Caminho da Fé

The Caminho da Fé, modeled after the Camino de Santiago in Spain, is a religious and spiritual path that provides pilgrims a way to travel through the small villages of the states of Minas Gerais and São Paulo. Along the way, they visit churches and hostels which provide stamps on their passports so that they can attain an official “Pilgrim” certificate at the Basilica de Nossa Senhora de Aparecida.  Having traveled all 4 branches of the Caminho on foot, I can attest to the stunning beauty and expanse of the trails, the kindness of the people and the deep spirituality that exists.

Stretching over 1,000 kilometers and through 70 distinct villages, the Caminho is filled with wandering spirits in the form of street dogs; on one hand magical and an asset to the trail but at the same time a growing problem for many of the communities along the trail.

In 2018, as I ran from Sao Carlos to Aparecida, I was fortunate enough to have been chosen by one of the many street dogs to be his companion for over 140 miles on the trail.  I brought this dog home with me to the United States and spent the next three years with a companion of a lifetime before he was taken by cancer.  His name was Lucky Caminho.

My wife Monica and I believe that street dogs are enlightened, having had to constantly fight for survival, they are often highly intelligent and have the capacity to love deeply when rescued.

Monica and I are committed to honoring the unconditional love, strength and compassion that Lucky Caminho brought to our lives. We honor him and where he came from by creating the Friends of Lucky Caminho with a mission:

Building a self sustaining organization dedicated to the care, adoption & study of the Great Street Dogs of the Caminho da Fé

What FLC did in 2026

Pet food from UNIFEOB students

Incoming veterinary students at UNIFEOB in São João da Boa Vista collected pet food in a campaign led by Professor Celina Almeida Furlanetto Mançanares. FLC received 714.3 kg of dog and cat food and shared it among volunteers, rescuers and NGOs in 10 of the 13 towns on the main route, on 31 July and 18 August 2026.

At the São Paulo State Legislative Assembly

On 8 July 2026, FLC spoke at a public hearing at ALESP, joining the Caminho da Fé administrators who are seeking Intangible Cultural Heritage status for the trail. FLC spoke about lost and abandoned animals on the Caminho. State Deputy Marina Helou then asked the state authorities to study spay and neuter drives and animal welfare policies for the Caminho da Fé towns.

Dogs on the Caminho Expedition

Volunteer vets and pilgrims travel the main route at least once a year to treat animals for free. In 2025, with FLC taking part, 21 volunteers treated more than 300 animals in 3 days. The group became an association in September 2026, and FLC is a member. On the next trip, 19 to 22 November 2026, FLC brings breakaway collars marked “Tenho Tutor” (I have an owner).