Some migrants attempting to enter the United States at the US-Mexico border have been forced to leave their beloved pets behind. TMZ reported that some migrants have tried to enter the country with their dogs, without realizing that their dogs can't enter federal processing centers and they're also subject to strict entry requirements.
There are lots of dogs at the border, TMZ reported, and some troops with the National Guard and local vets have helped the dogs. Though some outlets have reported on people abandoning their dogs at the border, Michele Anderson from Animal Services also noted when speaking to Texas Public Radio that "these families didn’t travel thousands of miles [with their pets] just to abandon them."
Because of this, some people have also tried to help migrants reunite with their beloved furry friends.
Ruby Montana is one of those people. She runs the Bridge Pup Rescue group, which seeks to help dogs that have been separated from their families.
In February 2023, she told KTEP News that one family was "hysterical" when they learned that their poodle, Lupe, was being taken from them after they brought Lupe with them all the way from Venezuela.
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At the time, Montana said there was no policy in place for what to do with migrants' pets when migrants are taken into custody, which she believes is "cruel." After being released from custody, Lupe's family desperately wanted to know where Lupe was and if she was OK, so the mom of the family called Montana.
“She wanted to know where Lupe was. Was she OK? Did I have her? Can I please send pictures? They were just so worried this whole time for Lupe, for their dog,” Montana told KTEP News.
The experience has taught Montana a lot about how much the families she's worked with love their pets, she told the outlet.
“This was something that was unexpected and really opened up my eyes in so many ways, to so many different issues regarding the refugees and the lengths they will go to keep their furry family members,” she said to KTEP news.
