After a wet start, the sun finally shone on the Humane Education Alliance (APEH) celebration of World Animal Day, held on the Chapala Malecon.
Some 30 children showed up with their parents and were welcomed by organizer Maria Teresa Jimenez Gonzalez. They watched a puppet show, made drawings of plants and animals, heard about the rights of animals and participated in other activities.
Dog trainer Jorge Rivera and his helpers set up an agility course on the beach and entertained the crowd with demonstrations. Ajijic Rotary Dog Assisted Therapy (ARDAT) volunteer and dog trainer Niki Jareo and her dog Meesha showed the children how to teach a dog simple commands.
APEH volunteers had washed and sorted 208 collars, leashes and harnesses donated by generous folks throughout the community with the aim of handing them out at the event. But with a lower turnout than expected due to the weather, the distribution of the items was postponed until a later date.
APEH (Alianza Por Una Educacion Humanitaria in Spanish) is an outreach project operating under the umbrella of the non-profit organizations Lakeside Friends of the Animals, La Tienda de la Ciencia (The Science Tent), and Butterflies en Mexico A.C.