Venezuelans struggling to feed their families let alone pets amid an unprecedented economic crisis are increasingly dumping scrawny animals in streets, parks and makeshift shelters.
25 Aug 2016 . Los Teques, VENEZUELA. Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
At one dilapidated sanctuary in the hills outside Caracas, hundreds of skinny dogs bark and claw through wire mesh to scavenge for food in the streets and forest nearby.
"The crisis has hit hard," said Maria Arteaga, 53, who began looking after stray dogs in her own home before founding the Famproa shelter in Los Teques.
"People are abandoning their dogs because they can't afford food and because they're leaving the country."
18 Aug 2016 . Los Teques, VENEZUELA. Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
"Tomy arrived at the shelter on a Sunday two months ago. A man on a motorcycle left him saying that he had found him in the middle of the street and did not want to leave him there, but strangely, the man knew his name," said Maria Silva who takes care of dogs at the shelter.
Every few hours, vehicles pull up to hand over dogs, including pedigrees. Volunteers arrive daily to donate and help distribute food to the animals.
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Though Arteaga does not have a formal register, she has seen an increase in the number of dogs coming in recent months, with nine poodles dropped off just in the last two weeks.
16 Aug 2016 . Los Teques, VENEZUELA. Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
Mancha (stain) was given that name because of the black spot on her face. "She has bitten almost everybody in the shelter. She was not loving, on the contrary, she fought everyone and at mealtime nobody could be near her," said Maria Silva. Mancha died the following week after the photo was taken.
Venezuelans themselves are suffering shortages of food and medicines, and are finding salaries wrecked by triple-digit inflation.
A 20 kilogram bag of dog food costs around $50 at the black market exchange rate, nearly double its price in the United States and out of reach for many in Venezuela where the minimum wage is $23-a-month.
18 Aug 2016 . Los Teques, VENEZUELA. Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
Enfermera (nurse) was given that name because she was rescued by a nurse outside a hospital. "She suffered a stroke and although she never recovered completely, she is a very good guard dog. She lives outside of the shelter and when someone approaches, she starts barking," said Maria Silva.
So sanctuaries like Arteaga's are proliferating, while ever more stray dogs are to be found on the streets. Pet stores are ever more expensive or empty.
The pets' plight comes despite pushes in the past by the socialist government to protect animals' rights.
16 Aug 2016 . Los Teques, VENEZUELA. Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
Cucurucha has never been given up for adoption because she is very nervous. When someone approaches, she begins to whine and react immediately. She never fights with anyone, but she likes stealing food from other dogs," said Maria Silva.
In 2013, for example, President Nicolas Maduro set up Mission Nevado - named for independence hero Simon Bolivar's dog - to rescue and protect strays.
But now even police are rationing food for sniffer dogs.
16 Aug 2016 . Los Teques, VENEZUELA. Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
Pintica (spotty) was given that name because of her skin. "She was the posh girl of the shelter, she didn't like to get her feet wet. All dogs used to attack her and because of that, she did not like to come out of her home," said Maria Silva. Pintica died the following week after the photo was taken.
On one recent day, systems engineer Maria Rodriguez, 33, came across a stray dog in Los Teques and her 12-year son begged her to keep it to accompany their border collie.
“Sadly our income isn't enough for us to eat - so how can I give food to two or three dogs?" she said, after dropping the animal off at Arteaga's sanctuary.
18 Aug 2016 . Los Teques, VENEZUELA. Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
Reuters was given her name because she was brought to the shelter when Reuters photographer Carlos Garcia Rawlins was working on a photo project there. "She is a puppy, super happy, with a lot of energy and wants to play with the others all the time even if they are bigger than her," said Maria Silva.