San Pedro Sun recently ran an article updating the local dog owners of the town's decision to kill the loose town dogs with strychnine capsules. While I realize every local culture has its own ways of managing its resources, I just don't think poisoning animals with strychnine is even remotely humane, or a human approach. A euthenizing program utilizing euthanol or some other injectable drug would be cost-effective and managing for MOST of the sick and/or nuisance dogs on the island. BTW, I love to visit the island for long periods of time and I understand the problems associated with the dog population. I am hoping that a less cruel method will be considered.

i think if you do a search you will find a couple of "mile long" threads out there that caused a lot of people to go get refills for their blood pressure meds.
gay

yo, no doubt. But it is 'in the news' again, its regarding Ambergris Caye, and I think it is worth noting. I think the heartburn expressed in the prior thread is indicative of the fac that this is a cruel and unusual way to euthenize animals. When I visit again soon, it will certainly give me heartburn to see twitching, contorted dogs dying slowing along the lovely sandy streets.

I thought they had decided NOT to take this course of action. What happened??

Please see the San Pedro Sun link on the ambergriscaye.com site - there is an article about how the town has decided to do this now. It may be because SAGA lost the vet for a while, but I'm not sure. We donated to SAGA in May and was hoping it would be used for spaying/neutering, etc. I think that a couple of nurses or vet techs could sucessfully administer euthanol shots to the selected ill animals as easily as whoever is going to be giving strychnine capsules to stray dogs. I find it hard to picture the town employees approaching the happy healthy dogs and opening their jaws to drop in capsules of poison. I think they used to just put the poison in food scraps along the streets.

I just returned from almost two weeks in San Pedro and saw fewer dogs roaming the streets. The dogs that I did see in town with people seemed much healthier. I was surprised to see a good number of Pit Bulls in the southern section.
Heck, even the cats looked better. So something must be working. [IMG]
Harriette

Miss Anthropy,
Maybe you should apply for the "open" position of Vet in SAGA and go straighten those guys out!
:rolleyes:

Yeah, when we were there in May, we thought all the animals looked GREAT, that's why we wanted to help SAGA out. They were doing a great job of spaying/neutering, doctoring, etc. Frankly, the whole town looked better than we'd ever seen it. I'm now wondering why the poisoning program is being implemented at this juncture. Just seems unnecessary and cruel.

Hi

We spent a couple of weeks last May on AC and dropped by Saga's home to contribute some money.

We are heading down again in about 3 weeks time and the thought of seeing poisoned dogs makes me sick.

Obviously it is their choice as to how they want to deal with issue. It is my choice not to go to places that treat animals in this manner.

The article in the San Pedro Sun was a warning to all dog owners on the island to ensure their dogs have collars and are kept in their yard. The town council under the laws of Belize do have the right to poison stray animals - however the mayor and health inspector of San Pedro do not want to do this unless the situation regarding stray, diseased animals increases.

As you will also have seen in the paper the clinic has reopened (Jan is there every morning for jabs, basic treatments, to book surgery) with a temporary vet coming each Friday to perform surgeries.

No poisoning is currently taking place but owners need to take care of their animals and not allow them to roam the streets/beach where they can be mistaken for strays.

Saga are continuing to recruit a full-time vet and as soon as we have an update I will post details on the board.

Thank you all for your concern and be assured we are working with the town board, schools and businesses to improve all aspects of animal care on the island.