Puerto Rico Street Dogs - Satos

Today was the annual ARF (Animal Rescue Foundation) Rincon Dog Health Day.  For those of you not aware, ARF is Rincon's non-profit Animal Rescue and Education Organization, they have an office in the Balneario park that is open MWF 9-12pm.  Their office does great work such as these dog and cat health days offering low cost vaccinactions and neutering services for Rincon residents, as well as creating a network of fostering dogs and cats for adoption.  We adopted our dog, Uno after first fostering him in the ARF program.

It's important to know that ARF doesn't have facilities to house any animals, so it's fostering program is key and they could always use more foster volunteers.  We have 3 dogs and do no/cannot have any more, but we are willing to foster puppies that get in the ARF program because they will get adopted, either here or sent off the island for adoption.
 
My wife, CC has worked with so many great people outside the ARF organization to do things that ARF cannot, including fundraising to send dogs off the island to new homes and gaining access to donated food and supplies for the fostering families to reduce the burden of fostering homeless pets. 

The animal population problem in Rincon is relatively minimal relative to the rest of Puerto Rico and its because of ARF and many other folks around toen who have worked to keep puppies off the streets and to get them neutered and adopted into good homes,  Calypso Cafe, Mango Beach Shop, Green Room Surfboards, Pools Beach Cabanas are just a few of the local businesses that have taken in strays (satos) and either found homes for them or adopted them themselves. 
The amount of dogs and cats run down that you encounter while driving is disturbing.  On a recent rip 10 miles away to Aguada I saw 2 dead dogs and a dead cat dead in the road.  It may be one way to control the animal population but it certainly isn't a humane one.  Laws protecting animals have recently been enacted and they are enforced where possible, but it still is a society as a whole where cockfighting is celebrated and animals are seen more as working tools than as parts of the family.  So it was rewarding to see so many local Puerto Ricans at the Dog Health Day today, spaying and neutering their pets, doing the right thing to keep the animal population down and keeping satos off the streets.  Gracias ARF and all those who volunteer!
For more info:  http://www.413geek.com/animal-information-for-rincon-puerto-rico/

New Businesses in Rincon

Inspired by the latest issue of the El Coqui magazine, I started looking around and realized we do have a number of new businesses here in Rincon.  I try to support most of the new endeavors here because I know it's difficult to succeed as anew business anywhere, let alone a place like Rincon where the seasonal aspect of the town can wreak havoc on the budget of a place just starting up.  Also Rincon can use some new places, we lost a few last year including Surf's Up Coffee and Happy Burger (we think).

So here's an uncomprehensive list of some new things around Rincon.

In the plaza downtown, a coffee shop kiosk has opened and they serve GREAT coffee, lattes and espresso.  They are Saludos & Cafe, owned by a guy named Joe who is passionate about, well, Joe.  It's a top class place that looks like it could be a franchise, but no it's all original and the food is great too.  Stop in and say hi to Joe and his family who help him run things.

There's a new sandwich shop in the plaza by Angelo's Car Rental, it's called Sandwich Delight and it too looks like it could be a franchise, very clean, organized and fast. They have probably about 40 sandwiches on the menu and the few I've tried, the Cubano and the Media Noche and Huevo con Jamon have all been very good.

The Black Eagle restaurant has opened up again in the location where The Spot at the Black Eagle was.  They've redone the interior, it's always had such a great location and view, now it's nice.  But the food is mediocre at best, cold beer helped, but serving hamburgers on cold, untoasted buns isn't going to cut it.  Than again in Rincon it just might, better to drink here and get a burger at the Rum Shack later.

The Wine Cellar opened a few months back in the space below Ode to the Elephants and it's really nice inside, classy.  The wines are different and not over priced, everyont that works ther knows what they are talking about and Ish, the owner is usually around to tell you about his food and wine .  Nice place for a late nibble or dessert.

A few months ago a great little art gallery opened just south of the Plaza, Tres Puertas has only Puerto Rican made items and also has art workshops and Bomba lessons and Kids Summer camp.  It is such a great addition to downtown Rincon, check it out.

The Kiosko is a used bookstore selling Spanish and English books amid the Rincon Cultural Center, where you can see photographs of old time Rincon and artifacts from Taino Indians.  The bookstore has plenty to choose from on its overstocked shleves and great prices.  It's located on Rt. 413 behind the Balneario.