Sun, Sand, and … Spaying?! PETA Latino Launches Cancún Spay-a-Thon

Sipping margaritas by the beach may sound like the perfect spring break, but that’s not all Cancún has to offer. As partygoers flocked to the popular spring break destination this year, PETA Latino teamed up with Mexican TV host and longtime supporter Marco Antonio Regil to help revelers put something powerful on their itineraries: helping Cancún’s cats and dogs.

Joining forces with Regil, Cancún Mayor Mara Lezama Espinosa, and the municipal animal shelter called Dirección de Protección y Bienestar Animal, PETA Latino hosted a spay/neuter event on April 6 and 7, in which residents could have their animal companions “fixed” for free. PETA Latino’s goal was to sterilize 200 local cats and dogs—and the group succeeded, fixing a total of 136 dogs and 64 cats!

To kick things off, Regil spoke to locals about the importance of spaying and neutering to end the cycle of animal homelessness. In Cancún, countless cats and dogs wait for homes in shelters or struggle to survive on the streets—where they dodge traffic, search for scraps of food, are abused by cruel people, and face many other hardships.

Regil has a special place in his heart for these animals: He found his beloved canine companion, Bernie, on the side of the road during a bike race. He left the race, scooped Bernie up, and took him home!

Regil—a winner of PETA’s 2015 Humanitarian Award—also encouraged tourists and residents alike to offer a kind donation to Bienestar Animal or another local rescue group of dog food, blankets, toys, cruelty-free cleaning products, leashes, harnesses, and other supplies.

Snipping Saves Lives—Donate to PETA to Help End Animal Homelessness

From Cancún to Virginia, PETA’s spay/neuter initiatives are making a massive difference: In 2020 alone, PETA’s Mobile Clinics Division sterilized more than 13,000 cats and dogs, preventing thousands more from being born only to end up abandoned, homeless, neglected, or abused.

Every animal “snipped” means countless more saved: Just one unspayed female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in only six years, and one female cat and her offspring can produce 370,000 kittens in seven years. Sterilizing also eliminates the risk that animals will contract deadly diseases such as uterine or testicular cancer. The road to stopping needless animal suffering starts with animal birth control.

You can make a difference, too! Support more lifesaving spay/neuter events like this year’s Cancún spay-a-thon by giving to PETA’s Global Compassion Fund today.