COQUIMBO AND METROPOLITAN REGIONS, Chile—Humane World for Animals (formerly called Humane Society International) continues to deliver life-saving veterinary services through its mobile clinic program in Chile, bringing needed care to animals who have never previously received it. The organization’s mobile veterinary clinics operate in vulnerable and remote communities, ensuring access to high-quality treatments that support both animal well-being and the health and safety of their caretakers.
Chile is home to an estimated 4 million free-roaming dogs and cats without identified caregivers. Behind its well-known landscapes lies a multidimensional poverty that affects more than 22.3% of the population, with over 21,000 people living on the streets, many accompanied by animals who also face abandonment and precarious conditions. In collaboration with a local organization, the Humane World for Animals team in Chile recently visited individuals living under bridges or on street corners, where companion animals provide essential emotional support.
“This is a challenging reality in which individuals have suffered considerable losses, including losing all their social connections and becoming almost invisible to the system. Nevertheless, it was evident that the enduring emotional bond they maintain with their animals continues to provide essential support,” says Daniela Benavides Sanchez, Chile country director at Humane World for Animals.
Operating under a spectrum of care practice, the program emphasizes relational and community-based approaches to find the most appropriate ways to bring relief to these families, keeping pets and people together and strengthening the human-animal bond.
“Our interactions with individuals living in the streets and their pets have underscored the importance of incorporating socially excluded groups into our program design. These animals have meaningful connections to their caregivers,” says Diana Rodriguez, senior program manager, companion animals for Humane World for Animals Latin America.
Humane World for Animals also conducts week-long spay/neuter events and wellness clinics for pets in remote areas, including Caleta El Sauce, a geographically isolated coastal community. There, residents describe their deep connection to companion animals: “Dogs are like the people here; they know everyone. They are our communal space,” says Lucema, Caleta El Sauce community leader.
So far in 2025, the Humane World for Animals team has supported nearly 2,500 animals across Chile’s most vulnerable areas.
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