Our Story

Anyone who’s ever seen a desperate or frightened dog in neglect, or worse in danger, knows that heart-wrenching moment. That’s why back in 2001, a group of hardworking dog-loving volunteers banded together to create The Ranch, a community project in the Lake Chapala area. There were and still are far too many dogs in desperate situations here.

Originally called Lakeside Spay and Neuter Center, The Ranch was and remains a no kill shelter that accepts  homeless and abandoned dogs in need of a safe place to live. We are primarily a refuge for large dogs but all dogs are welcome. The runs at The Ranch are large and roomy. The dogs have sun, shade, shelter and plenty of room to exercise as well as a warm, waterproof-place to sleep.

Our Mission is simple and can be summed up with three H’s. We work tirelessly so that our dogs are Healthy, Happy, and whenever possible, find their way to a loving new Home.

At The Ranch, we take great pride in our commitment to help our dogs be as healthy as possible.  We adhere to a very strict vaccination protocol.  We have trained employees as well as skilled volunteers looking closely at every dog every day.  We seek medical care immediately if a dog is in need and spay and neuter them as soon as they are healthy and old enough to do so.

As a non-profit, we rely solely on monetary donations, as well as the time and dedication of our dog-loving volunteers who keep the wag in the tails of all our dogs. A few paid staff handle maintenance of the facility. Volunteers that exercise, bathe and train the dogs are the heart and soul of The Ranch and its 75 to 90 dogs. These devoted people find time spent at The Ranch to be an opportunity to physically exercise, fulfill their souls, and to give and receive a big dose of good-old-fashioned dog love. If you are interested in helping, volunteers are always needed to tend to dogs, as well as participate in fundraising activities.

As you might imagine, The Ranch runs on an extremely tight budget. Our primary expenses are the cost of food and vet care. As a donor, you can be sure your gift goes almost entirely to the feeding, health and happiness of all The Ranch dogs.

Lastly, in our endless effort to find wonderful new homes for our dogs, over the last four years, The Ranch has established strong relationships with well-established rescue organizations located north of the border.  In addition to our on-going local adoptions, close to 1000 dogs have been sent to our partner rescue groups up north where they very quickly find loving homes. We are proud to say we adhere to and exceed USDA requirements to export these dogs.  Once again, we rely on the backbone of our organization, our volunteers, who serve as “Flight Angels” escorting our dogs to their happy destinations.  

Our supporters allow us to accommodate more dogs and make a bigger difference! Thank you!