Thank you all for attending this fund raiser for the AmigosDeLosAnimales. Before I get to the history of this organization, I want to tell you about one of the best Singles Ads ever written. This is what appeared in the Atlanta Journal:
Single black female seeks male companionship, ethnicity unimportant. I'm a very good looking girl who loves to play. I love long walks in the woods, riding in your pickup truck, hunting, camping and fishing trips, cozy winter nights lying by the fire. Candlelight dinners will have me eating out of your hand. I'll be at the front door when you get home from work, wearing only what nature gave me. Call (404) 875-6420 and ask for Daisy, I'll be waiting...
Over 15,000 men found themselves talking to the Atlanta Humane Society about an 8-week-old black Labrador retriever.
Well, this whole thing got started somewhere around the beginning of 1998, when Wilson and Mary Ellen Godfrey approached Nadine and Henry Laxen, and said that we really should do something about the way dogs and cats are treated in Mazatlan. They decided to put an announcement in the Pacific Pearl, and on the El Cid bulletin board, and see what happens. Well, on the night of the meeting, about ten people showed up, of which most are still actively involved.
In those early days, we had nothing, except a desire to make things better for our furry friends. We started soliciting donations, and hold fund raising events, such as bingo and brunch. We decided the fastest way to make a difference is to involve the veterinarian community of Mazatlan. We held a meeting with most of the vets of Mazatlan, and offered to subsidize low cost spay and neuter programs. While this was going on, we tried to set aside as much money as we could to eventually build or buy our own animal shelter. Well, in 2000, we were able to buy and start upgrading a building just off Francisco Solis, which would become the temporary home of hundreds of dogs and cats. I would like to mention that one hundred percent of our funds have come from private sources. No government, neither Mexican nor American, has stepped forward to provide aid.
Well, in conclusion, let me tell you why we decided to have dogs instead of children. Dogs don't spit out their brussel sprouts, don't ask for an allowance, don't smoke, drink, nor hang out with druggie friends, never force you to go the the mall to buy the latest designer fashions, don't need college tuition money, and if they get pregnant, you can sell their offspring. Finally, you can say the stupidest thing to your dog, and he will give you a look that says: ``Wow, you are absolutely right! I would have never thought of that!''
So, my fellow animal lovers, please take this opportunity to give a little bit back to creatures that depend on you for their health and comfort, and ask so little in return. Please be generous and help us keep the AmigosDeLosAnimales running for another year.