A Legacy of Love in the Heart of San Felipe

In November 2019, Wendy Sanguinetti and Carol Dougherty traveled to San Felipe to find a winter home, but they ended up finding a calling instead. After discovering 58 abandoned dogs at a local shelter where even the next meal was a daily worry, they knew a “new start” was the only answer. Just days after purchasing their own house, they returned to buy two properties in the Ejido to create the San Felipe Dog Rescue – lovingly known as the Puppy Palace.

This mission was rooted in a deep family legacy. Using an inheritance from her father, Lowell Lehman, Wendy funded the land that would become a sanctuary. She brought with her a special stone from her father’s cement and trucking company, having a friend paint it with the faces of their foster puppies in memory of her parents, Lowell and Darleen. That stone remains the heart of the rescue, a tribute to two people who shared a lifelong love for animals. Today, Wendy and Carol still share their lives with Wylie and Jack, two of the dogs immortalized in paint on that very stone five years ago.

The Puppy Palace was designed to be a place of healing rather than a typical shelter. While the property’s small house and trailer housed a permanent caretaker, Wendy and Carol immediately began building unique spaces where mothers and litters had their own play areas. They envisioned a home where juvenile and adult dogs could run free instead of living behind bars, allowing their spirits to mend alongside their bodies.

The rescue grew rapidly, moving all the dogs from the old shelter into the new facility by January 2020. By July, the dream expanded further with the purchase of the neighboring lot to create Passionate Paws, our dedicated veterinary clinic. Today, the Puppy Palace stands as a testament to the power of a legacy fueled by kindness. Whether through volunteering, fostering, or fundraising, the most valuable gift anyone can bring to these animals is simply their love.