I went to Peru for the mountains. I stayed for the dogs. Specifically, for the elderly, disabled, wheelchair-zooming street dogs of Colitas Con Canas — a rescue centre tucked into the Sacred Valley of the Incas that I feel everyone should know about.
Animal rescue and community projects that help those in need have always been close to my heart. As a dog mum myself, I feel it in my bones. So whenever I travel and have the opportunity to offer my photography and videography skills free of charge to people doing this kind of work, I jump at it.
Founded in 2023 near the town of Urubamba, Peru, Colitas Con Canas is a rescue centre with a very special focus: elderly and disabled street dogs. The ones who are most often overlooked and are least likely to be adopted. Rescue dogs who, more often than not, would otherwise have nowhere else to go.
The name says it all — Colitas Con Canas translates from Spanish as “little grey tails,” a nod to the silver-muzzled seniors at the heart of the mission. They take in dogs in recovery, hospice cases, and long-term residents who simply need a safe and loving place to live out their days with proper medical care and all the pats and cuddles these good boys (and girls) deserve.
Emily — founder, carer, and the beating heart of this whole operation — lives on site. Her home is part of the shelter. This isn’t a job she clocks off from and I’m so grateful she had the time to sit down and film a short interview with me.
When Emily showed me around, what struck me first was how thoughtfully everything had been set up. There are no cages or kennels here — just designated sections, each carefully considered for the dogs who call them home. Some areas are quieter for the dogs who need calm. Some have more space and social energy. Some are set up for dogs in recovery who need extra care. It’s a proper home, just with a lot more residents than most.
There’s also a purpose-built volunteer building on site, where volunteers can stay during their time at the shelter. It’s a place that genuinely welcomes people who want to roll up their sleeves and get involved — whether for a short visit or a longer stay for those who want to really dig in.
The dogs themselves? Many of them have had rough beginnings, but have fortunately found themselves at the shelter through many twists of fate. Several of the dogs are paraplegic and zip around in custom-built wheelchairs, which is equal parts heartwarming and impressive. And Todd… don’t get me started on gorgeous and cheeky Todd and his microphone-munching antics. I have a feeling Todd and my girl Lumi would be besties.
Running a rescue like this doesn’t come cheap. Vet bills are the biggest ongoing expense — and when you’re specialising in elderly and disabled animals, those bills are a constant reality. Colitas Con Canas runs entirely on donations and relies on the goodwill of people who believe these dogs deserve care.
Beyond the shelter itself, Emily is also actively involved in community education and outreach — including running desexing drives in the area to help reduce the number of street dogs at the source. It’s not just about rescuing the dogs already on the street; it’s about changing the situation for future generations of dogs too.
That kind of long-term, community-first thinking is exactly why places like this deserve more attention and more support.
I sat down with Emily to hear the story of Colitas Con Canas in her own words — how it started, what drives her, what the hardest parts are, and what she hopes for the future of the shelter. You can watch the full interview over on my portfolio page.
If reading this has made you want to immediately adopt a paraplegic senior dog but Peru seems a little too far away, here are a few easy ways to support Colitas Con Canas:
This visit to Colitas Con Canas is a perfect example of something I deeply believe in: that photography and videography can be a genuine act of service. A well-told visual story can bring in donations, attract volunteers, and shine a light on work that deserves to be seen.
If you know of — or are part of — a charity, grassroots project, community initiative, or animal rescue that could benefit from free photography or videography to help spread the word about what they do, I’d love to hear from you. Please reach out and let’s talk.
In the meantime, go give your dog a cuddle. And maybe consider sending a little love to the grey tails of the Sacred Valley.
