Many countries around the world practice working on animals, but it is mostly women who do it. However, there are also men who have dedicated their lives to helping homeless animals. This is the case of Mexican Edgardo Zúñiga Juárez, 50, nicknamed Salva Perros (dog rescue).
For 12 years now, Edgardo has been traveling the country on his tricycle, helping all the homeless dogs he meets on his way. He traveled more than 13,000 kilometers and found homes for more than 1,000 street dogs.
One day he caught the eye of American photographer Stuart Williams, who was so impressed by this meeting that he later made a film about Edgardo and described his good deeds.
Their meeting took place on the beach of Oaxaca, in the south of Mexico, near the fishing village of Mazunte, famous for its national park of the great turtles. Stuart saw something unusual: a man was pushing a cart in the heat and there were dogs, lots of dogs, all around him.
Some were mounted on the cart, others were attached to it, and still, others were running just beside it. This strange traveler turned out to be Salva Perros. Edgardo told the photographer that he grew up with dogs and loves them very much.
He first worked in the animal rights movement, then he thought of combining his two passions: traveling and taking care of stray dogs. He modified his tricycle slightly, loaded it with his stuff, and set off to places where there were no animal volunteers.
Since then, he has taken in stray animals, sterilized them, and found them, new owners. Gradually, many people in the country began to help him. Some help with food or money, others provide veterinary care, and still, others seek owners for their animals.
The good work started by Edgardo has revived the animal welfare movement in Mexico. Now he is known everywhere and people happily welcome his little train, offering him shelter and food.
