Saga Humane Society buys land - Building project on the horizon!
Another milestone was reached on Monday, June 13th, as Saga Humane Society handed over a check to purchase the land that houses their temporary animal shelter. A team of Saga directors was present for the land sale: Ramon Nuñez represented Mr. Richard Headrick (owner of Ramons Village Resort), while Alberto Villanueva Jr., represented Saga; Chairperson Eileen Jamison and Vice Chairperson Mary Hawthorne signed on behalf of the Humane Society for the property.
A little over a year ago, Headrick offered the use of San Pedro Lot #745 to the Society. Soon after, work began on the shelter, which was established to house the many homeless dogs of San Pedro Town. On May 21st, 2004, nine dogs entered the gates of Fort Dog . Today, there are 20 dogs and puppies currently awaiting adoption at the site.
Three irregular-sized lots were purchased, which sit on the northeast side of the airstrip fence, just west of the Island Supermarket. According to the Chairperson, the purchase of land has been a priority since Sagas inception in 1999, but it has been on hold for several years because of financial challenges and the ideal location. As soon as the land was offered for sale, directors went in search of funding and found a private sponsor who generously offered them a low-interest loan. Now that land is secured, the next phase will be a building project to relocate the Saga Society Veterinary Clinic.
Jamison explained, Fortunately, this deal came together at the right time, as we need to vacate our current rental unit (where the veterinary clinic is located) by November of this year. That gives us less than five months to come up with funding, build a building and relocate. We are extremely happy to have been given the opportunity to purchase this land. Our goal was to maintain a central location for the veterinary clinic in order to encourage owners to continue bringing their pets for treatment. With Fort Dog at the same spot, it will hopefully promote more adoptions!
Consequently, a huge fund raising project is being planned. Meetings of the fund raising committee are held Thursday evenings at Coconuts Hotel bar at 5:00 p.m. Anyone interested in participating or who has ideas about how to raise money for this most worthy organization is welcome to attend or to contact Saga.
The Saga Foundation Ltd., a.k.a. Saga Humane Society, is a non-profit, non-governmental organization, which relies on donations from tourists, residents and the business community of San Pedro for income. Project Manager Eileen Jamison told The San Pedro Sun, Saga has been providing a valuable service to the island for the past six years, and so far, we have been able to sustain ourselves with a minimum of assistance from the community. We are very grateful to those who regularly support us, but this building project is going to require a lot of money, and we dont have a lot of time, so if anyone is interested in investing the money needed or a group of individuals is willing to front this project (and be repaid at a later date), it would be most appreciated. We are seeking financial assistance and donations of certain building materials as well. Fund raising will be ongoing and the specific details of these plans and the building materials needed will be announced as soon as we are ready.
Saga Humane Society takes this opportunity to thank everyone who assisted their organization in attaining the land, and achieving all of its goals.
Anyone wishing to support Saga's efforts may contact Saga at 226-3266. Persons needing additional information on the Society may E-mail saga@btl.net. Click here for our 2005 fundraising letter. |
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 Foxy- the day we found her, only 2 lbs. |
 Foxy- one month later, 10 lbs. | |
INTRODUCTION
Ambergris Caye is Belize's largest single offshore land asset, and is the country's largest single
community-based center for eco-tourism. The island has a resident human population of
approximately 8,000, and is a popular destination for more than 100,000 American and European
tourists each year.
The Saga Society is a non-profit animal organization in San Pedro. The
primary mission of the Saga Society is to control and monitor the cat and
dog populations on Ambergris Caye, and to
educate, through example, other underdeveloped
areas by sharing our expertise and information. Our aim is to prevent cruelty and to
promote kindness to all domestic and wild animals.
Your contribution will make it possible for us to construct an animal shelter for stray dogs, cats and other animals. Please help us to make San Pedro a cleaner and safer community with compassion for its animals.
If you wish to make a donation to The Saga
Society, please click here.
Our History:
The island's present dog and cat population is almost
entirely un-neutered, in poor health, and free to procreate
without restraint. These circumstances have led to the
island being over-run with strays, which in turn reduces
the island's aesthetic value for tourism, particularly in San
Pedro Town. Stray-management practices on the island
presently involve the use of strychnmie poisoned bait to
euthanase roaming dogs, a method which presents
significant risks to wildlife and human health, particularly
children, who can find, touch, and potentially ingest
uneaten bait.
The existing laws of Belize, while recognizing the need for dog shelters and licensing, provide limited remedy for these circumstances because they do not recognize the need for a general domestic animal management program which includes cats, birds, and other pets. Moreover, such management facilities are not presently available anywhere in the country and so the entire domestic animal population on the island is dependent on the facilities of just three resident veterinarians who reside on the mainland, far from Ambergris Caye.
In response to these circumstances, The Saga Society was established in March, 1999 by a group of local residents with the principal mission to reduce or eliminate the problems associated with stray dogs on Ambergris Caye.
Approximately $274,260US is presently being sought for the project, which will entail construction of a 3,824 square foot shelter facility; provision for a year round, fulltime staff of three technical personnel; part-time supporting services from a resident, licensed veterinarian; feed, medical equipment and supplies; and an island-wide public education program.
 "RASTA" in January "Rasta" was caught as a stray in town after months of attempts. Rasta was covered in knots of matted fur, faeces and mud. Once he had been clipped by Saga Society it was evident that he had widespread skin infections, fleas and ticks galore. He is now healthy, healed and lives in a caring, loving environment.
"Rasta" was clipped and his skin treated. He now has a new loving home and owners who groom him regularly. |
"RASTA" in MarchOn June 16, 1999, The Saga Foundation Ltd. was registered as a not-for-profit, non-government organization under Chapter 206 of the Laws of Belize, and presently has a membership of more than 40 people both tourists and local residents of San Pedro (Appendices I & 2). Saga is registered as a 501 (c ) (3) organization in the U.S.A.
The Saga Humane Society was formed in response to a request from the Mayor of San Pedro Town (Mr. Alberto Nuñez Sr.) to find a solution to the stray animal problem on Ambergris Caye. His concerns arose from the numerous complaints from doctors, residents and tourists concerning the disruption and health risks caused by strays. An open meeting was held in San Pedro to present our proposal, and the attendance showed overwhelming support for Saga's objectives. Even the local health inspector responsible for traditional methods of stray control on the island has pledged his support for the Saga Society's aims.
The long-term goal of the society is to help control dog and cat numbers on the island, and otherwise improve their general welfare. Responsible care of these animals will also have the indirect impact of improving human health through reduction of zoonoses (infections from animals to humans) and exposure of the resident population to poisons, which are presently used to euthanase these animals. Humane education is also central to our mission, and is ongoing through various media including teaching in schools, poster campaigns, leafleting and newspaper columns. Of critical importance however is the provision of means to achieve the Saga Society's goals.
Funding is urgently being sought for the following three primary needs specific to Ambergris Caye:
- Construction of an animal shelter in which to temporarily hold captured strays,
- Provision of a subsidized spay and neuter program for pets, designed to aid families on limited incomes, and conduct a 'Trap-Neuter-Release' program for feral cats, and
- Provision of a humane education program in the community.
 Another victim of neglect in San Pedro Euthanased March 12th 2001. |
The Saga Society can only provide limited service until such time as the shelter has been established. These services include euthanasia (for emergency cases only); rehabilitation, when foster homes are available; and adoption of recovered animals (over 30 in the last 12 months). As a community-based system this level of service is clearly inadequate and overwhelmed.
The Society's Board of Directors (shown below) includes a number of established community leaders and Business persons (with San Pedro Town's health inspector) (Appendices 3).
Board Membership of the Saga Society
Mary HawthorneSaga Society is also sustained by donated professional time from a resident architect, lawyer and accountant, and has numerous offers of further support by village residents to volunteer time once the shelter is up and running.
Mary Pugh
Kathy Marin
Simon Backley
Alberto Villanueva Jr.
Ramon Nuñez Sr.
The Saga Society has the backing of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) who demonstrated their support by sponsoring one of our board members to spend two weeks in the USA at a leading animal shelter and their annual conference. This experience gave the Saga Society an enormous amount of valuable information and experience which has clearly benefited the island community since.
Wish List
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Syringes: 1ml and 3 ml especially Sterile gloves – size 7 or 7 ½ Cotton balls Gauze sponges (non sterile) 2x2 or 4x4 Absorbable suture (vicryl/pds 2-0 and 3-0) Roll gauze Roll cotton Vetwrap Bandage tape Micro drip IV infusion sets Scalpel blades - #10 especially Glass slides Medium and small exam gloves Large e-collars Bandage scissors We are in need of Spay/Neuter packs, to keep up with demand Huck towels Drapes Needle holders w/ scissors Towel clamps Spay hooks Carmalt hemostats Unswadged needles cutting and taper point Instrument trays Autoclave tape Drugs: Doxycycline TMPS Clavamox liquid or pills Amoxicillin NSAID (carprofen, ect.) Prednisone Vitamin K1 Clavamox Triple antibiotic – ophthalmic Panalog (Topical ear preparations) Injectables: Depo-medrol Injectable antibiotics (ampicillin, cefazolin) Metoclopramide NSAID Dexamethasone SP |
Equipment: New Computer Pooper Scoopers Large dry erase boards and markers Walkie-talkies/two way radios Washing machine Adjustable high power light for surgery Crash cart (rolling table with drawers) Industrial size mop bucket IV pole Patient monitoring devices: pulse oximeter, Doppler blood pressure, ect. Large floor scale for animals Cash register/locking money drawer Printer paper Ink for canon Pixma iP1000 Pens and Pencils Post-it notes Scotch tape Wet/Dry Vacuum (shop-vac) Microwave oven Standing fans Humane Cat Traps/Squeeze Cage Surgical instrument stand Shelter: Stainless steel bowls – all sizes Collars and leashes – all sizes Quick release/safety cat collars Cat toys (balls, mice, ect.) Cat and dog treats/toys Litterboxes Old newspaper Old but intact towels Parasite control – ivermectin, selamectin products, frontline, preventic collars ect. – Expiration date not important |
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A most dedicated employee, Ms. Lima has served Saga for the past two years as manager of the Saga Veterinary Clinic. Prior to her participation at the Expo, Lima also participated in a weeklong internship at the Broward County Humane Society in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. There, she received hands-on training in every aspect of the Humane Society process, from receiving to adoption. According to Ms. Lima, at the time, there were 380 dogs and more than 100 cats in residence at the shelter. Broward County rescues an average of 50 dogs and cats on a daily basis. There are 17 vets who work at their clinic. It was an incredible facility. Highlights of the step-by-step experience included prepping animals for surgery, testing blood for heartworm, basic obedience training and learning to integrate dogs and cats for home adoption. In respect to this last item, she commented that although it seems unnatural for dogs and cats to get along, the process used by the Broward County Humane Society makes it very likely for the two different pets to not only co-exist but to interact as friends. Lima intends to personally incorporate many of the procedures, processes and the techniques she learned into Sagas activities. Also mentioned was the Societys Teen Education Program, a very worthwhile training process that she believes would benefit the San Pedro community. Upon arrival at the 2005 Expo in Atlanta, Ms. Lima joined animal care enthusiasts from 36 countries to share challenges faced by their organizations. Aside from the stories exchanged with her Peruvian roommate, she related the following experiences: All of us faced similar challenges but our island humane society is much more fortunate than Bali, where they use sacks and string to rescue animals from the streets. Africa uses methods much like ours to round up strays and Australias dog shelter resembles Sagas Fort Dogshelter. I believe it is important to share ideas and learn from each other, so this was a very good experience for me. The most amazing recollections came from Iraq and Indonesia where war and natural disasters have left so many animals (and people) homeless. Lima recalled, In war-torn Iraq, American soldiers arranged for zoo animals to be transported to shelters and other zoos outside the country. Following the tsunami In Indonesia, Humane Society International set up temporary clinics in the streets to spay and castrate some 25 dogs and cats daily. There were so many heartwarming stories. Humane Societies around the world would not be able to operate without the help of many volunteers and charitable donations. On behalf of the animals and people of Ambergris Caye, Saga Humane Society would like to thank Ms. Janet Frake and the staff of Humane Society International for their full sponsorship of Ms. Limas trip to the US, the third time Saga has taken advantage of this most generous offer. Saga also extends special appreciation to the management and staff at Broward County Humane Society for their kindness and warm hospitality. Also, a special thank you to Ingrid Lima for taking time to attend this invaluable Expo. The next HIS/HSUS Expo is scheduled for March 2006 in Anaheim, California. |
 Coconut Drive, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize Phone: +501-226-3266  Email saga@btl.net |
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