ABOUT THE BAJA ANIMAL SANCTUARY:

The Baja Animal Sanctuary, which resides in Rosarito Beach, Mexico, just 25 miles south of the San Ysidro border, was founded in March of 1997 by American Sunny Benedict. Sunny, working in Real Estate in Rosarito Beach at the time, would see the local animals, mangy and starving, roaming the streets in search of a kind stranger who might pat them on the head, or toss them a morsel of food. She knew that she had to do something! BAS was the result. With $180.00 in initial donations she began the Baja Animal Sanctuary.

The sanctuary, the only no-kill shelter in northern Mexico, provides a safe haven for dogs and cats in need. They receive food, medical care, and love for as long as they need. Because we are a no-kill facility, animals that can’t be adopted are allowed to stay. Dogs and cats are euthanized only in cases of extreme illness.

BAS was officially incorporated in the year 2000 and is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit corporation qualified to receive tax-deductible contributions. BAS receives no assistance from the Mexican government. We survive entirely from contributions from concerned animal lovers.

General Sanctuary Overview

The Baja Animal Sanctuary is located on a five-acre ranch approximately two miles east of the town of Rosarito Beach, Mexico. The property has one building on it, a small concrete structure which, on the first floor, has a kitchen, a bathroom, and a small room which houses the washing machine. The clinic and cattery are located on the second floor.

Two metal storage sheds, donated by BAS members, hold the dry dog kibble. The canned dog food is kept on shelving units in the entry way to the house

Needless to say with so many residents to care for we are always busy at the sanctuary and there is never a dull moment!

The dog enclosures, which are called “corrals”, just like the cattery enclosures, are all numbered. This makes tracking the location of the residents much easier.

The large canine corrals house adult males and females that have been neutered/spayed. The residents are placed in corrals based on age, temperament, and health problems. Each of the large corrals is home to 20 to 30 dogs.

Smaller corrals, that house 3 to 4 dogs, are generally used to house residents that need to be neutered or spayed, or new moms nursing pups. The smaller corrals are also used to house any animal in need of immediate medical attention or any new BAS arrivals that need to be evaluated by our vet.

Our overall resident count fluctuates daily, but we always average over 400 residents (dogs and cats combined).

A Daily Log is kept on all animals receiving medical care or on medication. This information is then transferred to the individual animal's health record.

That is some general information on the sanctuary, now a look at what goes on during a typical day at BAS.

The Baja Animal Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit corporation qualified to receive tax-deductible contributions and is funded solely by generous individuals like you.