Playa del Carmen Mayor Leads Dog Rescue Operation After Animal Abuse Reports

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Mayor Estefanía Mercado led a canine rescue operation on Tuesday after citizens reported alleged animal abandonment and abuse at two homes in the municipality.

Mercado was accompanied by Kandy Mendoza, Secretary of Sustainable Development and Climate Change, and Carlos Montesinos García, Secretary of Municipal Citizen Security.

The first case was addressed in the Las Palmas 1 subdivision, where personnel from the Directorate of Normativity and Environmental Impact Assessment detected unsanitary conditions, lack of food and water, and a female dog in a state of abandonment with low weight and possible health issues.

The second operation took place in the Ejido neighborhood, where officials found two other dogs living without adequate shelter—one with serious health problems and the other chained—along with low weight and poor hygiene.

“In Playa del Carmen, we act firmly to protect animals. We will not allow abandonment or mistreatment; they also have rights here, and we will enforce them,” said Estefanía Mercado.

The mayor reiterated that actions will continue to address citizen complaints and ensure animal welfare in the municipality.

The rescued pets were taken to the Center for Animal Control, Assistance, and Zoonosis (Cencaaz), where they will receive proper care.