Santiago Mayor Mario Desbordes defended keeping Morocho, the dog rescued from the Mapocho River, at the municipality in a video on Friday. He was responding to criticism from the Todos Somos Cholita foundation, which is demanding that the animal be placed with a family.
According to T13, the mayor confirmed to the outlet on Thursday that Morocho would move to the municipal Security Department. The dog had gone viral after a widely publicized rescue in the Mapocho.
The decision prompted reactions on social media. The main response came from Todos Somos Cholita. Its member and spokesperson, Catalina Mihovilovic, alleged that the foundation already had an adoption process at an advanced stage with a family that had the space and resources to care for the dog.
In a video, Mihovilovic maintained that "dogs are not things" that someone can decide to leave here or there. She added that placing them properly for adoption is part of responsible pet ownership. She also called on the mayor to "hand Morocho over to us".
Desbordes responded by citing the department's experience. He said the Security Department had kept Rocky for several years, a dog who, according to him, received a great deal of affection. After Rocky's death, staff created a memorial for him and later asked why they could not have Morocho.
"It is not true that being in a family with a mother, father and two children is the only way for a little dog or a cat to receive affection," the mayor said. He assured viewers that Morocho would be well fed and have veterinarians constantly looking after him.
The mayor clarified that Morocho would not be a police dog or a working dog. However, he said the dog could serve as an example of what happens to animals abandoned in public spaces and of the importance of responsible pet ownership. According to BioBioChile, he also mentioned Cholo, a dog rescued by the First Carabineros Police Station.
The accounts are incompatible on one key point. The foundation says the dog already had a family applying to adopt him. The municipality did not address that process and maintains that the decision rests with the municipality.
Desbordes concluded with a direct statement: the organizations "have the right to express an opinion, but they are not the ones who decide". For now, Morocho will remain at the Security Department. The municipality reported that other dogs, such as Lulú, are looking for homes at the Santiago Municipal Veterinary Clinic in O'Higgins Park.