A group of activists, rescuers, and animal welfare organizations has submitted a formal letter to Clara Brugada, Head of Government of Mexico City, requesting that judicial measures derived from the ruling of the Mexico City Attorney General's Office (FGJ CDMX) be applied regarding the living conditions of animals confined at the Franciscan Refuge.
The letter argues that returning the animals to the same individuals responsible for the documented damage would contradict the recently reformed Article 4 of the Constitution, which prohibits animal cruelty. Among the signatories are prominent figures such as Rebeca de Alba, Magistrate Lety Varela, veterinarians, influencers, and foundations like FEVA, Cangeles, and Invictus AC, as well as hundreds of citizens committed to animal welfare and sterilization campaigns.
The animals lived in overcrowded conditions, fed on soaked bread, floors covered in feces, and with the presence of live and dead rodents—a situation the signatories classify as a violation of the five freedoms of animal welfare.
Since December 11, 2025, the Antonio Haghenbeck and de la Lama Foundation has intervened in an emergency: it censused and medically evaluated 759 dogs and 39 cats, initiated nearly 300 veterinary treatments, dewormed 100% of the population, and distributed 500 kilograms of high-nutritional-quality food daily.
The document requests that the FGJ ruling be followed as an act of true justice that would mark a milestone in animal protection in Mexico. Currently, nearly 50% of the animals are adoptable and have safe destinations confirmed, pending only authorization from the capital's authorities.
The document, backed by hundreds of signatories, denounces mistreatment and cruelty through the modality of omission and serious negligence. The expert opinion with file number SIAP/VET/00836/2025/112 revealed critical conditions: 80% of the animal population suffers from severe skin and respiratory problems, severe malnutrition, advanced infections, parasitosis, and untreated tumors.
