A loudspeaker breaks the silence that envelopes the village. After a brief clearing of the throat, a voice rings out with its message:
“We inform all brothers and sisters of the community of Lagunillas del Farallón that today, our friends from the Andean Cat Alliance will be carrying out the vaccination of our pets. Please bring your dogs and cats…“
As the voice announced, the campaign lasted all day. Little by little, familiar faces appeared alongside new ones: white, black, brown, and every shade in between. Some came carried in arms, others walked on four paws. Several cats, wrapped like “taco michis” to travel safely, emerged from different corners of the village. Time passed between sextuple, triple, and rabies vaccines, with names and paw prints steadily adding up.
In addition to vaccinations, blood samples were taken to be analyzed in the laboratory, in order to detect emerging diseases that can affect not only pets, but also wildlife — including the Andean cat, that elusive guardian of the highlands.
As the sun set, the loudspeaker went quiet and the icy breath of the wind took its place. Claudia Ancasi and Florencia Rivera, our veterinarians, ended the day exhausted, their hands busy from the first to the last hour.
A day later, the story repeated itself 40 kilometers away, in the community of Loma Blanca. Without loudspeakers, but with the same common thread: commitment, warmth, and participation. More pets joined in, bringing the total to 110 vaccinated and dewormed.
Protecting them is protecting what is ours. It is caring for ourselves and for the life that roams the mountains.
We invite you to explore this gallery and relive, image by image, the moments that marked these days, as well as the joy of families protecting their companions. Memories that inspire us to keep caring for what is ours.
