All Ears: Sergio - Bueno Pirro

There was a scratch at our door. It was Sergio, a short-legged, white (sort of) bilingual dog with a hernia that lives here. Unlike the mangy, skinny, street dogs that you see wandering the streets of Loreto, Sergio is quite ample. He is really not my friend's dog; he belongs to neighbor, but for the last few years, he has chosen to live here. My friend, Randy and his wife, pay his vet bills and make sure that he has Advantix flea treatments on a regular basis. People are nice to him; they don't throw rocks at him, and most importantly, he is being fed...often and very well. What more would a dog want?

When we opened the door, Sergio came in, walked over to the foot of the couch, and went to sleep for his afternoon siesta. He stayed for several hours; we put him back out at bedtime. Sergio works the night shift; keeping away other dogs by barking and growling periodically. Sergio is not unlike my new dog, Lexi, who barks with the same alarm and enthusiasm when an axe murderer is sneaking around outside, or a leaf falls from a tree.

There are a lot of dogs in Loreto. Just the way the Flying Samaritans volunteer their time and money caring for some of Mexico's disadvantaged people, there actually veterinarians that fly down from the States do do spay and neuter clinics. Not only does this provide a service to people that could never afford this luxury, it definitely helps keep the dog population in check. Left to their own, dogs would quickly take over this tiny hamlet, run for public office, and get rid of the people that abuse them...and cats, of course. I have not seen ONE cat since I arrived. Sergio, with his mild, laid-back demeanor would be a shoe-in for mayor.

We can judge how civilized a population is by how well they treat their dogs. I once saw a Discovery Channel story about a group in Africa that has many dogs. Each year, during a special ceremony when boys become men, they select and butcher a dog to eat. How cruel, I thought, but one could clearly see that the man crying as he did this mournful task. In Southeast Asia, dogs are part of the menu. Travelers are often horrified to see them hanging in the butcher shop windows. In China, not only are dogs eaten, dog fur is used to adorn the coats that Americans wear in the winter, that is until people were outraged and rose up against this famous "Coat Factory" (I won't say the name, since they no longer accept dog-fur trimmed coats for sale.) In a world that is often sparse in protein, I can understand how poor people may need to eat dogs. It is still sad, since dogs really love and trust people. I have no problem with people eating rats and snakes.

When we were handing out children's clothes in Miramar, there were dozens of dogs. Even people who can barely feed themselves, make room in their hearts for dogs. The dogs seemed to be doing fine with what little food scraps they get. Sadly, dogs learn to pick through the trash for morsels to eat; not unlike the people that live in this very impoverished area -- just a day or so drive from San Diego.

Sergio was once taken by another Loreto resident several years ago; someone that liked him and decided just to take him. He was gone for several months and it was feared he was dead. People actually went out looking for him in various places where dogs hang out. Sergio is not neutered and has been known to wander. He has needs. No one could find him for weeks.

Then, out the of clear blue sky, he showed up at Randy's door, checked out his now empty dog bowl, and went to sleep in his usual location - in front of the door where we are renting. Right now, he is sleeping by my wife's feet. His legs are moving; a common occurrence when dogs are dreaming. I suspect he dreams in Spanish - his native dog language.

I miss my own dogs, back home in Northern California. They are well-cared for by our house-sitter, but I still miss them. Sergio does not replace Lexi and Maggie, but he is a close second -- Sergio is a good dog. There can never be too many good dogs in the World. If you have a dog, please go pet them, scratch them in that sweet spot, and give them something nice to eat. Dogs always appreciate that, and they ask for little.

And, while you are at it. Hug your kids, too.

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