Heartfelt letter from an Animal Activist!

Hello Rona, glad to hear from you!  There’s a lot going on at the moment and truly, since you wish to help with writing, I honestly can’t think of a topic that would make an impact at this point.

You see, as you might already be aware, we do have a Spay & Neuter Campaign going on – FINALLY!!! My wish since…forever! It took about a year, and it did happen courtesy of Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort. They made it possible!!

So, all I care now is that we DO have an active spay & neuter campaign!

Back to my point, that writing is ineffective: So we have a S&N campaign and ON TOP OF that, we will also have a MASH spay and neuter campaign with Animal Balance (They are heading to Aruba for Operation Cunucu targeting the island’s population of street dogs, aiming to sterilize 500 dogs over 6 days. A team of 12 techs and veterinarians, along with 5 experienced trappers, will use the MASH framework that they have developed over the last 11 years. They will teaching local groups how to humanely trap dogs, focusing on the estimated 150 dogs currently living at the local dump and the street dogs living in San Nicolas. They will be working closely with the team from United Dogs of Aruba, training them in all aspects of MASH so that they can continue to replicate the clinics in the future. )

That program is so great! And so challenging!! Can’t wait to see their work! However…this is only a ‘temporary’ solution to the problem.

The real/true problem is not even touched, or attended accordingly, ot paid attention to. I’m trying to find the right word here. You see, there are GREAT people on this island and more and more people are willing to help with rescuing animals however, there are also those MUCH less great…those who constantly dump dogs/cats in the kill cage, either because they are irresponsible, or because they STILL don’t know, that animals left there are going to be euthanized the following day!

There is still this small percentage of people that ‘actually believe’ that all animals left there, will end up in the shelter, when it clearly SAYS everything by the entrance at the door in WRITING.

Now, not only do these people LACK knowledge, but the surely lack intelligence and EDUCATION.

You know, it is so damn sad to hear from kids, how ‘oh my mom took care of the puppies, she threw then at the beach’ or ‘my dad killed all of them!’ Kids say the saddest things, but they actually SEE what happens so this is where we really have to start, by grabbing the bull by its horns – EDUCATION!!!

By talking to these kids and TEACHING them on how to be more responsible pet owners – less pet abusers like their ancestors!!

They do understand and they do learn! And fast!

But…who’s got the time to do so?

The only moments I get to talk to kids about this, is maybe on Oct 4, Animal Day, when all schools beg for ‘chatter with the kids about animals’. That is never even close to enough…unfortunately.

Attention to pets and education about their wellbeing should start in kindergarten!

Oh, I wish I could be paid to give classes about my work at a Vet assistant, instead of working…teach kids about how to be more responsible pet owners, about what to do, what to expect…and I can go on and on!

THIS IS ALL WE LACK in this community.

The example being given to kids is still very very extremely poor!

Although I can say, that the current generation is SMART, regardless of what their parents might think and believe, I’ve seen enough young couples asking to spay & neuter a pet AS SOON AS THEY ADOPT IT OR AQUIRE IT, which makes my heart sing.

THIS is the mentality we need! Once we have ‘reproduction’ under control, then we can start/continue teaching about the ‘quality’ of a pet’s life. Necessary vet care, vaccines, annual blood checks etc. There are quite a number of organizations now, appearing out of nowhere…some of which I didn’t even know existed, but once they are overwhelmed by vet bills and lack of time to take care of all the rescues…they will slowly ‘disappear,’ as fast as they ‘appeared,’I fear. We can have a loooong talk Rona…I wish I had more time. Let me know if you need anything else for now. Have a fantastic day!!! ♡

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April 08, 2016
Rona Coster