Playa del Carmen Mayor Leads Emergency Rescue of Abandoned Dogs, Opens Investigation

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Mayor Estefanía Mercado led an emergency operation to rescue a dog and her three puppies abandoned in a construction site, ordering authorities to open a formal investigation into the case.

The action followed an anonymous tip to the 911 emergency line alerting officials to the animals in concerning conditions inside an apparently uninhabited building in the city’s Industrial Zone.

Authorities promptly launched a joint operation involving the Municipal Citizen Security Department, the Municipal Animal Care and Zoonosis Center, and the Civil Protection, Risk Prevention and Fire Department.

Civil Protection, Risk Prevention and Fire Department Secretary Darwin Covarrubias and Municipal Citizen Security Secretary Carlos Montesinos coordinated the rescue efforts, overseeing the operation and ensuring the puppies’ safety.

Following the mayor’s direct instructions, officials opened a case file to pursue legal action under Quintana Roo’s Animal Protection and Welfare Law, which establishes penalties for acts of abandonment or mistreatment.

Rescuers transported the animals for medical evaluation, specialized care, and safe shelter.

The municipal government reiterated it will act firmly against any complaint threatening animal welfare and called on citizens to practice responsible pet ownership.