. They gave her an exam and some shots and estimated that she was four weeks old.

The veterinarian office also offered grooming, so we had her groomed and then brought her back to our condo and the beach. She quickly became part of our family. After much deliberation as to what to name her, our daughter said the name Lola. As soon as she heard that name, her tail started wagging and she ran right over to us! Lola was named! Our awesome Mexi-Mutt just turned five this June and we can’t imagine life without her. She is currently the Alpha to our two other rescues (we joke it’s the street dog in her) and best friends with the cat. She enjoys napping the days away in luxury and earning her keep as a ferocious barker.

Rocky Point has a large stray dog population. Everywhere you go in town you see dogs of all varieties, in all conditions. Some of these dogs have homes, but many do not. There are rescue shelters for dogs (and cats) in Rocky Point that work year round to give these animals’ food and medical attention. The next time you’re ready for a new addition to your family, we encourage you to visit one of the shelters here in Rocky Point to adopt. Why buy a dog from a breeder when there are so many awesome dogs that need homes?

Information on the two main animal shelters in town, AACORP and Barb’s Dog Rescue, can be found here in the RP Times. You can also follow them on Facebook for all the latest dog photos and updates. These women do amazing work! Both shelters are always in need of food and donations. So, drop off some food, stay to pet some dogs, and maybe take one home. Also, if you are a vet, or know one, there are spay/neuter clinic one to two times per year and they are always looking for volunteers.