A new dawn for Ecuador’s animals: The birth of the Animal Coalition

Oct 6, 2025 | 0 comments

On a cool October morning in Cuenca, the city wakes with the usual sound of church bells and bustling markets. But if you pause on a side street, you may hear another, more haunting sound—the whimper of a dog left behind.

The bark of hunger, the shuffle of paws on cobblestone searching for food and comfort. For decades, this has been part of Cuenca’s open secret: a city rich in culture and history, yet burdened with an animal welfare crisis too great for any single shelter, family, or rescuer to carry alone.

It is from this heartbreak—and the hope that always rises from it—that the Animal Welfare Coalition of Cuenca, Ecuador was born on October 2nd, 2025. Coalition Founders include volunteers of Fundación Familia Amor Animal (FAAN), Segundas Oportunidades, Refugio Temporal, and Patan Animal Rescue.

These organizations represent the unity of well-intentioned organizations, volunteers, donors, and animal-loving citizens and together, they are rewriting the future of animal welfare in Ecuador’s World Heritage City.

STORY ONE: THROUGH THE EYES OF A DOG

If a dog could speak, perhaps “Luna” would tell it best. Rescued from the streets of Cuenca, her fur once matted and her body frail from hunger, she found her way into a shelter already filled to capacity. There, she waited not just for food and medicine, but for hope.
“Why am I here? Why are there so many of us?” her eyes might ask.

The answer is not neglect, but paradox. Ecuador’s legal landscape is one of the most progressive in the world, prohibiting euthanasia for non-medical reasons. Dogs like Luna have the chance to live, but that chance comes with prohibiting euthanasia for non-medical reasons. Dogs like Luna have the chance to live, but that chance comes with challenges. Shelters overflow, resources thin, and volunteers face exhaustion as the need never ends.

It is for Luna—and the thousands like her—that the Coalition was formed. By joining forces, these organizations will move beyond short-term rescue to long-term prevention: city-wide spaying and neutering, education campaigns for responsible guardianship, and intake diversion strategies that keep dogs with their families whenever possible.

As Luna curls up in her new foster home, her future whispers a promise: fewer dogs on the streets, more in loving homes, thanks to a collective vision.

STORY TWO: A RESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

Ask any long-time Cuencano about the dogs, and you will hear both pride and concern. María, a teacher who lives near Parque Calderón, recalls walking home late at night. A group of abandoned dogs trailed behind her, not aggressive, just lost. She began carrying a bag of food on her evening walks, because “someone has to feed them.”

Like many residents, María’s heart was bigger than her means. She adopted one dog, then two, but she knew she could not solve the problem alone. “We are a city of animal lovers,” she says, “but love without structure cannot meet the need.”

The Coalition speaks directly to citizens like María. Through public education campaigns, shared adoption platforms and volunteer training, the Coalition will channel that love into sustainable action.
When residents feed, adopt, or advocate, they will no longer do so in isolation, but as part of a community effort with city-wide impact.

María smiles when she hears about the Coalition’s plans for a unified adoption referral system. “That is how we make sure every dog finds a family. Together.”

STORY THREE: A DONOR’S VISION

Then there are the donors—quiet heroes who believe change is possible. Richard, an American living in Cuenca, recalls why he first gave to FAAN: “I saw the volunteers working 14-hour days, the shelter crowded, yet their hope never dimmed. I knew they needed more than donations; they needed collaboration.”

It was a sentiment echoed by many supporters. As President of FAAN, José Gómez, and Vice President, Rosemary Rein, explain: “This is a tremendous and overdue step that has been requested by generous, animal-loving supporters, volunteers, and donors. We can do far more together than out here on our own.”

Donors wanted their contributions to have ripple effects—building networks, not silos. The Coalition answers this call by pooling resources, creating a veterinary network, and opening doors for grants and partnerships that no single group could access alone.

Richard reflects: “When I give now, I’m not supporting just one shelter. I’m investing in a movement.”

THE CHALLENGES AND THE PATH FORWARD

The formation of the Coalition does not erase the challenges, but it reframes them. With unity comes a clearer agenda:

Government Dialogue – Working with public officials to strengthen enforcement of animal protection laws and policies.
Public Education – Campaigns on responsible guardianship, sterilization, and adoption.
Resource Development – Building a veterinary network and applying for grants collectively.
Shared Platforms – A joint adoption and referral system to match more pets with families.
Knowledge Exchange – Workshops, webinars, and skill-sharing for shelter management, veterinary care, and volunteer coordination.

Anita and Edmondo Arizaga of Segundas Oportunidades underline the importance of this new voice: “Presenting a unified vision and evidence-based strategies to responsible government partners and businesses is critical. Alone, we are many stories. Together we are a movement.”

Mauricio Astudillo from Patán Animal Rescue adds urgency: “We respond daily to 911 calls about abandoned or injured animals. The situation is critical in Cuenca. With the creation of the Coalition, we can finally propose shared solutions, like a mobile rescue and support vehicle. The City needs this to live up to its reputation as a World Heritage City and most importantly, the animals need us.”

A TURNING POINT IN CUENCA’S STORY

Ecuador’s ban on euthanasia for non-medical reasons represents both its compassion and its challenge. In few other countries does every animal truly have the right to live. Without needed infrastructure and organization, animal rights alone cannot eliminate suffering. The Coalition recognizes this truth and steps into the gap—not replacing individual organizations, but strengthening them through unity and collaboration.

The story of the Animal Welfare Coalition of Cuenca is, at its heart, a story of connection: the dog rescued from despair, the resident who feeds with love, the donor who believes in possibility, and the organizations dedicated to service.

On October 2nd, in the heart of Cuenca, the first hands were joined. Not just to save animals, but to transform a culture. To ensure that every whimper finds an answer, every bark a place to belong, and every animal another chance.

This is not the end of the story. It is the beginning of a new chapter—one written in collaboration, compassion, and community. And for the dogs of Ecuador, perhaps, the happiest chapter yet.