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Island Dog is changing the way animals are treated in the United States Caribbean Islands. We are working beyond the rescue aspect and moving forward with a spay/neuter program for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. We believe in prevention, and we believe together
we can change the world....even if it's one dog's world at a time.
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| Chi Chi --Island Dog Mascot |
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| Hi! My name is CHI CHI and I was rescued outside a movie theater in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico in April 2006. My rescuer noticed that I had recently given birth. She and I both searched for my puppies. Sadly, we never found my babies.
My rescuer quickly became my hero! She gave me the emotional and physical rehab I needed to heal from my long ordeal on the streets of PR. She then placed me up for adoption via Petfinder.Com. Soon after I was traveling first class on a gigantic plane heading to Baltimore, Maryland. My new owner (Katie's mom) greeted me at the airport with lots of love and kisses. Admittedly... I was a bit confused by the entire ordeal, but my happiness soon shined through. Now I am living lavishly with two kitties and my own basket of treats. I adore my new owner! Our hobbies include: running through the fall leaves, sliding in the snow, chasing rabbits and squirrels, playing with my doggie friends at the dog park and catching an afternoon snooze.
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| Katie E. Block |
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| In 1999, Katie Block moved from her home town of Baltimore, MD to Fajardo, Puerto Rico. There she worked at the El Conquistador Resort & Country Club. She was looking for paradise. She found thousands of emaciated/homeless dogs wondering the streets and beaches. As a huge animal lover, Katie immediately started a crusade to rescue and help the dogs. She managed to convince hotel guests to adopt dogs, and even enlisted her parents to help her send dogs to the states. But reality hit hard when she found herself spending her rent money on vet bills. In 2002, she returned to Baltimore to complete her Bachelors degree. After graduation she traveled extensively around the world, but always found herself returning to the same place, Puerto Rico. During these trips Katie realized that her passion to help the animals in the U.S. Caribben was to great to ignore. Hence she decided to create Island Dog Inc. in the summer of 2006.
Today, Katie works as our director from her home office in Baltimore, MD fighting to raise awareness around the world about the cruelties animal face in the U.S. Caribbean. Her ultimate goal is to place an animal education system in every school in Puerto Rico.
You can learn more about Katie by reading her blog: JOURNAL
Email Katie
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| Michelle D. Biasucci |
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| Michelle Biasucci traveled to Puerto Rico on family vacations. While she loved the beaches and Caribbean vibe, she felt heartbroken seeing hundreds of homeless dogs roaming the island. She felt passionate about helping the dogs and joined Island Dog ready and willing to give her time to help the dogs. She adopted her first foster, Daisy who she renamed Febe! Michelle helps us with office work, fostering dogs, and fund raising. She is by far the most out spoken of our volunteers. Her passion and lust for a better life is why she is a great asset to our organization. Michelle resides in Joppa, Maryland with her two dogs Febe & Jackson and her son Dominic.
Email Michelle
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| Maggie Sanchez |
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Maggie Sanchez is our Los Machos beach feeder and caretaker. Maggie has been taking care of the dogs for the past 6 years. I like to refer to her as a SAINT. She soley takes care of up to 50 dogs a day. Come rain or heat Maggie is there to fed the puppies & care for the sick. She has a heart of gold. Most of the dogs in Ceiba know and love Maggie.
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| Helen Glasser |
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| Helen Glasser has lived in Puerto Rico for 13 years. A former Manhattan resident, Helen saw the need to bring awareness to the dog overpopulation crisis in Puerto Rico and began volunteering for Island Dog. Today, Helen helps us plan and sell merchandise in both our online store and other merchandise locations throughout Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. She also plays a big role in our public relation campaigns.
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| Sandy Soroka & Frida |
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Sandy Soroka is originally from Chicago, Illinois. She moved to Puerto Rico in 2005 when her husband's job transferred him to The El Conquistador Resort and Country Club in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. Since his transfer, Sandy has been rescuing island dogs. In March of '08 she became an avid volunteer for Island Dog. She assists us by fostering dogs, organizing and transporting dogs to the airport, and feeding the dogs on Los Machos and Dead Dog Beach. Sandy also facilitates the El Conquistador's charity to Island Dog and other organizations throughout Puerto Rico.
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| Eileen Oprins |
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Eileen Oprins is a nurse in Sycamore, Illinois. She became a volunteer for Island Dog after reading about our work in PEOPLE Magazine. Although Eileen has 6 kids, she still makes time to foster and care for our island doggies. Eileen has help adopt out over 40 of our island dogs in Chicago! She also is a huge help in administering medications to dogs on the beach. Eileen recently joined us in March 09 to administer vaccinations to all the dogs living on Los Machos Beach.
Eileen is our Petfinder Administrator
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| Alison Trazzera |
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| Alison Trazzera resides in Absecon, New Jersey. She became involved with Island Dog after viewing us on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. She contacted us and within days had scheduled a fund raising event, "The Dead Dog Beach Bash." Alison then dug deeper by joining us in Puerto Rico for a full tour of the dog problem in Puerto Rico. She flew two dogs (Joel & Harold) to find forever homes on her first trip! Alison is a HUGE fund raising super star. She also helps us by coordinating shelter placements, and raising awareness.
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| Sandra Cintron |
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| Sandra Cintron, life long animal advocate, was born in Humacoa and raised in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico. She has a Bachelors Degree in Physics and is currently studying to become a Science teacher. In 2001, Sandra drove to her local beach in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico. She was hoping for serenity, instead she found countless dogs dead or near dead. The beach was more of a burial ground then a place of relaxation. Emaciated and sick dogs surrounded her. Sandra began her own mission that day to feed, medicate, and provide love to the dogs living on what is now know around the world as "Dead Dog Beach." Sandra's shyness keeps her out of the spotlight, but she is truly a hero. She is the main reason many dogs survive their time on Dead Dog Beach and find new forever homes in the states. On a daily basis she volunteers her time, her heart, and money. The heart-ships she discovers daily are reason for her to walk away, but she continues to fight. What Sandra won't tell you about herself is that she is a wonderful photographer, who provides us with many of the photos on this web site. She is a patron saint for all animals and we are very grateful to have her help.
You can learn more about Sandra, her volunteer work, and Dead Dog Beach by reading her blog: http://sandrai.blogspot.com
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| Jessica Jiminez |
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| Jessica Jiminez, was born in Venezuela, and moved to Puerto Rico as a baby. Like the rest of us, Jessy is a lifelong animal lover. Last year she read an article about the problems in Puerto Rico and began to volunteer. She helps us by picking up dogs off the beach, transports them to the vet, and makes regular trips to the San Juan Airport to ship our beloved doggies. She knows all the in's and out's of the airport. Her knowledge and fast thinking are true assets to us and the dogs. In her spare time Jessica attends college. She graduates this year with a degree in Small Business Administration. She is then planing on getting her Masters degree. We could not ship dogs to the states without the help of Jessica!
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MySpace - www.myspace.com/islanddogorg
Designer and administrator- Michelle Biasucci
Facebook - click here
Designer and administrator- Avalon Crosby
Change.Org -click here
Designer and administrator- Sue Lee Troutman
Logo Designer- Tammy Lacy & Matt Snow
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