moyo village: our impact

What started in 2018 as a small way to help private animal rescues in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, has now evolved into Moyo Village - a Federal Tax Exempt 501(c)(3) animal rescue partnership made up of a small team of animal lovers that bring travelers from around the world on small group Volunteer Trips with fully planned itineraries. Those who join us experience volunteering with local animal rescues, scenic adventures with off-the-beaten path excursions, and a sense of connection with fellow travelers who often turn into lifelong friends.

Through December 2023, Moyo Village has:

hosted 11 Volunteer Trips in Puerto Rico
donated $8,700 in monetary funds to our partner rescues
provided $3,820 in supplies + flights to our partner rescues
flown 35 dogs + 1 cat from Puerto Rico to mainland U.S.
secured a transfer partner in Chicago (over 50+ dogs saved!)

2024 so far:

$580 in monetary funds donated
$355 in supplies donated
4 dogs flown from Puerto Rico to mainland U.S.

Our goals:

double our impact in 2024 alone
scale the availability of our Volunteer Trips in both Puerto Rico and abroad so more volunteers can learn about the stray animal epidemic + more funds can be raised to support our rescue partners
open a larger permanent home base that can also act as an over-flow foster or permanent sanctuary space for rescued animals
host additional retreats and volunteer trips in partnership with other organizations or individual leaders in their space (i.e. yoga teachers, corporate retreats, etc.)

moyo village: about us

WHY PUERTO RICO? Puerto Rico has one of the most out-of-control populations of street animals in the world, which has resulted in a unique mixture of dog breeds locally referred to as satos, as well as cats (gatos). Puerto Rico’s stray animal epidemic is ultimately a result of a lack of spay + neuter, which leads to unwanted litters and a never-ending cycle of reproduction. Compounding this issue is a lack of access to affordable veterinary care, and multiple natural disasters (hurricanes and earthquakes) that have destroyed thousands of lives and caused many people to abandon Puerto Rico for the mainland. Animals are left abandoned, neglected, starved, abused, and often die of injuries, parasites, disease, and infection that could be easily treated with minimal intervention. Moyo Village believes that the animal rescue mission takes an entire community, not just individuals acting alone, and we stand by other organizations in their efforts to both care for and find homes for stray + rescued animals.

While the majority of our efforts lie in Puerto Rico, we can't wait to offer Volunteer Trips in partnership with our other rescue partners in the U.S., the U.S Virgin Islands, Baja, Mexico, and Cartegena, Colombia.

WHY PLANT-BASED? We have a heart for all people, all animals, and our earth. We are on a mission to help others see the interconnectedness of ALL life. Evidence shows that making the switch to plant-based eating can slow the threat of climate change, ultimately helping protect our planet for future generations. While we don't abide by a certain doctrine, we encourage our volunteers to try plant-based alternatives on all of our trips, and all of our trips provide restaurant/meal options for those already on a plant-based journey.

OUR PLANET-FRIENDLY CHOICES:

we encourage plant-based eating
where possible, our merch is made from upcycled or recycled fibers and printed/dyed with eco-friendly inks/dyes
we use eco-friendly soaps, detergents, and cleaning supplies in our guest house
we discourage the use of single use plastic water bottles by providing fresh filtered water to fill reusable bottles
we provide reusable tote bags for use during grocery shopping trips