On a sweltering day in June or July 2024, in the middle of rainy season in Mexico, a litter of puppies was born on the streets of Las Varas.
As is the reality with many street dog litters, few of the siblings survived. In the case of this particular litter, there were two known survivors: Loki and Thor, a girl and a boy. Small and sweet and feisty, they roamed the streets together, drenched in the downpours, panting with their little puppy tongues in the midsummer heat and constant humidity as they struggled to regulate their body temperature with inconsistent food and clean water intake.
As is the reality with many street dog litters, few of the siblings survived. In the case of this particular litter, there were two known survivors: Loki and Thor, a girl and a boy. Small and sweet and feisty, they roamed the streets together, drenched in the downpours, panting with their little puppy tongues in the midsummer heat and constant humidity as they struggled to regulate their body temperature with inconsistent food and clean water intake.
What happened to their siblings and their mother remains a mystery, but Loki and Thor toughed it out together. They were survivors, and eventually a kind woman noticed them on her way to work each day and started to feed them regularly and bring them water.
Extremely timid at first, they did not approach her, but hungrily devoured what she left them whenever she came.
Sometime in August, Loki and Thor sustained injuries to their hind legs. While it’s unclear whether they were kicked or beaten by a human, or run over by a car, they were clearly both suffering. The kind lady took them to a veterinary clinic, and then brought them to her workplace and kept them under her desk for a few weeks after checking with her boss. The kind lady continued to care for and feed the two grossing puppies, even doing physiotherapy with them to help them regain the use of their back limbs. She posted about them on Facebook, and in September or October, Loki and Thor arrived at a small animal shelter in Las Varas, run by a committed team of volunteers with extremely limited resources.
There were too many dogs and not enough homes, endless litters of puppies, but now these two little ones were physically safe. Loki and Thor didn’t like people much, but at least they had each other.
One day in March 2025, thanks to a partnership with another local animal rescue organization (JBAR), the Las Varas shelter put on a public event celebrating pets and inviting people to come out with their dogs for an afternoon of fun in the park. There was food, pet products for sale, music, games and contests. And, in one corner of the event, there was a large fenced off area with many, many dogs for adoption. Including Loki and Thor.
The event in March was when my wife and I first came into Loki‘s life, or rather, she into ours!
Extremely timid at first, they did not approach her, but hungrily devoured what she left them whenever she came.
Sometime in August, Loki and Thor sustained injuries to their hind legs. While it’s unclear whether they were kicked or beaten by a human, or run over by a car, they were clearly both suffering. The kind lady took them to a veterinary clinic, and then brought them to her workplace and kept them under her desk for a few weeks after checking with her boss. The kind lady continued to care for and feed the two grossing puppies, even doing physiotherapy with them to help them regain the use of their back limbs. She posted about them on Facebook, and in September or October, Loki and Thor arrived at a small animal shelter in Las Varas, run by a committed team of volunteers with extremely limited resources.
There were too many dogs and not enough homes, endless litters of puppies, but now these two little ones were physically safe. Loki and Thor didn’t like people much, but at least they had each other.
One day in March 2025, thanks to a partnership with another local animal rescue organization (JBAR), the Las Varas shelter put on a public event celebrating pets and inviting people to come out with their dogs for an afternoon of fun in the park. There was food, pet products for sale, music, games and contests. And, in one corner of the event, there was a large fenced off area with many, many dogs for adoption. Including Loki and Thor.
The event in March was when my wife and I first came into Loki‘s life, or rather, she into ours!
Sneakers, our existing rescue dog, is dog aggressive, and so although we love dogs, and have volunteered with various animal rescue organizations in the area, Including fostering, we knew we could never risk getting a second dog ourselves.
Bearing this in mind, we went to the event nevertheless, “just to see”.
In the chaotic jumble of dogs, cowering in a corner, sat Loki. Thor stood by, as if to “protect” her. Loki tugged at our heartstrings… we thought perhaps we could take this miserable creature home for a few days of peace and quiet, get her out of there and give her a break… and then find her a new home in our neighbourhood or with a visiting Canadian, who would take her back north of the border.
In our broken Spanish, we approached the organizer, and explained the situation with our existing dog, but that we were happy to take the little one home and do our best with her and see how things unfolded, but that if we had not found a home for her by the time we ourselves had to head back to Canada and a few weeks, That we would have to return her to the shelter.
This seemed agreeable to the organizer, and the little package was handed over to us, a photo requested for their social media page, and that was that!
Bearing this in mind, we went to the event nevertheless, “just to see”.
In the chaotic jumble of dogs, cowering in a corner, sat Loki. Thor stood by, as if to “protect” her. Loki tugged at our heartstrings… we thought perhaps we could take this miserable creature home for a few days of peace and quiet, get her out of there and give her a break… and then find her a new home in our neighbourhood or with a visiting Canadian, who would take her back north of the border.
In our broken Spanish, we approached the organizer, and explained the situation with our existing dog, but that we were happy to take the little one home and do our best with her and see how things unfolded, but that if we had not found a home for her by the time we ourselves had to head back to Canada and a few weeks, That we would have to return her to the shelter.
This seemed agreeable to the organizer, and the little package was handed over to us, a photo requested for their social media page, and that was that!
It wasn’t until we got Loki home that we realized what a brave and courageous little character we had found.
She spent the first three days in a complete hunger strike. Ate nothing, cowered with her tail between her legs, and hardly even went to the bathroom.
In all my years of adopting dogs, I’ve never encountered such a terrified little thing.
Even Sneakers didn’t bother with her — as though she weren’t even a real dog, almost just not even worth it for Sneakers.
She spent the first three days in a complete hunger strike. Ate nothing, cowered with her tail between her legs, and hardly even went to the bathroom.
In all my years of adopting dogs, I’ve never encountered such a terrified little thing.
Even Sneakers didn’t bother with her — as though she weren’t even a real dog, almost just not even worth it for Sneakers.
The nice little reprieve we had planned for Loki while we searched for a permanent home for her seemed more to be a reign of terror for her. And it was hard to get photos, nice ones, that would entice people to adopt her. She just seemed so miserable and pathetic; as Mrs. Rachel-Lynde said of Anne whence first they met, she wasn't much to look at!
As our departure date drew closer, we started to panic. What were we to do with a little pup? We really didn’t want to return her to the animal shelter... So few are adopted from that context.
Interestingly, Sneakers, who is in general quite happy to engage in a bloodbath with any dog she encounters, seemed to be OK with Loki. Within a week, our new acquisition had started going potty in the garden if we took her downstairs, and she wandered timidly around in the back, off leash, with Sneakers, who — shockingly — left her alone.
We began to wonder whether maybe we should just take her back to Canada with us.
We certainly had not planned on a second dog; it was not in the budget, nor was there space on our flight. (In the hold, an airline will typically take a maximum of 2 to 3 dogs, and with Sneakers already booked, and someone else with a dog booked for the same flight, there was no more room.)
Some animal rescue volunteers from another organization closer to Puerto Vallarta had heard of our plight, and decided they were going to find us a flight angel home.
As our departure date drew closer, we started to panic. What were we to do with a little pup? We really didn’t want to return her to the animal shelter... So few are adopted from that context.
Interestingly, Sneakers, who is in general quite happy to engage in a bloodbath with any dog she encounters, seemed to be OK with Loki. Within a week, our new acquisition had started going potty in the garden if we took her downstairs, and she wandered timidly around in the back, off leash, with Sneakers, who — shockingly — left her alone.
We began to wonder whether maybe we should just take her back to Canada with us.
We certainly had not planned on a second dog; it was not in the budget, nor was there space on our flight. (In the hold, an airline will typically take a maximum of 2 to 3 dogs, and with Sneakers already booked, and someone else with a dog booked for the same flight, there was no more room.)
Some animal rescue volunteers from another organization closer to Puerto Vallarta had heard of our plight, and decided they were going to find us a flight angel home.
It didn’t take long until we had a name and a commitment to fly the little dog home to Toronto three days after our own arrival there. That meant we had to find temporary foster care for Loki to cover the days between our departure and her travels.
A local foster placement was secured.
The poor thing! By now she’d finally begun to get used to us; although her tail remained low, it was not tucked quite as deeply between her legs, and she was beginning to walk — albeit nervously — on a leash for us.
Nevertheless, we gave her a little kiss on her nose and sent her to her foster family with promises of reunification in a language she didn’t understand.
* * *
Fast-forward four months, and we have a brand new dog living her best life here on Prince Edward Island, in Canada!
A local foster placement was secured.
The poor thing! By now she’d finally begun to get used to us; although her tail remained low, it was not tucked quite as deeply between her legs, and she was beginning to walk — albeit nervously — on a leash for us.
Nevertheless, we gave her a little kiss on her nose and sent her to her foster family with promises of reunification in a language she didn’t understand.
* * *
Fast-forward four months, and we have a brand new dog living her best life here on Prince Edward Island, in Canada!
Instead of running in the streets, she runs through meadows and along the beach now. She walks well on a leash, and confidently goes to "place" on command, and just this week, started consistently giving "paw" when asked, in exchange for cucumber slices, pieces of apple or other small treats from the kitchen.
Loki loves Sneakers now, and is very attached. Wants to be with her at all times, and even insists on riding in the same crate with her in the car – – and Sneakers obliges! (The latter is not cured; still pulls and growls and lunges like crazy towards other dogs… But seems to have accepted Loki as a late-in-life fur sibling!)
Loki loves Sneakers now, and is very attached. Wants to be with her at all times, and even insists on riding in the same crate with her in the car – – and Sneakers obliges! (The latter is not cured; still pulls and growls and lunges like crazy towards other dogs… But seems to have accepted Loki as a late-in-life fur sibling!)
When I see her curled up comfortably on the dog bed on the sun porch, or ensconced with various toys, shoes and other articles she has scavenged and brought to her “nest” in the bedroom, I marvel at her courage in trusting us. I rejoice at how far this little creature has come, not just since her arrival in Canada or her adoption by us a few weeks earlier in Mexico, but really since she was born in the streets of a small town, unwanted, uncared for, until a stranger took pity on her, kept her alive and found her a safe place to stay until she happened to catch our eye in March 2025.
It’s a drop in the bucket in the larger problem of homeless and unwanted animals… But for this particular furry little drop, it’s been a life-changing. For us, also. We love her.
It’s a drop in the bucket in the larger problem of homeless and unwanted animals… But for this particular furry little drop, it’s been a life-changing. For us, also. We love her.
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