The Family Development Agency (DIF) in the metro-area municipality of Tlajomulco has canceled a raffle for an eight-month-old English bulldog after a public outcry.
The raffle was designed to obtain resources to buy groceries for homeless people, the municipal government confirmed. However, animal rights activists condemned the exercise as irresponsible and arguably illegal under the state Constitution.
“Tlajomulco is the number one municipality for stray dogs and cats,” Ana Couret, director of the Foundation Calle Cero charity, told Spanish-language daily Mural. “It’s depressing that after having so much debate [with authorities] about the situation of animals in the street they would raffle off a live animal.”
In a press release, the Tlajomulco government stressed that the bulldog was in “perfect health with its current vaccination card and medical certificate,” and that the volunteers had “acted in good faith.”
This is not the first time Tlajomulclo has raffled an animal to obtain resources. A horse was offered on August 18, although at that time there was little outcry.
Tickets for the English bulldog were set at 500 pesos. The dog will now be adopted into a home though a registered animal charity.