Maddy’s Journey: A story that changed everything
Found in Tingo Paccha, Maddy was at risk vulnerable and invisible.
Today her story helps us to prevent suffering before it begins.
Maddy: The Heart of Our Mission
Maddy was just three months old when we found her in Tingo Paccha, a small community high in the Peruvian Andes. She was fragile, underweight, and facing a death sentence.
Her mother had already been killed, and Maddy was next — her owners planned to poison her simply because she was female. To them, she wasn't a companion; she was a future burden of puppies they couldn't afford to feed.
Even when we offered to pay for her sterilization, they refused. They had already decided her fate.
Maddy was one of the lucky ones, but her story is far from unique.
In the Andes, thousands of dogs are born into this same reality: unwanted and at risk just for being female.
Maddy’s Program exists to change that narrative before it starts.
One surgery can break the cycle of suffering.
What it is?
Maddy’s Program is Pichuberry’s spay and neuter program focused on the Andes of Peru.
It was created to break the cycle of suffering caused by overpopulation, lack of access to veterinary care, and the widespread reality that many animals, especially female dogs, are abandoned or killed simply because families cannot afford to care for them or their future litters.
The program is inspired by Maddy’s story, a puppy who was at risk of being killed for being female. Today, she represents the thousands of animals still facing the same reality.
Through Maddy’s Program, we provide access to sterilization, coordinate care, and work directly with communities to prevent suffering before it begins.
What we do
Through Maddy’s Program, we:
Organize spay & neuter campaigns in rural communities
Coordinate individual surgeries outside of campaign dates
Work with local veterinary partners to provide care at a social cost
Support pet owners who cannot afford sterilization
Collaborate with communities, schools, and local leaders
Promote education around responsible pet ownership
Our goal is simple and clear:
No dog or cat should go without sterilization due to lack of economic resources.
No animal should lose their life simply for being female.
Why this matters
In many communities in the Andes of Peru, access to veterinary services is extremely limited or nonexistent.
Without sterilization:
Dogs and cats continue reproducing without control
Families cannot afford to care for litters
Female animals are often abandoned or killed
Puppies are born into unsafe conditions
This is not due to lack of compassion, it is due to lack of access and resources.
Spay and neuter is the only long-term solution to stop this cycle.
By preventing unwanted litters, we reduce suffering before it starts and create a more humane and sustainable future for animals and communities.
Get Involved
Support the Program
Click the icons below to spread the word
Request a Campaign
Pet owners can register their pets for sterilization through Maddy’s Program.
Important: They do not need to wait for a campaign in their community.
If a pet needs urgent sterilization, especially a female about to go into heat, owners can register, and we will coordinate the surgery as soon as possible with the closest available veterinary partner.
This program is open to all communities in the Andes where we work. There is no restriction based on location or campaign schedule.
Pichuberry will coordinate directly with the veterinary clinic and cover a social cost whenever possible.
Register Your Pet
Important: This is for communities only.
Communities can apply to host a spay & neuter campaign.
We coordinate based on need, logistics, and availability.