Our Team

After witnessing the heartwrenching reality faced by street animals during a 2017 holiday in Cuba, Paula returned to Canada determined to help.

Since then, she’s made a profound difference in the lives of thousands of animals across Cuba.

Having seen that most support goes to larger cities like Havana and Varadero, Paula focused on the small, underserved towns near the resort islands of Cayo Santa Maria and Cayo Coco. She developed a network of Canadian tourists and resort staff to deliver medical donations and help adopted rescues reach their new homes in Canada.

In doing so, Paula has created a lifeline, not just for the animals, but for the people who care for them. Her compassion reaches beyond the animals, with donations of supplies to local schools and hospitals and by personally sponsoring two families.

We’re deeply grateful to Paula - not just for her initiative, her resourcefulness and her support, but for providing a way for more Canadians to make a meaningful difference too.

Yadira and her husband Tico run our shelter in Morón, Cuba. A lifelong animal lover, Yadira has dedicated her life to rescuing those most in need. For many of the animals she saves, Yadira's gentle touch is the first kindness they've ever known.

Over the years, Yadira and Tico have taken in the most heartbreaking cases - animals who have suffered unthinkable cruelty, starvation, and neglect - giving them food, medical care, a safe place to heal, and the chance at a loving home.

Yadira and Tico are raising their son César, who already shares their compassion for animals. Both Yadira and Tico are also studying to become veterinarians to provide even greater care to animals in crisis.

Yadira's compassion extends beyond animals. She donates supplies to the local orphanage and women's clinic, and shares medical donations with the hospital and fellow rescuers.

Yadira and Tico's strength, resilience, and unwavering dedication inspire us every single day. We're honoured to support their incredible work.

We are so lucky to have Dr. Jorge on our team. He runs a veterinary practice in Ciego de Ávila alongside his wife Marilyn and their sons Samuel and Manuel. He’s been working with Paula since 2018, serving as our main vet for resort sterilization campaigns, as well as our free spay & neuter clinics at the shelter.

Jorge’s passion for animals and the care he gives is exceptional. From trapping to surgery to releasing, he takes on every step of the process with calm, focus and compassion, even when it means working in cramped hotel rooms or in the sweltering heat. Because of Jorge's skill and efficiency, we’re able to sterilize far more animals than we could otherwise.

No matter how busy he is, he always makes time to see new shelter rescues requiring emergency care.

Dr. Jorge has helped countless animals and significantly reduced the need for future rescue. His dedication, skill, and compassion have made such a difference to our efforts. We simply couldn’t do what we do without him.

During a trip to Cuba in 2018, Joanne was heartbroken to learn that many resorts cull stray cats and dogs in the most horrific ways - and that animal protection laws in Cuba are virtually non-existent and rarely enforced.

After returning home, she began researching how she could help. Her search led her to Paula—and to adopt Maximo & Blue, two Cuban street dogs. But she knew she couldn’t stop there. Joanne now leads CCAR's sponsorship & fundraising efforts, as well as manages the social media & website.

Joanne’s goal is to raise awareness about the harsh realities faced by street animals in Cuba - and to share how people can help - through blogs, educational resources, fundraisers, and other creative initiatives.

Gabrielle became deeply committed to Cuban animal rescue after visiting Yadira's shelter in 2023 and witnessing firsthand the suffering of street and resort animals. On her return to Canada, she found Paula and, inspired by her work, was compelled to adopt Oscar from the shelter and join CCAR's mission herself.

Gabrielle now manages adoptions, coordinates flight parents, and is building a network of like-minded rescuers in Canada, with a particular focus on helping disabled and special needs cats and dogs.

We are incredibly fortunate to have Gabrielle on the CCAR team - her passion and enthusiasm are infectious!

Deborah is the most recent addition to CCAR, but it feels like she's always been part of the community. With her love of animals and years of experience in rescue and TNR campaigns, Deborah quickly became an invaluable part of our team.

After seeing the struggles of the animals at her resort during a trip in February 2024, Deborah connected with Paula and successfully campaigned for a sterilization campaign with the hotel's management.

Back home in Ontario, Deborah focuses on bottle-feeding abandoned neonate kittens and works with the SPCA on local TNR efforts.

Her deep compassion, expertise, and dedication to animal welfare have made her a perfect fit for CCAR. We're so grateful to have her managing our TNR campaigns in Cuba.