Companions to None: The Plight of Mexican Street Dogs

In going through my Mexican travel photos, I suddenly could not get the street dogs of Mexico off my mind. While in the central square of Valladolid, I actually witnessed a police officer kicking a dog. Being an American in a foreign land, especially one where the authority figures can have a questionable reputation, I felt utterly helpless. I, like some other foreign tourists, gave these dogs a drink from our water bottles, or leftover food, to the judgemental looks of many locals. After all, many of these people are hungry themselves. What to do? There were signs posted to not give money to beggars, many of them children, as it keeps them out of school and perpetuates a vicious cycle. And here, in the United States, there is such excess.

I happened upon the story of this documentary, Companions to None, on the plight of these dogs, which outnumber humans in some areas. There is a common belief in Mexico that sterilizing a male dog will make the dog "gay."



Learn more. Help Mexican street dogs by supporting Save a Mexican Mutt (SAMM).

Street Dogs of South Central examines the plight of homeless dogs in Los Angeles. This documentary is set for release this year.