Guadalupe "Lupita" Tirado returned home to Mazatlan, having resided in Cancun for many years, with a vision. She dreamed of a place, a home, a sanctuary, where all the street animals of Mazatlan who suffered from hunger, abuse, injuries, thirst and illness, could find a safe haven. They would be provided a meal, shelter, water, clean areas to play, and someone who would love them all. And the place would be the family ranch.
Lupita's vision came to instant fruition with the six dogs she brought from Cancun. Her small pack grew quickly. Word spread in her neighborhood and sadly people began to abandon their animals at Lupita's gate.
What began as a dream to save the animals she herself rescued snowballed into a dumping ground for all the unwanted animals from uncompassionate individuals. Even though the pack grew from six to twelve to forty seemingly overnight, Lupita never turned an animal away.
Mustering up all of her available finances, Lupita was able to sustain the needs of the animals for several years. She began to hire locals who would come each day to help her feed her 40+ dogs and cats and keep the entire sanctuary clean. By 2014, fellow animal advocates formed a group to support the Hope Animal Sanctuary through fundraising and by creating an adoption program for the animals. This joint, non-profit partnership was born as Mazatlan Animal Rescue.
Today, Hope Animal Sanctuary, with the help of Mazatlan Animal Rescue, continues to provide refuge and healing for Mazatlan's most vulnerable animals, saving them from neglect, abandonment, and cruelty. For the Hope to continue, we rely on the support of the community in Mazatlan, to join forces to help the animals.
