Hi, GoFund me community.

My name is Lizzy! I am a proud Mexican expat living in Brisbane, Australia, but my heart has never left my hometown of Puebla.

Every time I go back, I’m reminded of a painful reality: stray cats and dogs everywhere, hungry, scared, alone. And every time, I do what I can. I feed them. I cry, and then I walk away...

I carry this deep feeling of helplessness, like I’m not doing enough. Even when I'm far away, that feeling stays with me.

For years, I followed animal rescuers on socials. People from around the world that were doing something, creating sanctuaries, feeding strays, preventing animal abuse, and saving lives. I’d look at them with admiration and think, “How incredible would it be to do that?”

Until one day in January 2025...I decided I would.

I was in Mexico for a couple of days, and I saw twice as many stray dogs. They are everywhere in the streets of Mexico!

I was like.. how is this problem worse??

And if you're Latino, you probably know... getting your Latino Dad to agree with you is a battle on its own.

Mine often disagrees with me, but when I challenged him, saying, “It’s terrible that you don’t see stray dogs as a problem, and that you don't want to be part of the solution!!”.

After a one-hour conversation while being stuck in traffic, at the end he looked at me and said, “Ok, it is sad… why don’t you help be part of the solution?. I'll cheer for you"

For my Dad to say that? I mean, wow.... If I could get through his thick skull (I say this with love), maybe I can get through more.

In March 2025 I finally recorded and posted my first video and posted it on my new Instagram account designated for Fundacion Dominguez. The title was "Hazlo con miedo", which means "Do it with fear", a mantra that I will hold on to... because every step of this project is SCARY!!

So what am I doing?? I am repurposing an old farm in Tecamachalco where my family used to live. It’s been unused for years, it’s run-down, messy, and in desperate need of love.

But it has what I need most: space.

Space to transform into a home for animals who have none.

This GoFundMe is to raise the funds I need to get that facility up and running. To clean, fix, fence, prepare, buy rescue material, pet food, vet supplies, and so much more I am yet to know!!

I want this old farm house to be transformed into a sanctuary.

A place that says, “you’re safe now.”

I’m still in Australia for the moment, doing what I can... building awareness, gathering support, telling my story.

I’ll be in Mexico from late November 2025, and I'll get my hands dirty by:

I’m not there yet, physically or financially. But I am setting the wheels on motion.

There's so much to do, and I will genuinely use these funds to build the sanctuary.

It’s very surreal for me to be writing this, and for me to be starting a GoFundMe campaign myself.

Me, a person that won't ask someone to pay me back, even if I was the person who lent the money.

I struggle to ask for help.

In my upbringing, asking for money and help often felt like a sign of weakness, and I’ve carried that belief for a long time.

This is uncomfortable. But I am following my "Hazlo con miedo" matra.

I’m coming to you with my heart in my hand.. hoping, not demanding. Wishing, not expecting...

That you can resonate with the stray animal problem in Mexico, and that YOU want to help me be part of the solution.

If you’ve ever wanted to help stray animals, contribute to real change in a community, or be part of something that reflects your values.

I invite you to support Fundación Domínguez. This sanctuary won’t just be for animals; it’s a space meant to bring people together, educate others, and help reduce the ongoing issue of stray dogs in Puebla, Mexico.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for believing. And thank you for giving, if you can.

Gracias.

With love,

Lizzy

Founder (in the making) of Santuario Domínguez