My name is Tony Mignucci, and I have worked with animals all my life. As a marine biologist and veterinary technician, I work daily to rescue and safeguard endangered marine animals, including manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, and pelicans. I am fortunate and proud to direct the Caribbean Manatee Conservation Center. As a university professor, I teach and research oceanography, marine wildlife, particularly marine mammals, and veterinary sciences.
Since 1997, the small welsh cor (dwarf) gi (dog) elves have been part of my life and that of my family. My first corgi was named PR GCh Foxfire’s Gaia, a beautiful and lovable Pembroke from Marietta, Georgia. Together with PR Ch Foxfire’s Tachán de Tamaríz and PR GCh Golden Isles’ Gabo, two young male Pembrokes also from Georgia, I took my first steps into American Kennel Club (AKC) and Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) championship exhibitions under the guidance and encouragement of my Georgia (Sheri Fahl) and Puerto Rico (Rafael de Santiago) mentors. All three corgis became champions.
After a 5-year hiatus, I retook the sport by bringing Moonlight Korrigan at Morningstar from Virginia Beach, Virginia, under the mentorship of Anna Wyatt. She was rapidly championed FCI (International, Pan-American, Latin American, and Puerto Rico Grand Champion), and AKC American champion with the outstanding showing of handlers Sylma Escobar, Sharon Rives, and Skye Lewis.
I partnered with Colombian veterinarian Lesly Cabrias into developing further the small and non-commercial Corgis de San Juan kennel, and soon after, PR GCh De San Juan Pachanga and PR GCh De San Juan Mambo were born in Puerto Rico in 2019. In 2021 we brought under co-ownership with Angel Ríos and Karla Ortíz a young Pembroke male, PR GCh Am Ch Cajun Creek’s Dancing in the Sun (Abeja), to join the kennel, and in 2024 Int Ch Artiste Viva la Vida at Morningstar (Frida), 7x’s First Sweet Sugar de San Juan Panela, and De San Juan Yemaya Espiritu Del Mar, joined our kennel and competitions.
In 2020 and 2021, Lesly and I ventured into bringing three beautiful Cardigan Welsh Corgis under the mentorship of Kim Shira from California to join our tropical kennel. Our handlers are already showing PR GCh Dragonfly’s Quimbara, Coedwig’s Azuré, and Chantilly’s Aguanile in the local AKC and FCI conformation shows. In 2022, a beautiful blue merle boy, De San Juan Caeruleus Blue, won our hearts and stayed with us and Karla Ortíz, and in 2023 we were lucky enough to bring together with Alexandra Rivera-Carlo from Monterey, Mexico the grandchild of Am GCh Redbud Across the Universe (Jai Jai) and offspring of Am GCh Madhatter’s Achilles Heel (Boris), who we named Alpha-Omega de Monterey a San Juan Xoximilco.
Overall, we seek to show in competition and breed as part of the cynology sport, amicable and loving Pembroke and Cardigan Welsh corgis that will shine in the ring and at home.
It has been a delightful ride.
