It’s a dog’s life for street dogs in the megacity of Lima.

Often ill and mistreated or completely ignored, they manage to survive in the endless, dusty, corroded and polluted capital of Perú, finding food in garbage dumps and shelter in hidden corners.

And yet Lima is the city of dogs. There is no dog free spot. Dogs are just everywhere: in the streets and on balconies and roofs, or behind windows and bars; free or on a leash.

They appear in every imaginable form and size, in often hilarious combinations and sometimes rather sad mixtures, but always tough and sturdy. They jog through the dirty streets in loose gangs, in pairs or alone, always a bit desperate and with quick, nervous moves, eager to find something edible or a gesture of kindness. Or they are lying like dead on the sidewalks, like after a long and difficult night.

Wherever I happen to be walking or driving through the ineffable city where I live and happen to have a camera, I can’t resist  photographing these incredible creatures with whom we share our existence. And quite often, a dog enters the picture in the exact moment when I press the button.

When I look now at these photos I am amazed at the fact that, except for a few, the dogs are looking straight and faithfully in my rabbit lens .

This is my homage to the dogs of Lima.

P.S. I dedicate this post to my dear friend Jen Peer Rich, who is a constant inspiration and is currently recovering from the most incredible surgery ordeal I have ever heard of.

Take a look at Claudia’s other posts on aamora and visit her blog.