I do not want to keep doing away with little animals

"I do not want to keep doing away with little animals" / 14ymedio,
Yosmany Mayeta Labrada
Posted on February 29, 2016

14ymedio, Yosmany Mayeta Labrada, 25 February 2016 – "The latest puppies
I drowned in a bucket at birth," said the owner of a female dog about to
be operated on this Wednesday as a part of the sterilization campaign in
Old Havana. Similar stories were heard in the line, long but
well-organized, of those waiting to get an appointment for the free
surgeries.

As of last Monday, many of those interested gathered at the site
accompanied by their pets, that ranged from pure-bred animals to mutts
without pedigree. "I don't want to keep doing away with the little
animals," said another lady who lives very near to the makeshift clinic
on Oficio Street; her dog had had three litters.

There are thousands of abandoned dogs and cats in the country, and no
programs to protect or adopt pets. In an attempt to alleviate this
situation, there are periodic initiatives sponsored by the Office of the
City Historian and a Canadian group, the Spanky Project.

María Gloria Vidal, president of the Society for Animal Welfare,
lamented a few months ago in the official press that the Cuban
population "suffers from certain culture and level of responsibility on
the keeping of animals," so when economic hardships affect a family "the
solution is to get rid of them. Most of the time are thrown into the
street."

Since the late eighties, several groups have tried to promote Animal
Welfare and Protection Act, without success. In 2000 a meeting of on the
control of the dog population sponsored by the World Association of
Animal Protection was held, but so far neither the Institute of Hygiene
and Epidemiology, nor the Ministry of Public Health have implemented the
agreements reached at the event.

"Here is is difficult to find food for people, imagine also keeping an
animal," says Flora, a retired teacher who took her dachshund to get the
surgery because she fears "having to share" her limited resources "with
more animals." Flora says she has never abandoned a pet, "I would die
before I'd through an innocent into the street."

Appointments for the sterilization operations ran out early in the last
three days. Susana Hurlich, a Canadian leading the project, explained
that the plan is to take care of 40 dogs and 40 cats every day until 26
February, and they have also registered some groups of animals picked up
in hopes of adoption.

Hulrich explained that "given the demand for the campaign, we are now
starting a new list" and they have taken steps to prepare "a space in
Quinta de los Molinos" although there is still no date for its opening.

Initiatives like this should be "repeated more often" said Damian, a
young man waiting his turn with a male Boxer. "We need to teach children
from an early age to love animals, in order to avoid what we are seeing
with abuse and abandonment," he added.

Yanelis Nunez, a resident in the 10 de Octubre municipality, looks at
the sterilization campaign with relief. "I have two cats and one has
given birth several times. I think it's time to tie it off," she said.
Nunez said that for these animals the situation for abused and abandoned
animals "is worse," because "there is much less sensitivity to it than
with dogs."

An investigation by Aniplant revealed that in Cuba about 1,500
convertible pesos a year is spent on sterilization for every 5,000 dogs,
while the slaughter of these animals caught in the street uses more than
10,000 liters of gasoline a year, just to transport them. They are taken
to places where overcrowding and the cruelty of the practice of
euthanasia horrifies pet lovers.

The Spanky Project proposal has emerged to improve this situation. The
association is led by the Canadian Terry Shewchuck, who was vacationing
in Cuba several years ago and found himself alarmed as the absence of a
system to care for animals. For over a decade, his group has provided
clinical care and sterilization services to thousands of pets.

This coming Saturday the campaign will offer vaccinations and deworming
in the Laika clinic, also in Old Havana. A moment that will again draw
to the scene dozens of people who share a common feeling: a love for
animals.

*The ambulatory clinic with instruments donated by the Canadian side has
been opened in Casa Calderson on Oficio Street, between Santa Clara and
Sol, Old Havana. Due to its limited capacity it invites interested pet
owners to book an appointment by calling +53 78609463.

Source: "I do not want to keep doing away with little animals" /
14ymedio, Yosmany Mayeta Labrada | Translating Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/i-do-not-want-to-keep-doing-away-with-little-animals-14ymedio-yosmany-mayeta-labrada/