Outreach in Settegast Park

Barrio Dogs has been getting emails about increasing numbers of homeless and unwanted dogs in Settegast Park in the East End (2nd Ward). There are concerned neighbors in the area who do not want the conditions in other parts of the East End to spread to their neighborhood. To help them, we had an awareness event in Settegast Park on Saturday, July 21, 2012 to help bring attention to this growing concern. 

Community Awareness Event - Mason Park

Barrio Dogs volunteers were up bright and early Saturday, July 14, 2012 to walk the neighborhood adjacent to Mason Park. We are desperately working to spread the word that spay and neuter is the only solution to the animal overpopulation we see daily in this area. The goal was to distribute literature about proper pet care and spay neuter resources to 1,000 homes in the area.   

We have been getting requests for assistance from others in the East End who are concerned that their neighborhoods will become overrun with homeless and unwanted dogs like the Hidalgo Park and Mason Park areas. We will continue to do these awareness events as long as we have volunteers willing to distribute literature and buy in and participation from residents.

"Freedom for All" Community March on July 4th

Barrio Dogs held its “Freedom for All” community march on July 4th in Hidalgo Park, an area that is especially hard hit with unwanted and neglected dogs. Father Salvatore DeGeorge from St. Patrick's Catholic Church said a blessing for all the suffering animals in the area and in particular for Grace, a homeless and sick German shepherd that died last month soon after she was rescued from the 8300 block of Navigation near the Ship Channel. News about Grace spread quickly via the internet and Barrio Dogs received many inquiries and offers to donate to her care from throughout the country as well as from Canada, England and Australia.

About 100 participants marched through the neighborhood, many of whom had never been in that part of Houston before. Barrio Dogs plans to return to this community to offer information and resources to the residents to help them take better care of their dogs.

Father Salvatore DeGeorge said a blessing for Grace and  the other suffering animals in the community

Grace, who was rescued from this area last month and died a few hours after her rescue. Her story captured the attention of people around the country who could not believe dogs live like this in a city as wealthy as Houston

A local resident (red shirt) joined us in the march after we passed by his house

Many dogs in this community live in awful conditions; the temperature during the march was in the mid 90's

Another chained dog; at least this one has shade

Barrio Dogs Paws for Poetry

The students at Browning Elementary give us reason to hope for a better future. We are so proud of them and the Paws for Poetry book they created and sold to raise nearly $400 for our FixIt! East End Spay Neuter project. We plan to produce more copies of the book to sell; all proceeds will benefit FixIt!. A big thank you to Browning’s teachers, students and a special thanks to Barrio Dogs’ team members Jennifer Washam and Grace Ruiz for putting together this beautiful book. Here are some excerpts: