Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo – In a milestone for pet care and public health, Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa and Municipal President Atenea Gómez Ricalde today opened the island’s first animal welfare center, designed to shelter, treat and rehome companion animals.
Located on Carretera Garrafón beside the local cyclone refuge, the new facility serves up to 16 dogs and 10 cats. It features a full veterinary clinic, medical consult rooms, adoption hall, temporary refuge enclosures, grooming stations and an outdoor play park.
“In caring for our voiceless companions, we affirm a broader culture of respect for all life,” Lezama said during the ribbon-cutting. “This reflects our humanist, feminist governance ethos.”
A Compassionate, Modern Design
Funded by the Isla Mujeres municipality and the Environmental Remediation Fund (Fondo de Saneamiento Ambiental), the center blends function and comfort:
- Veterinary Clinic: Equipped for routine exams, spay/neuter surgeries, and basic emergency care.
- Adoption Hall: Welcomes visitors to meet adoptable pets in a calm, indoor setting.
- Refuge Enclosures: Secure shaded kennels and cat condos that reduce stress during recovery.
- Grooming and Park: Provides hygiene services and supervised play to support physical and mental health.
Gómez Ricalde noted citizens overwhelmingly backed the project through participatory budgeting. “This center exemplifies transparency and community voice guiding public policy,” she said.
Tackling Cruelty and Abandonment
Governor Lezama stressed that preventing animal cruelty helps curb violence in society. She revealed that 95 investigations into fauna-related crimes are underway statewide, with six cases already proceeding to trial under environmental and anti-cruelty laws.
“Ending cruelty to animals is closely linked to safeguarding human dignity,” Lezama stated. “We must not normalize violence against any living being.”
Local animal-welfare advocates hailed the center as a turning point. “We finally have the infrastructure to safely house strays, reunite lost pets, and manage adoptions professionally,” said biologist Carlos Barranco García, one of the first beneficiaries of the facility.
Community Impact and Next Steps
The center will:
- Coordinate with the municipal registry to reunite lost and found pets.
- Host regular adoption drives to reduce street-animal populations.
- Offer public workshops on responsible pet ownership and basic first aid.
Monthly reports on intake, adoptions and treatment outcomes will be published online, ensuring accountability. Lezama added that plans are underway to replicate the model in other Quintana Roo municipalities.
“In Isla Mujeres, we protect the most vulnerable, furry or human,” Governor Lezama said. “This center is just the beginning of a wider effort to build a safer, more compassionate society.”
