Five three-week old kittens discovered in a hole in the ground in the Chubut province of Argentina.

December and January are the most taxing months for animal protectionists in Argentina.

The cause is holiday fireworks. Across Argentina, pets get scared by fireworks on Christmas and New Year’s Eve and run away — most never to be found again. Strays abandon their pups and kittens, meaning animal protectionists are inundated with orphan animals at this time of year.

It’s not just stray animals that suffer. On Christmas this year a polar bear in the Buenos Aires’ zoo died from a combination of heat and extreme stress caused by fireworks in Palermo.

Thanks to the efforts of Mari Atuñez and her Animal Protection Agency of Buenos Aires and the people who care for stray animals in the city, Buenos Aires is starting to get its animal overpopulation problem under control.

Outside the city of Buenos Aires, extreme overpopulation of unwanted dogs and cats continues to be a problem.

Help Us Help Animals

Mama cat and her kittens living in a hole in the ground — Mapucha and her kittens were found in the ground hiding from dogs

Thanks to readers who support Wander Argentina by purchasing our city tours, tango shows, sport events such as professional soccer games, travel insurance, wine tastings and use our XOOM link to transfer funds from the U.S., our Amazon link to purchase items online, vacation packages with Expedia, Cheapo Air for airplane tickets and car rentals, and those who make hotel reservations via our links to Hotels Combined, Hostel Bookers and Booking.com , we are able to sponsor the care of stray animals, adoptions and animal sterilizations in Argentina.

This month 20% of Wander Argentina profits will go to help care for stray animals and sponsor sterilizations in the Chubut province, where unwanted animal overpopulation remains a big problem.