S.P.A. San Miguel de Allende (Sociedad Protectora de Animales)

The Sociedad Protectora de Animales de San Miguel de Allende, A.C. (known locally as the S.P.A.) has worked for abandoned and homeless dogs and cats in San Miguel de Allende and the surrounding area since 1980. It describes itself as the town's oldest no-kill shelter and houses up to 100 cats and dogs at a time at its site in Colonia Lindavista, near the bus station.

The shelter looks for permanent, loving homes for all of its animals. Every dog and cat adopted from the S.P.A. is sterilised, or booked in for sterilisation if it is too young, with the cost included in the adoption fee. Each month it promotes a set of "Pets of the Month", and it also runs a foster programme, a virtual adoption scheme for people who cannot take an animal home, and a lost-and-found service.

Its on-site clinic, staffed by a full-time vet, is open to local pet owners and offers lower-cost vaccinations, check-ups, surgery, dental care and spay/neuter by appointment. Tuesdays and Saturdays are discount days, and the clinic sells puppy, kitten and adult dog packages to make routine care more affordable. Alongside this, the S.P.A. works to educate the community about vaccination, sterilisation and kind treatment of animals.

The S.P.A. receives no government funding and relies entirely on donations. You can help by donating online, giving supplies, joining as a member, supporting its fundraisers or volunteering to walk dogs and socialise cats and kittens (volunteers are interviewed first; email the shelter to arrange this). The S.P.A. asks people to note that it is not linked to a separate group calling itself "SPA Dog Walkers".