Saturday afternoon my friends and I went out to Rancho La Esperanza, located on the outskirts of Mazatlan just past El Castillo. This animal sanctuary is home to over 50 cats and 100 dogs. These animals have been rescued and neutered. Many have been abused and bear the emotional as well as the physical scars.

Lupita is a woman in her sixties who lives here at the ranch with all of these animals. She cares for them primarily by herself with help from three part-time employees and volunteers. The grounds are spacious and the animals have a lot of territory to roam around in, and cleaning up after them is a never ending job. Lupita feeds them and tends to their medical needs. And of course she offers them a great deal of TLC. She has managed this ranch for eight years now.

Mazatlan Animal Rescue is the organization that provides the majority of the funding to the ranch. Staffed by volunteers, bi-weekly garage sales are held over the snowbird season with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the ranch. Members of this group also rescue and neuter cats. While the feral ones are returned to their colonies, the others take up residence at the ranch, in the hopes that someday they may be adopted. The group also has a stand at the Organic Farmers Market in Plaza Zaragoza on Saturday mornings, where donations are gratefully accepted.

The cats all posed for photos, but they dogs were another matter. They were eager for attention so the few shots I did get are mostly from a distance. There is also a photo of blankets hanging out to dry on a fence. There were actually four fences full of blankets the day I was there. Lupita has only one washing machine and does these herself.

Providing a loving and caring home for these animals is Lupita’s passion. She is truly an angel for all these cats and dogs here in Mazatlan.