San Miguel's Paradise For Pups! Welcome To San Antonio Dog Park

By Lisa Nelligan

There is a huge community of dog lovers in San Miguel, owners and fosterers who prize the companionship of our beloved pets and best friends. Nevertheless, space for dogs to run, socialize, and play off leash has been non-existent. The law states that dogs should be leashed anywhere in public in San Miguel, including in Parque Juarez and Parque Zeferino.

I volunteer at Control Canino, the city’s dog shelter, helping to provide care and facilitate adoptions. A year ago, a fellow volunteer met me at a neglected property in San Antonio, at the corner of Pipila and Lopez Mateos, just off Stirling Dickinson. We both immediately saw its potential for a dog park!  Since then, creating the park has been a labor of love for me: an empty lot full of weeds and debris is now 300 square meters of enclosed, comfortable space for our furry friends and their owners.

The San Antonio Dog Park opened in October 2025. Its many amenities include water, electricity, a bathroom for humans, dog friendly landscaping, shady and sunny areas with chairs and fans, and a fenced small dog space. There is even wi-fi and a refrigerator!

A double gated entry and coded door lock provide security.  A box of toys and a splash pad fountain offer lots of play opportunities. The skilled and sensitive trainer Kathi Hamblet offers group classes twice weekly.

The park is available to anyone, by membership, at a monthly fee of $500 mxn for one dog, and $100 mxn per additional dog. After investment and operating expenses, proceeds will go to Yo Amo Animalitos SMA, the non-profit organization that helps support the dogs at Control Canino. Please see below for more information on this wonderful group.

Membership growth has been steady and organic. Dogs that have not previously experienced the freedom to socialize and play off leash have had time to adjust, learn, and be comfortable, and a growing group of dogs and humans who know each other are creating a special community.

Differently from doggie day care, San Antonio Dog Park  owners (or designated supervisors) need to stay with their dogs in the park.

Enjoying this comfortable and social place for humans, each owner is nevertheless responsible for their dog and its interactions, and for maintaining courtesy to the people living nearby.

Knowing that families can be reluctant to bring a pet home without enough outdoor space, I see San Antonio Dog Park as the back yard many people in San Miguel don’t have available at home.

Some four-legged park visitors simply wouldn’t have been adopted if there weren’t a park like this for them – they were rescued from Control Canino and are living their best new lives!

I see puppies spending their youthful energy chasing each other through pathways and sprinklers, as older or shyer dogs lie happily in the shade and watch.

With about 50 current members, the park is far from crowded and has capacity for more! Members coordinate play dates on a WhatsApp group - some come several times a day, others arrive later, catching cooler evening weather and sparkling solar lights. There are lots of ways for dogs and humans to enjoy the San Antonio Dog Park.

If you are interested in learning more, please go to https://www.facebook.com/p/San-Antonio-Dog-Park-San-Miguel-de-Allende-61578070794186.

More about Yo AmoAnimalitos SMA

We are a volunteer-led group formed over three years ago dedicated to caring for the mistreated, abandoned, and neglected dogs of San Miguel de Allende – primarily those picked up by Control Canino and held until they are reclaimed, adopted, or tragically euthanized.

Local government supports our efforts to reduce the suffering of animals there by allowing us to visit the city shelter up to six times each week to provide nourishment, medical care, clean spaces, social interaction, and love.

We strive to give them a second chance by finding homes for the dogs and to date have achieved approximately 650 adoptions. While they wait, and we hope, we ensure they are treated with the dignity and compassion they deserve.

To get more information on Yo Amo Animalitos SMA, please visit

animalitos-sma-rescueFB yoheartanimalitosor e-mail atYoAmoAnimalitosSMA@gmail.com