It is called CAR, but in actual fact it really doesn't have anything to do with cars. The acronym, in Spanish, stands for Centro de Adopcion y Rescate: this adoption centre for dogs was created by volunteers from the Pirelli factory in Silao. Indeed, it is a kennel in a factory.
CAR is an amazing example of how we can turn a problem into an opportunity which has a positive impact on local communities as well.
Since the inauguration of the Pirelli production plant in Silao in 2012, in a fairly isolated area, many stray dogs had begun to approach the factory in search of food. Attracted by the cooking smells from the canteen, dozens of them would enter the plant area.
In December 2019, concerned about the situation, some Pirelli employees came up with the idea of “officially” welcoming these dogs, taking care of them, creating a protected environment and helping them find a new home.
The volunteers, with the support of the management of the Mexican plant, began to build proper houses to accommodate their four-legged guests: CAR's first "guests" puppies born precisely in the Silao plant. 8 to be exact. Since then, the Centre has rescued over 50 dogs and about 40 have found a new family.
CAR dogs are vaccinated, monitored by a veterinarian, and in many cases educated or re-educated to socialise with humans for adoption. The eligibility requirements for adoption are very strict: each family signs a contract in which they promise to take care of the dog and to send volunteers regular proof of the animal's welfare.
Initially, it was mainly the families of Pirelli employees who offered a new home to CAR guests, but then, as word spread in the community around the plant, more and more people have come from outside the plant to apply to adopt a puppy.
The idea Pirelli employees had has been so successful that CAR has also become a model for the other factories in the Puerto Interior area: several plants in the area have built facilities to accommodate stray dogs and prepare them for adoption.
With this project, resulting from the passion and commitment of employees and strongly supported by the whole company, Pirelli shows once again its commitment to the local communities in which it operates…. communities made up of two- and four-legged beings!
