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Parque La Carolina in Quito, Ecuador

The Dog Whisperers of Cotacachi, Ecuador

By David T. Hall

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Summary: Lee and Peggy Carper are on a mission to spay and neuter the stray dogs of Cotacachi, Ecuador -- as well as to nurse and feed the ones who showed malnutrition or disease.

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About the Author

Former owner of an energy marketing firm in the Midwest, retiring early 12 years ago due to an illness. I enjoy writing and traveling.


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Comments

HomesForDogs
Apr 15, 2011 15:06

David, Thanks so much for this article. Ironically, I was also trying to find the Carpers. In fact I just posted on the Ecuador Welcome Forum about my intentions to do animal rescue work in Ecuador. An even better surprise re:your article was finding that you write well and aren't selling anything! No offense intended towards those who market their Ecuadorean wares (if I hadn't read Gary Scott's blog, I wouldn't have known about the Carpers at all), but it's a pleasure to read a good writer with a flair for details. Thanks, [email protected]

Summersmist
Apr 18, 2011 17:36

This article brought tears to my eyes. I currently live in Texas but plan to move to Cuenca. I have been involved in animal rescue and adoptions for 15 years with a local Humane Society. Regardless of the fact that 100s of dogs have passed through my home and care it just doesn't seem to make a dent in the numbers. I have seen some ugly stuff that people do to the animals and it really makes me angry. I am caring for one dog now that, at 3 months of age, had chemical burns all over his back and legs. He was in severe pain.....but now, months later he has recovered with minimal scars. Tell me about the Catacachi Whisperer. Do you find homes for the dogs after they get healthy. How far are you from Cuenca? And how is life in Catacachi? I look forward to hearing from you. Keep up the good work and God Bless. Sharon

guest
Apr 18, 2011 17:58

Bless you.

wandap
Apr 18, 2011 21:12

I am very interested in obtaining Lee and Peggy Carper's contact information. I will be moving to Cotacachi in September of this year and want very much to get involved in working with the street dogs. Any information you can provide will be a greatly appreciated.

Harrydog
Apr 24, 2011 12:06

What a sad but uplifting story – well done Lee and Peggy. Your story touched me as I have just arrived in West Africa and like many African countries the stray dog population is dreadful. The country is poor and the people have little money or food and certainly don’t spend it on the dogs. We have one practicing vet in town who is doing so much for one man and a small team. They move around to the outer villages and spay and neuter as many dogs as they can for free. Also Rabbis is rampant there so they vaccinate too. I am volunteering with the vet and his team to help raise funds and awareness of the problem. There is said to be over 200,000 stray dogs on the streets. I am brought to tears regularly seeing dogs, puppies with three barely working legs, covered in Mange, bloodied ears, emancipated and such sad eyes. They are just left to die in streets, suffer in silence. We are working hard to fundraise from the other expats in the area and any other dog lovers. The local people are scared of the dogs as most of them carry disease. The dogs are often attacked with stones and sticks and very often hit by cars and bikes as they scower the streets for food. The animals are truly the forgotten ones in war and poverty. There are simply hundreds of groups from the UK, Europe, Australia, America, all helping the people and country and it’s wonderful but the forgotten ones, as insignificant as they may be in the big scheme of things, still suffer terribly. Thank you Lee and Peggy for what you are doing and I wish you well with your plight. Signed a fellow animal lover

bigbirdu2
May 5, 2011 11:10

Hello, Great article on the street dogs. I hope to help with the work Peggy and Lee are doing once we get to Ecuador. I have worked with the "Spay Station" and "Fix For Life" and "Snip N Tip" here in TN. It amazed me that so many farmer here still thought it would not be right to take their male dogs "huevos" away! I really like Expat Exchange and glad to join in. Kris

dameion53victor
Aug 6, 2011 02:08

Bless you for your work to help our 4 leged friends. I know from working some with a friend here in Texas with the dogs we have here in Denton, Texas. I am very interested in information of any sort about living in Cotacachi. Especially when i read of stories like this one, and read about the friendly nature of the people. God bless, and good luck with your quest.

lynnae
Aug 29, 2011 18:16

We also have a great love of dogs and their hunger. We are moving to Cotacachi this year, and I hope we will be able to help. We are bring 4 sm. dogs of our own, we just can't leave them behind. Tim and Lynnae

guest
Oct 2, 2011 17:33

I loved this article. I almost felt I was there with the stay animals. Im retired now and have developed this overwhelming love of all animals.I have Milo and Roby, my two dogs and 8 cats. They are my family Im looking into moving to Ecuador and liked the sound of Cotacachi. The couple you wrote about show that their are still people who are good and who act on that. Ill be sending a little bit to them and if I ever get rich, which is doubtful, Id send them a boatloaf full of money. Thank you Ruth McGill 2646 Keene Troy Versailles, ky. 40383

guest
Apr 11, 2012 11:48

My name is Linda Murdock and I live in San Carlos, Panama. I belong to a group entitled, Panama Animal League (PAL). PAL takes abandoned and street dogs to be neutered, administers vaccines and socializes them before finding them their forever homes. To date, PAL has rescued approximately 100 dogs. I will be in Ecuador during the month of May and would love to meet you.

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