LaGuera — The Matriarch

LaGuera quickly became very important to me. For one thing, I could see that she wasn’t well. And for another, she was the most approachable of the three “wild” dogs. There was one dog, Mancha, who had been tamed, but we will get to his story in due time. Guera was skinny, had watery eyes and did not walk well. I thought that she was old, but when I finally managed to crate her and get her to the vet, I found out she was most likely about 8 years old.

Guera spends much of the day sleeping

She had come to the complex with a worker doing construction on the buildings. He kept her chained at the rear of the complex. When his work was done, he left her there. At least he unchained her!
She made her way to the front where she befriended the dogs who lived near the gate. She was fed from time to time by various people, along with all the dogs. She was eventually captured, sterilized and returned to her life on the streets.


The other dogs at the complex were also captured (by Pepe–we will get to him!) and sterilized. The shyest dog, a female they called Solovina, took two years to succumb to capture. Pepe had to bring out his most clever tricks. Until she was sterilized, Solovina gave birth regularly about every six months. The puppies were typically brought home by the men working at the complex, which was still under construction.

Solovina, the wariest of all the “Dreams” dogs

Back to Guera. A special girl who bore the marking of the streets on her body. I could see that she had had a rough go of it and I was determined to help her.


I wasn’t able to catch her in time to bring her home but I did manage to get her medicine, vitamins and was able to flesh her out a bit with steady feeding.


Besides the fact that she could not have her rabies shot until she had finished her round of antibiotics, which would not finish until after I left, I realized that she had a special bond with Tontin, one of the other “wild” dogs living at the complex. I didn’t want to take her away without him and there was no chance of capturing him, at least not this time.

I am working on a plan for all the dogs at the gate, but we will get to that story. Stay tuned!

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