SAN PEDRO BELIZE DOG ERADICATION CONTROVERSY
Controversy has erupted in certain segments of the San Pedro community following the Town Council's decision to resume eradication of stray dogs by strychnine poisoning as provided for under Belize Law. This decision was taken after an informal survey by the Town Council immediately spotted some 200 strays. It is unlikely that they were able to inventory more than 20% of the strays meaning that it is likely that San Pedro has as many as 1000 or more strays. This survey was undertaken after repeated complaints by tourists and residents concerning health and safety issues generated by the large number of stray dogs. Dog attacks were becoming frequent and dogs chasing bicycles and golf carts and pedestrians have caused accidents and injuries. The recent publication of photos of dogs carrying trash, running wild and defecating in the streets accurately documents the problem. The large and growing population of strays is a health and safety issue for locals and tourists alike and for that reason the Town Board resumed poisoning stray dogs. This method of dog eradication is used nationwide to control strays. The method of administering the poison is carefully prescribed by law, but inevitably dogs other than those specifically targeted sometimes fall victim to the Eradication and all suffer a very painful and agonizing death.
Under the past Town Council poisoning had been suspended and the SAGA Society had taken responsibility for rounding up and dealing with strays in a humane way. Due to funding problems SAGA has not been able to control the situation. The SAGA Society and the San Pedro Animal Hospital appear to be in conflict as well but both share the belief that spaying and neutering will solve the problem while most locals don't see how that will reduce the number of dogs that roam freely causing various health and safety problems for themselves, their children and our foreign visitors. Although no one likes poisoning dogs no one seems to have a viable alternative even though the vocal minority are vehemently opposed to the point of inciting prospective tourists to change reservations and publishing vicious ad hominem attacks on the Mayor.
Those that object most loudly come from places that have long standing policies of daily patrolling, picking up and destroying strays so they do not have the problem we do. The "dog catcher" and the "pound" are familiar terms in America but do not exist in Belize. Economically we are forced to eradicate as we do because we cannot afford a first world animal control system yet and it is not fair that we should be condemned for it. We would be irresponsible to not eradicate the dogs. It is for the well being of the community and the safety of our guests.
The problem has become critical, as no eradications have been carried out in some time. Hopefully the various spay neuter programs will eventually lower the population of strays but until we have an animal control officer with vehicle and pound system we will periodically have to do mass eradication of strays. That is not to defend poisoning and I would hope that a compromise could be worked out so the vet could accompany the dog eradication detail and euthanize as they are caught. I am sure those assigned the dog poison detail would be overjoyed to not have to do what they do.
The ad hominem attacks claiming cruelty on the part of those involved are out of order. It is a public problem that is being addressed fortunately. Maybe all can work together to do better next time but doing nothing is not an option and the fault lies completely at the feet of the irresponsible dog owners who let their animals run free not the Town Board or the Mayor.