Hi, I’m Katie. Originally from Baltimore, I fell in love with everything Caribbean as a kid during frequent trips to Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin Islands.  In 1997, after wandering through a few semesters in College, I decided to move to Puerto Rico full-time to work at a luxury resort in Fajardo.  (Fun Fact: It's the same resort in the Netflix series "The Four Seasons.")   I immediately loved living on the island, but what I couldn’t accept, or ignore, was the overwhelming number of homeless dogs on the beaches and streets.  On my days off, I began feeding and caring for the dogs and cats in my area.  At the time, there were no shelters, rescue programs, or options to ship dogs off the island.  I did my best to provide food and basic care, making the animals around me as comfortable as possible.  

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In 2002, I returned to the States to care for my parents during a serious illness. It was an emotionally difficult time, spent mostly in hospital waiting rooms with more quiet than I knew what to do with.

There wasn’t anything I could do to change their diagnoses. Both of my parents were facing cancer, and I had to come to terms with how little control I had.  Instead of focusing on what I couldn’t change, I started thinking about what I could do—and my thoughts gravitated to how I could help the animals of Puerto Rico.  After an 18-month battle, my father passed away.  In the midst of that grief, I made a choice—to turn my pain into something meaningful.  Island Dog was born, and I returned to Puerto Rico to begin what has become a 20-year journey of improving animal welfare on the island.

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Together with our Vice President, Michelle Biasucci, we built a team of incredibly dedicated and compassionate volunteers. Although we had very little money, we believed that if we did the work, the support would come. We began rescuing and sterilizing street dogs across Puerto Rico—often with just hope in the bank.  

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​As word spread, so did our support. We gained recognition from PetSmart Charities, the Petco Foundation, and the ASPCA.  We also attracted celebrity advocates like Ellen DeGeneres and Selena Gomez.  This combination of media attention and funding allowed us to create the first low-cost sterilization program on the East Coast of Puerto Rico.  This program, still active today, provides health exams, vaccines, and sterilization surgery to animals that would not receive medical care without these interventions.  Consequently, we have seen a 70% decrease in homeless populations in the areas we serve.  

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Today, I serve as our full-time volunteer Director.  Along with the many wonderful long-term volunteers, we remain focused on prevention and expanding our program to other areas on the island.  Our biggest challenge remains funding, because spaying and neutering doesn’t tug on heartstrings like rescue.  It can sometimes get discouraging, but we remain focused on solving the root problem because it aligns with our values and creates a permeant resolution to end animal suffering. 

Sterilize Now, and you will eliminate the need to rescue in the future.  We believe it’s our ethical responsibility to give animals dignity, and freedom from needless suffering.

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I'm so grateful for every opportunity we are given to help the animals of Puerto Rico.  Seeing animals get the help they need is truly my biggest joy.  Thank you for being a part of our team!

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Katie