Anita's Animals - A no-kill sanctuary for abandoned animals in San Juan Cosala, Mexico

When I lived in Mexico in 2008-2009, I had the privilege of meeting one of the kindest, most selfless people that I've ever known - Anita Strehlow, founder of the no-kill sanctuary she calls "Anita's Animals". Born in Germany, Anita has been helping the animals of the Lake Chapala region in the Mexican state of Jalisco for over 20 years. She takes in all abandoned animals, nursed them back to health if they're sick, pays for spaying/neutering them, and tries to find good homes for them whenever possible.

Anita receives no funding from the local government, and relies entirely on private donations. Recently, with the escalation of violence in Mexico, many of the foreign residents, many of whom supported her while they were living in the area, have moved back north. Although Anita accepts money via Paypal, many of these people seem to have opted for an "out of sight, out of mind" approach to her refuge.

After visiting her recently while I was in Mexico, I created an Indiegogo page to raise money for Anita. If you're looking for a good way to help animals, I can vouch for the fact that this is one of them. Any money you give will help Anita continue doing the good work that she does in a region where refuges such as hers are almost non-existent.