Cerritos Beach Dogs: Coffee and Kisses at a Pet Rescue in Baja Sur

If puppies make your heart explode, you’ll want to stop into Cerritos Beach Dogs in Los Cerritos, Baja Sur.

This coffee shop and pet rescue is the only one of its kind in the area, and has helped countless stray pups get rehabilitated and placed into forever homes.

Located on the main road to Los Cerritos beach in El Pescadero, just off Highway 19, this shipping container-turned-coffee shop is a non-profit that actively houses dogs and puppies as they move through the process of getting medical attention and readying for their new homes.

The origin story is worth knowing: In 2023, founder Alex — who also owns the nearby So Far So Good hotel — started the rescue in makeshift spaces on the hotel grounds. After sharing his dreams of a dog rescue with a Canadian couple on one of their many travels through Baja, the three of them joined forces and made moves towards a shared goal: get the stray dogs that roam Baja off the streets and into loving, forever homes.

The incredible 30-day build is documented on the couple’s YouTube channel, following the team through one of their first rescues — a stray mama and her pups — and the community support that helped make this dream a reality. The transition from ad-hoc holding spaces to a full-fledged shelter in such a short amount of time is truly inspiring — proof that intention, resources, and community can be genuinely life-changing.

The coffee shop itself is simple — typical café beverages alongside light breakfast fare like overnight oats and açaí bowls. But let’s be honest: the main focus here is puppies, and my iced matcha, sustainably served in a mason jar with a metal straw, would have to wait while I squealed with glee surrounded by gnawing little fur babies.

Puppies that are fully vaccinated and ready for socialization are housed in a sturdy, open-air space that visitors can enter after sanitizing hands and feet. Most pups were wonderfully social, but two shy little ones stayed close to their kennels until a beloved volunteer arrived, at which point their shyness melted away and they bathed her in kisses.

My fanny pack — complete with straps and buckles, was apparently the ideal texture for teething that day. I can’t even describe my elation at being covered in teething puppies and didn’t dare stop them from their chewing.

In a separate area off-limits to visitors, a younger litter still working through vaccinations lounged in the distance while their proud mama held court near the gate. She kept a watchful eye as her pups relaxed in the distance.

One of the most impactful things Cerritos Beach Dogs does is run free spay and neuter clinics for the local community in Baja California Sur — they’ve sterilized more than 1,100 dogs over the last three years and are making real change for the future of stray dogs in Baja Sur. It’s meaningful, unglamorous work that helps curb the stray population and provides access where it often doesn’t exist for pet owners.

Their Instagram has the most up to date information on upcoming vaccine clinics, pups available for adoption, and any other announcements about the organization.

For anyone interested in dog adoption in Baja Sur, their website is clean and easy to navigate. You can browse available dogs, submit an application, and if approved, the team will help coordinate getting your pup home — even if that’s across the border.

Cerritos Beach Dogs is an inspiring grassroots organization, and there are plenty of ways to support this dog-friendly gem in Los Cerritos whether you are visiting, living nearby, or just passing through:

• Visit the coffee shop
• Donate
• Volunteer (even an afternoon helps)
• Foster– some pups may need a temporary home while awaiting for adoption or transfer to their forever home
• Be a travel buddy or flight angel — driving back to the West Coast from Los Cerritos, or flying out of SJD? They’re always looking for someone to help get these furbabies to their new homes.

Cerritos Beach Dogs was such a wonderful discovery during my time near Los Cerritos Beach in El Pescadero, Mexico, and the more I learn about this organization, the more I want to shout about it from the rooftops. The dedication is palpable — the pups are clearly adored and well-cared for, and everyone at the cafe is so kind and enthusiastic about the work being done.

Visit the café, follow their Instagram, or support their efforts in whatever manner works best in your life. The people at Cerritos Beach Dogs and the pups themselves have worked hard to make sharing their love possible!