After we stopped to meet with Rosalinda's attorney, and several of the members of the Alianza which had formed in August (people working for animal welfare issues in the area and supporters of Rosalinda) we went on to Bonfil Ejido to see the new site.
 Opresa had initiated construction of the facility according to a minimal set of plans and specifications, making their own revisions in original blueprints and plans at will. The results evidence a company trying to execute the absolute minimum, while giving the appearance of honoring the agreements which should have been implemented long ago.

The new 'shelter' is a large compound of buildings made from bare concrete block, obviously not in a state of anything resembling completion. There were many workers on site - laying brick, pouring concrete, and attaching sheet metal to steel tubing  which comprised the roofing for the entire facility.
There will be more pictures published soon detailing the layout and inside views of the compound (not yet captured from the digital video source).

It was clear that the construction had been only recently accelerated, and that on December 20th, the promised date, virtually nothing would have been in progress.

 The sheet metal roofing was the thinnest material available - held by screws with grommets to minimal steel tubing supports, which were being fitted into holes on the blocks being chipped out by workers as we watched. This material can easily be bent between two fingers, and we can't imagine it holding up during heavy winds - let alone an inevitable tropical storm. A hurricane will doubtless destroy the facility and everything in it. The minimal overhang of the roofing is such that - as Rosalinda had in fact seen during a recent rainstorm - as the rain pours off of the roof, it will blow unrestricted directly back into the kennels where the dogs are to be held. The net effect is that the dogs have no shelter at all from inclement weather.

 The slopes of the concrete slabs are not properly graded for drainage, causing water to pool in the kennels during rain, or when attempting to wash down the flooring. The buildings are oriented such that the majority of the dogs will be exposed to full sun without shade throughout the entire day - and the large open slabs of concrete flooring form a reflective 'dish' which will amplify the heat of the sunlight, creating extremes of temperature in the tropical climate. The shelter sections are entirely comprised of bare concrete enclosed by sections of chain link fencing. As yet, the fencing stops about two inches from the floor, exposing razor sharp wires which will undoubtedly injure the dogs as they dig at the bottoms of the fencing unless the flooring is built up and the chainlink is encapsulated in a layer of topping concrete.

 While the overall construction may seem on the surface to involve a large dedication of resources, it should be remembered that the construction companies involved are subsidiaries of the largest concrete company in Mexico - Cemex. The total investment of resources falls far short of the figures agreed to in the contract signed to acquire Rosalinda's land.

 A promised 5000 gallon, gravity fed water system was instead replaced with a large, uncovered cistern located on the ground at the center of the compound.

 Had the company devoted as much of their resources to  a similar but better planned facility, it could have been a huge improvement over the previous site. However, this set of structures more resembles an unwelcoming, unforgiving prison yard - and will be no less than a torture chamber without major revisions and improvements.

 After Rosalinda and I walked through the facility, I walked through it again with the project foreman. I asked him specifically about the many problems, expressing the health and safety concerns for the animals - pointing them out as we walked. His final comment to me was, "Well, this is just how we build things in Mexico."

After walking through the construction site, I visited the compound where the dogs are currently being held. This was among the saddest of my experiences with the dogs of Mexico. A crude, lean-to roof was hung from a concrete wall, and rusted open-mesh metal lathe fencing was attached to poles, creating a concentration camp environment. Two of Rosalinda's young helpers were tending to the animals, and allowed us to walk through the compound, taking our photographs and video.

Food was in abundance, however there was nothing else here resembling a humane or caring environment. This was what all of Rosalinda's years of rescue and long-term care had been reduced to, thanks to the greed and inhumanity of this wretched excuse for a corporation. Most of the pictures will speak for themselves:

   

 Lola's neck reveals an open gash - inflicted by the fencing materials, which have jagged ends protruding in hundreds of places along the enclosures.

One of Rosalinda's helpers, a young man with an impossible job, doing his best under extreme circumstances...



This is all that Rosalinda is left with by way of 'equipment', following the theft of her appliances and fixtures:

Her entire remaining supply of medicines for 120 dogs - many of whom are obviously in need of intensive care for injuries, sarcopsis, demodex and ehrlichia, and more.

Rosalinda and her friend Elvira.

While we were visiting, Elvira arrived with donated food for the dogs. She drives around Cancun with a stack of paper plates piled high with kibble for the street dogs, whenever she finds one.
Together they hold the funds raised for them from our friends on the internet message boards.

We believe that this is a photograph of two angels, struggling to do something good in a hellish place. We can assist them & we will not forget them - this we have promised.

 

Please continue to help us, and do not let this episode slip to the lowest pages of your priority lists!

Only through sustained and growing outcry will companies such as Opresa and their parent corporations, ABC & Cemex, be held accountable for this outrageous abrogation of human rights and civilized standards of humane treatment of animals.

  As an organization, we stand aside for arguments about 'animal rights' (apart from the clear right of all living things to be free from needless, willful suffering), philosophical debates and political campaigns. Each of our team members may hold to their own beliefs and opinions on whatever issues. However, we also believe that this incident demands of us that we try to concentrate our efforts toward justice for the victims of these obvious crimes.

 We do not believe that acts of unkindness should be used in the struggle to promote compassion, and we prefer to limit our 'demonstrations' to setting the example through the good work of our teams. It is not our vision to save the world, nor to pass judgment on others. However, Rosalinda and her dogs are innocents, and as human beings of conscience, we must do our best to come to their aid.

We should not have to state that we do not begrudge a single worker a single hour of honest work. This incident has nothing to do with the notion of "dogs being placed before jobs".
 If Opresa were not a greedy and inhuman operation, they would have honored their agreements, rather than making false promises to a poor woman and then beating her and commiting monsterous acts against defenseless animals. This is about basic standards of decency and accountability for criminal conduct - period.

 We encourage you all to continue to spread the word of this ignoble incident, continue to send the pages to everyone you know, and help us to take positive steps to insure that the suffering of these innocents is not in vain.

 We cannot express our thanks in deep enough terms, for the help we've already received - you helped to reclaim a little piece of lost faith, and brought a little light and hope back into Rosalinda's life. Congratulations on this compassionate act - you are living proof that small acts can make a profound difference!

For an example of detailed standards for the proper construction of a shelter click [HERE]