Between home and an animal shelter

Fabiola looks at a window broken by one of the dogs alongside Doris, who works in her house doing chores and helping her to care for the animals.

“Animal Brothers” is a shelter created almost 6 years ago that receives abandoned dogs from rural and urban areas that neighbors report through calls or messages. Currently, they have 40 dogs, which is near capacity.

One of the most common cases they receive are dogs with leishmaniasis, an illness caused by a parasite that causes skin problems. A treatment per dog can cost 500 soles, which is $120.

Karen Cabrera and Carlos Povea, two of the volunteers, pick up Fabiola in the middle of the road to follow up on the case of a family that adopted dogs from the shelter.

“I hope that little by little we can change the way people see dogs,” Fabiola said. In most parts of the city, especially rural areas, dogs are seen as guardians. When the dogs don’t fulfill this task, they are often abandoned.

One of the jobs they have as volunteers is to teach adoptive families how to give injections. They instruct them about the medications to administer when a dog needs it.

In the hallway of her house, Fabiola finds it difficult to control the 14 dogs that want to come inside at the same time.

Fabiola and Doris divide chores, such as giving her 14 dogs food, during the evening.

Pamela, Fabiola’s daughter, eats dinner after she returns from her volleyball classes. Since she was a child, Pamela has always lived with lots of dogs.

Fabiola plays with one of her oldest dogs, Pelusa, who is 13-years-old. Because of her age, she must wear a diaper.