A blind and deaf dog named Albina dressed as an angel took third place in the glamour category — and that tells you most of what you need to know about the vibe at SAGA Humane Society's 21st annual Halloween Spooktacular. The fundraiser ran on Sunday, October 25th at Caribbean Villas in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, drawing pet owners, kids and long-time supporters together for an afternoon of costumes, raffles and auctions.
The centrepiece was a pet (and owner) costume contest judged by Miss San Pedro Elizabeth Grace Sanchez, Miss World Belize Faith Edgar and local media personality Tamara Sniffin. Entries competed across four categories: Most Glamorous, Funniest, Team Look-Alike, and Kids and Pets. Standout winners included a handmade "Toucan Kelly" duo in the kids' section, a UPS-uniform look-alike pair, a 15-year-old dog named Bella in a quinceañera gown (now retiring from competition after a win), and a pooch called Papi, whose butterfly get-up — "Papiflies" — took Best in Show.
Beyond the fancy dress, the event does serious work. SAGA typically cares for around 100 animals and is currently over capacity at about 110, with dog food alone running roughly $2,700 a month before staffing and utilities. The Spooktacular is timed to cushion the shelter through the island's slower tourism months, when donations dip but vet bills don't. Co-founder Eileen Jamison credited the island community outright: without its generosity, she said, the shelter wouldn't exist.
For visitors, the auction catalogue doubled as a menu of things to actually do in San Pedro: sunset sails, two-tank dives, snorkelling trips, a $1,000 fishing charter from Go Fish Belize and gift certificates from Captain Sharks. Raffle tickets ran $5 to $10, and every child left with a goodie bag. Winners took home prize packages valued at $150 for first place, $100 for second and $75 for third, with $200 for Best in Show, all donated by local businesses.
If you're on the island in autumn, it's a genuinely local event worth timing a trip around — a chance to meet residents, support the shelter and see the town's lighter side. SAGA's calendar continues with a birthday fundraiser for musician Kelly McGuire in February and a Kentucky Derby-themed event in May; the group deliberately skips a Christmas fundraiser so other local charities can have the season to themselves. Details like this are also a reminder that San Pedro's tourism economy and its animal welfare work are intertwined — when visitor numbers fall, shelters feel it too, so even a small donation or a shelter visit goes further in the quiet months.
