Riviera Maya Events

With climbable stone remains, captivating carvings, a Mayan ball game court and the towering stairs of the Acropolis, the ancient Mayan city of Ek Balam stands as one of the most stunning and well-preserved ruins in Mexico.

Even so, if you’ve ever visited this mysterious site in the jungles of Yucatan, you’ve probably spotted the shy but sweet dogs that roam the grounds, often entering the centuries-old stone constructions for shade.

On Friday, May 20, a team from Playa del Carmen will be heading to Ek Balam (about 2 hours away) in order to help at a one-day spay and neuter clinic to be held on Sunday, May 22. They’ll be working with vets from Planned Pethood Mexico and AFAD Progreso. Their plan is to trap and spay/neuter as many of the feral cats and dogs at Ek Balam as possible, along with the village pets who will be sterilized in this campaign.

How Can You Help?

You can help the animals of Ek Balam and beyond through physical donations for the clinic, physical donations for the animals, or monetary support.

Donations needed for animals:

• Collars and leashes
• Food and water bowls
• Funding for dog and cat food (This will go to Lee at Genesis Retreat hotel near the ruins; there are no shelters in the area, so she does her best to provide food for the animals at the ruins.)

Donations needed for the spay/neuter clinic and volunteers:

• Old sheets
• Towels
• Bleach
• Dog muzzles (will be returned)
• Snacks and bottled beverages for volunteers
• Coolers (will be returned)
• Napkins and paper towels
• Hand soap

Monetary Donations: PayPal and CAD Interact: info@mexipaws.org (When sending monetary donations, please note what you would like it to be used for in the notes.)

Physical Donations Drop-Off: Click here to send a Facebook message to Tricia Cooper for drop-off locations in the Riviera Maya

Thank you to this wonderful team for taking the time to raise support and help the dogs and cats of Ek Balam, Yucatan. What a wonderful community we live in!