Las Terrazas
Less than an hour's drive west of Havana puts you well into Pinar del Río, Cuba's westernmost province. The little town of Las Terrazas is not very old, but its big attraction is nature, not history. In 1984, UNESCO designated the area as one of its Biosphere Reserves, and the Cuban government built the little town to accommodate the tourists it would certainly draw. As our van left the main highway, we bounced along increasingly narrower roads, climbing into the Sierra del Rosario Mountains.
We seemed to be in an ageless jungle with a huge variety of lush greenery, but our guide told us that this was all a huge coffee plantation not so many years before. For whatever reasons, the coffee growers left this region for Cuba's eastern provinces. Coffee horticulture gone, the land was bare and terraced for a short time until the tropical jungle quickly reclaimed its own. Now you have to look hard to see evidence of the terraces, hidden by the thick leaves, vines and branches.
The small village of Las Terrazas has a super restaurant called EL Romero, a few gift shops full of locally made artworks, and a stunning tourist hotel with an open air lobby to take advantage of the tropical climate. Hikers' paths wind through the mountain, crossing streams, climbing and falling. The day we were there, tourists decked out as hikers trod every visible trail.
We had dinner at El Romero, and our guide for the day was Tito, the man who had developed the restaurant for its owner, the Cuban government. Tito's specialty is using locally available foods, and the menu is completely created using only foods grown locally. For example, the delightful salad was made of lotus shoots which were harvested from plants growing in the shallow waters of the mountain lake we gazed at from the restaurant balcony. We bought books of El Romero recipes, presented on compact discs, and when I got home I Googled for a source of lotus shoots. All I could find was one source on the other side of the world in Burma. I have a suggestion for Fidel and Raul: export lotus shoots, and you'll have more export business. I'll be the first customer.
As we dined, peafowl and other domestic birds paraded the grounds around the restaurant. They knew they were safe as the "local foods" served at El Romero are plant based foods only--no carnivores, please.. The other dishes rivaled the salad, and we all ordered something different, and we shared among our group. Tito was not only the creator of a terrific dinner, he was a local celebrity, and our van was waved through any gates where others had to pay an entrance fee.
As it happens, the island of Cuba is at its narrowest at Las Terrazas. It's only 40 miles from the Gulf of Mexico and Florida Straits to the north to the Caribbean Sea to the south. And, how fortunate the Sierra del Rosario Mountains are right there. We got back on the bus and ground up a little road, sometimes no more than two tire tracks and a little gravel. At the summit was the old head office of the coffee plantation, and everywhere you looked it was downhill. But, most surprising you could see both bodies of water, the Gulf and the Sea, in the clear times between the passage of wispy little clouds. Yes, the entire width of the island was within our range of vision.
Most people will agree Cuba is a beautiful place, and those who have visited Las Terrazas understand why UNESCO chose this beautiful area as one of its Biological Reserves.
Les Inglis
Friday, February 18, 2011
Friday, February 4, 2011
The First Day
The First Day
Well, today is the first day of the rest of my life. How many times have I heard that exhortation to begin anew--that reminder that opportunity offers itself every day if only we can recognize it when it knocks?
For a guy who retired sort of early without much of a plan, I've had a long time to try things to occupy me, but not many of the ways I have busied myself have been filled with meaning and importance. Well, that is until a Wednesday in November, 2005 when I came to know Aniplant, an animal protection group in Havana Cuba. Surely that day turned out to be the first day of the rest of my life.
I met Nora Garcia, Aniplant's President that day, and she began to show me the very different world Cuba's animals face. I thought I knew something about animal protection before that day, but I've been learning more every day since then. Cuba, like many smaller, poorer countries, has too many dogs and cats loose on the streets. Some have homes, and others face life as homeless waifs hoping to find something to eat, and coping with illness and occasional abuse.
Meeting Nora then was the start of a long cooperation that has included furnishing drugs and supplies for vets, funding anesthesia meds for Aniplant's spay-neuter campaigns, hosting her in our home so she could meet local contributors, traveling to and participating in Expo 2010, a convention for animal shelter operators, and visiting a number of Cuban activities associated with animals. As time has gone by, there has been more and more to do.
It didn't abate when my wife, Charlene, became active in Aniplant. In addition to being the only good typist in our house, she is the most informed person on animal issues I know. She believed, rightly so, we should formalize our work, and she singlehandedly created, applied for, and/or secured our 501(c)(3) from the IRS, our incorporation from the state, our registration as a charity in the State of Florida, our website (http://theaniplantproject.org) , and today she acts as critical proofreader of my scribblings in this blog.
We see no and seek no end to our task of helping Aniplant. Thus that day in 2005, whether we could have guessed it or not, was the first day of the rest of both of our lives.
Les Inglis
Well, today is the first day of the rest of my life. How many times have I heard that exhortation to begin anew--that reminder that opportunity offers itself every day if only we can recognize it when it knocks?
For a guy who retired sort of early without much of a plan, I've had a long time to try things to occupy me, but not many of the ways I have busied myself have been filled with meaning and importance. Well, that is until a Wednesday in November, 2005 when I came to know Aniplant, an animal protection group in Havana Cuba. Surely that day turned out to be the first day of the rest of my life.
I met Nora Garcia, Aniplant's President that day, and she began to show me the very different world Cuba's animals face. I thought I knew something about animal protection before that day, but I've been learning more every day since then. Cuba, like many smaller, poorer countries, has too many dogs and cats loose on the streets. Some have homes, and others face life as homeless waifs hoping to find something to eat, and coping with illness and occasional abuse.
Meeting Nora then was the start of a long cooperation that has included furnishing drugs and supplies for vets, funding anesthesia meds for Aniplant's spay-neuter campaigns, hosting her in our home so she could meet local contributors, traveling to and participating in Expo 2010, a convention for animal shelter operators, and visiting a number of Cuban activities associated with animals. As time has gone by, there has been more and more to do.
It didn't abate when my wife, Charlene, became active in Aniplant. In addition to being the only good typist in our house, she is the most informed person on animal issues I know. She believed, rightly so, we should formalize our work, and she singlehandedly created, applied for, and/or secured our 501(c)(3) from the IRS, our incorporation from the state, our registration as a charity in the State of Florida, our website (http://theaniplantproject.org) , and today she acts as critical proofreader of my scribblings in this blog.
We see no and seek no end to our task of helping Aniplant. Thus that day in 2005, whether we could have guessed it or not, was the first day of the rest of both of our lives.
Les Inglis
Friday, January 28, 2011
Starving Lion
Starving Lion
The word "emaciated" did not begin to describe the lion--you could see every rib, and he looked sick, tired, and old, not the king of the jungle he was meant to be. He paced along his enclosure, and a sympathetic tourist snapped his pictures. That tourist felt the lion was being abused and sent the pictures to PETA, the wonderful animal rights group in Norfolk, VA. On December 4th the matter came to me, and I was asked to see if we could help the lion through Aniplant, Nora Garcia's animal protection organization in Havana. Of course we had to try.
As it turned out, the zoo was in Santiago de Cuba, 500 miles from Havana at the extreme eastern end of the island. It couldn't have been farther away. But distance is no obstacle for Nora, who has animal friendly connections in all parts of Cuba. My contact at PETA was Stephanie Bell, their manager of cruelty investigations, and the nearly two months it took to resolve the matter seemed like an eternity to both of us.
Nora, in the meantime, got a report on the lion from a local supporter. As it happened, Aniplant was forming an investigative committee to evaluate conditions at zoos across the country. She used Aniplant's position as the only officially permitted animal protection organization, and her new committee to bring the lion's plight to the attention of powerful officials in the area.
Nora quietly pressed forward with a plan to help the lion, while Stephanie and I woke up each morning hoping the lion had not died. His picture surely looked like he was at death's door. On January 24 we got Nora's report, which I'll let speak for itself:
Dear Les,
Now we can report on the lion--at least the real information we got from the new director of the zoo.
The lion is timid, fearful, frightened, and did not have adequate attention, and as a result, its two companions ate while he hardly did.
This situation was not treated nor solved by the Park Director, and there were many complaints about the poor animal.
The intervention of the Party Director in that province (a high official) and the Popular Power and the Minister of Environment (another high official) and of course of Aniplant was achieved.
Solution: The old Director of the Park who had been there 30 years was fired, and his duties spread to other employees.
The lion is very young, hardly one year old, is now isolated and is eating alone. He's receiving vitamins and minerals (in short supply in Cuba) and he has gained some weight, judging by recent photos. He isn't on exhibition. He's not sick, but he is recovering.
The current Director, appointed only a week ago, is named Kenia Ortíz Reyes, a graduate in Social Communication and she has lots of motivation and compassion.
There are 13 lions in the zoo including the timid one, 2 black and one brown bear, and a rhinoceros. A hippo died a short time ago of something he ate--bad digestion. There are also birds, and other smaller animals.
The Park Director appreciates the interest shown and hopes for collaboration and help to improve conditions for the animals.
We are well connected with the Director and she and I phone each other often.
Whatever additional information won't have such a delay--it will be very rapid.
I hope you and Charlene and Stephanie understand the wait and that you understand my report.
A hug and kiss,
Nora
Les' note: I love happy endings
The word "emaciated" did not begin to describe the lion--you could see every rib, and he looked sick, tired, and old, not the king of the jungle he was meant to be. He paced along his enclosure, and a sympathetic tourist snapped his pictures. That tourist felt the lion was being abused and sent the pictures to PETA, the wonderful animal rights group in Norfolk, VA. On December 4th the matter came to me, and I was asked to see if we could help the lion through Aniplant, Nora Garcia's animal protection organization in Havana. Of course we had to try.
As it turned out, the zoo was in Santiago de Cuba, 500 miles from Havana at the extreme eastern end of the island. It couldn't have been farther away. But distance is no obstacle for Nora, who has animal friendly connections in all parts of Cuba. My contact at PETA was Stephanie Bell, their manager of cruelty investigations, and the nearly two months it took to resolve the matter seemed like an eternity to both of us.
Nora, in the meantime, got a report on the lion from a local supporter. As it happened, Aniplant was forming an investigative committee to evaluate conditions at zoos across the country. She used Aniplant's position as the only officially permitted animal protection organization, and her new committee to bring the lion's plight to the attention of powerful officials in the area.
Nora quietly pressed forward with a plan to help the lion, while Stephanie and I woke up each morning hoping the lion had not died. His picture surely looked like he was at death's door. On January 24 we got Nora's report, which I'll let speak for itself:
Dear Les,
Now we can report on the lion--at least the real information we got from the new director of the zoo.
The lion is timid, fearful, frightened, and did not have adequate attention, and as a result, its two companions ate while he hardly did.
This situation was not treated nor solved by the Park Director, and there were many complaints about the poor animal.
The intervention of the Party Director in that province (a high official) and the Popular Power and the Minister of Environment (another high official) and of course of Aniplant was achieved.
Solution: The old Director of the Park who had been there 30 years was fired, and his duties spread to other employees.
The lion is very young, hardly one year old, is now isolated and is eating alone. He's receiving vitamins and minerals (in short supply in Cuba) and he has gained some weight, judging by recent photos. He isn't on exhibition. He's not sick, but he is recovering.
The current Director, appointed only a week ago, is named Kenia Ortíz Reyes, a graduate in Social Communication and she has lots of motivation and compassion.
There are 13 lions in the zoo including the timid one, 2 black and one brown bear, and a rhinoceros. A hippo died a short time ago of something he ate--bad digestion. There are also birds, and other smaller animals.
The Park Director appreciates the interest shown and hopes for collaboration and help to improve conditions for the animals.
We are well connected with the Director and she and I phone each other often.
Whatever additional information won't have such a delay--it will be very rapid.
I hope you and Charlene and Stephanie understand the wait and that you understand my report.
A hug and kiss,
Nora
Les' note: I love happy endings
Friday, January 14, 2011
Street Animals
Street Animals
Animal lovers who travel to Cuba usually spot homeless dogs on the streets. They often are pitiful, emaciated, and sick. It's only natural to want to save them and even adopt them.
Thus (TAP) and Aniplant often get requests to find and rescue a given dog, get it healthy, and then ship it to a new home in the US or Canada. Usually these requests come via email from the travelers after they've returned home. We try to help when we can, but this is a very inefficient use of our resources and those of the traveler.
First of all, street dogs aren't always easy to find. They often keep moving in search of anything they can eat. Also, usually they are sick. If we are lucky enough to find an animal, we have to find a foster home for it, get vet treatment and inoculations, await some test results, coordinate with airlines, buy a travel carrier (at inflated tourist prices), travel to the airport, and coordinate all this (with translations) via email with the new adoptive family. If needed, travel to other cities away from Havana means renting a car, hotel stays, etc. The traveler must bear all of these costs.
A far more efficient approach is to leave the street dog in Cuba and visit an animal shelter near your home for your new companion. You'll find a large variety of healthy animals (more than 30% are purebred, if you want a specific type), and very reasonable costs.
We certainly hate to pass by those poor sick animals we see on the street, but we must keep our eye on our objective, which is to spay and neuter as many animals in Cuba as possible. Ultimately this is the only practical wayto address overpopulation of dogs and cats in any locality. We are not being cruel when we resist out-of-country adoptions--we're merely addressing their plight in a more effective, although longer term, way.
But if you have your heart set on bringing an animal home with you, plan ahead. Travel with a pet carrier, and plan to be there at least 7 days after getting the dog for vet work and tests, and arrange to fly your new friend on the same plane you use to return home. It will be expensive and demanding, but we all know how hard it is to try to put those sad, skinny creatures out of your mind and keep on walking. Rescue one if you must, but understand how much it will really require in cost, time, and effort.
Les Inglis
Animal lovers who travel to Cuba usually spot homeless dogs on the streets. They often are pitiful, emaciated, and sick. It's only natural to want to save them and even adopt them.
Thus (TAP) and Aniplant often get requests to find and rescue a given dog, get it healthy, and then ship it to a new home in the US or Canada. Usually these requests come via email from the travelers after they've returned home. We try to help when we can, but this is a very inefficient use of our resources and those of the traveler.
First of all, street dogs aren't always easy to find. They often keep moving in search of anything they can eat. Also, usually they are sick. If we are lucky enough to find an animal, we have to find a foster home for it, get vet treatment and inoculations, await some test results, coordinate with airlines, buy a travel carrier (at inflated tourist prices), travel to the airport, and coordinate all this (with translations) via email with the new adoptive family. If needed, travel to other cities away from Havana means renting a car, hotel stays, etc. The traveler must bear all of these costs.
A far more efficient approach is to leave the street dog in Cuba and visit an animal shelter near your home for your new companion. You'll find a large variety of healthy animals (more than 30% are purebred, if you want a specific type), and very reasonable costs.
We certainly hate to pass by those poor sick animals we see on the street, but we must keep our eye on our objective, which is to spay and neuter as many animals in Cuba as possible. Ultimately this is the only practical wayto address overpopulation of dogs and cats in any locality. We are not being cruel when we resist out-of-country adoptions--we're merely addressing their plight in a more effective, although longer term, way.
But if you have your heart set on bringing an animal home with you, plan ahead. Travel with a pet carrier, and plan to be there at least 7 days after getting the dog for vet work and tests, and arrange to fly your new friend on the same plane you use to return home. It will be expensive and demanding, but we all know how hard it is to try to put those sad, skinny creatures out of your mind and keep on walking. Rescue one if you must, but understand how much it will really require in cost, time, and effort.
Les Inglis
Friday, January 7, 2011
Cuba's Strays
Cuba's Strays
After Cuba the Dog flew from Cuba to Toronto, his new best friend, Ashley, talked to a couple of reporters, and suddenly Cuba was in the news. Newspaper and magazine articles told locals of the lucky little puppy from a roadside zoo near Holguin, Cuba who was so cute that Ashley fought to find a way to rescue him and ship him to her in Canada. It was a story with a happy ending.
But for every Ashley who visits Cuba, there are hundreds of tourists who go there, see pitiful dogs on the streets in distress and go home resigned to the hopelessness of it all. Of course it isn't just Cuba. In some third world countries the dogs have it even worse. But we're here to tell Cuba stories, and, regarding stray dogs on the street, there is much to talk about.
Rachel had been to Viñales on the north coast in the western part of Cuba. She didn't focus on a particular dog, but commented on their generally poor condition--ribs showing, skin in terrible condition. And they looked desperate and hopeless. Some say animals have no human emotions, but real animal lovers can see the stress in their faces.
Rachel suggested that perhaps tour guides should be working to help the strays because the sight of them is a downer for their clients, the tourists. Well, interestingly we had that idea come up before. Juan was a tour guide on a tour bus that ran from Havana to the Cuban city of Trinidad. At a rest stop, Peggy spotted a hungry stray dog and gave her lunch to her. She befriended Juan thinking that she might have his help in finding the dog later and in sending it to her in Massachusetts.
With a little detective work and the Internet, Nora found Juan and learned the number of the room in a Havana hotel where he stayed between bus trips. When she finally got him on the phone, he made it clear he couldn't be bothered helping a dog. Why had he been so friendly with Peggy, exchanging cards and offering to help? Well that was before tip time. After the tourists file off the bus and press a gratuity into his hands, Juan is focused on the next busload. Tour guides have enviable jobs because of their contact with foreigners and especially because their tips are in hard currencies, which will buy whatever you want in Cuba. I've heard stories of doctors who took jobs as taxi drivers to have access to hard currencies. Even the jobs of hotel chambermaids are enviable for the same reason.
Charlene and I saw the same attitude in Puerto Rico when we chartered a car to take us from San Jose to Ponce on the other side of the island. Nearing Ponce, we spotted an emaciated horse with hooves grown way too long--a pitiful picture of cruel neglect. It bothered Charlene so much she called our driver when we got back home. She wanted to connect with the owner or a rescuer, provide some food and try to save the poor creature. Well, it was the same thing as Juan in Cuba. After tip time, there is little willingness to get involved in rescuing an animal. And don't depend on tourist resistance to force a change. Nora writes, "The suffering seen by tourists affects only a few of them, not a large majority." Yes, unfortunately, if you are true animal lover, you're a rare bird.
And even though the government pushes tourism in Cuba, they have few resources for helping animals beyond collecting strays off the streets and killing them. Nora said, "You can't get permission to collect charity for animals without their bringing up other causes like sick children, AIDS, schools, and milk funds. They always bring up something seen as more important than the animals."
We keep coming back to a perennial truth. Massive spay-neuter campaigns are the only effective answer to the overpopulation of homeless animals. HSI is running a program for 15,000 operations with government help in Nepal. In Cuba, the animals' best hope is Nora and Aniplant and its group of volunteers.
Les Inglis
After Cuba the Dog flew from Cuba to Toronto, his new best friend, Ashley, talked to a couple of reporters, and suddenly Cuba was in the news. Newspaper and magazine articles told locals of the lucky little puppy from a roadside zoo near Holguin, Cuba who was so cute that Ashley fought to find a way to rescue him and ship him to her in Canada. It was a story with a happy ending.
But for every Ashley who visits Cuba, there are hundreds of tourists who go there, see pitiful dogs on the streets in distress and go home resigned to the hopelessness of it all. Of course it isn't just Cuba. In some third world countries the dogs have it even worse. But we're here to tell Cuba stories, and, regarding stray dogs on the street, there is much to talk about.
Rachel had been to Viñales on the north coast in the western part of Cuba. She didn't focus on a particular dog, but commented on their generally poor condition--ribs showing, skin in terrible condition. And they looked desperate and hopeless. Some say animals have no human emotions, but real animal lovers can see the stress in their faces.
Rachel suggested that perhaps tour guides should be working to help the strays because the sight of them is a downer for their clients, the tourists. Well, interestingly we had that idea come up before. Juan was a tour guide on a tour bus that ran from Havana to the Cuban city of Trinidad. At a rest stop, Peggy spotted a hungry stray dog and gave her lunch to her. She befriended Juan thinking that she might have his help in finding the dog later and in sending it to her in Massachusetts.
With a little detective work and the Internet, Nora found Juan and learned the number of the room in a Havana hotel where he stayed between bus trips. When she finally got him on the phone, he made it clear he couldn't be bothered helping a dog. Why had he been so friendly with Peggy, exchanging cards and offering to help? Well that was before tip time. After the tourists file off the bus and press a gratuity into his hands, Juan is focused on the next busload. Tour guides have enviable jobs because of their contact with foreigners and especially because their tips are in hard currencies, which will buy whatever you want in Cuba. I've heard stories of doctors who took jobs as taxi drivers to have access to hard currencies. Even the jobs of hotel chambermaids are enviable for the same reason.
Charlene and I saw the same attitude in Puerto Rico when we chartered a car to take us from San Jose to Ponce on the other side of the island. Nearing Ponce, we spotted an emaciated horse with hooves grown way too long--a pitiful picture of cruel neglect. It bothered Charlene so much she called our driver when we got back home. She wanted to connect with the owner or a rescuer, provide some food and try to save the poor creature. Well, it was the same thing as Juan in Cuba. After tip time, there is little willingness to get involved in rescuing an animal. And don't depend on tourist resistance to force a change. Nora writes, "The suffering seen by tourists affects only a few of them, not a large majority." Yes, unfortunately, if you are true animal lover, you're a rare bird.
And even though the government pushes tourism in Cuba, they have few resources for helping animals beyond collecting strays off the streets and killing them. Nora said, "You can't get permission to collect charity for animals without their bringing up other causes like sick children, AIDS, schools, and milk funds. They always bring up something seen as more important than the animals."
We keep coming back to a perennial truth. Massive spay-neuter campaigns are the only effective answer to the overpopulation of homeless animals. HSI is running a program for 15,000 operations with government help in Nepal. In Cuba, the animals' best hope is Nora and Aniplant and its group of volunteers.
Les Inglis
Friday, December 31, 2010
Refuge
Refuge
Here in the US, animal refuges perform a service for society as a whole. In our modern era it is thought cruel to abandon a dog or cat, and why not? Both dogs and cats have lived for thousands of years as partners with human beings, and they have developed a symbiotic relationship with us. From the time long ago when the first wolves dared to come a little closer to humans in their garbage dumps and were thus rewarded with some discarded scraps of food, dogs--and to a lesser extent cats--have been giving up their independence bit by bit to earn a living as our companions.
And what did we get from this growing relationship? Well, watchdogs for one thing, hunting helpers for another, and just plain enjoyable companionship. Yes, our domestic animals--our home companions--have been gaining a living in return for giving up their original antagonism to us and standoffishness from us. After a few thousand years of this developing relationship, our dog and cat friends can no longer fend for themselves in the wild. Indeed, anyone who dumps a cat in the country thinking he will be able to live on the birds and field mice he can catch is fooling himself and betraying the cat.
So it makes sense we would come to recognize our duty to our symbiotic animal friends and establish shelters, refuges, and pounds to avoid their starving to death when they become homeless for any reason. Even though many such unfortunate animals are killed (hopefully by humane methods), such an end is better than condemning them to sickness and starvation without a home. Thus nearly every community has some provision for homeless dogs and cats. It's a societal obligation and rightly so.
In Cuba, privation is ubiquitous, and there is little resource to be devoted to cats and dogs. The government tries to sweep strays from the streets in an attempt to control rabies and present a prettier environment for tourists. But such dog and cat orphans caught in those sweeps are only held for a short time and then killed, often by poisoning. It's a national shame.
I have often said the Cuban people love animals, and one way they have shown that love is that a few have stepped in to try to offer homeless animals a place to live. Rosa runs a refuge for dogs, Rebecca one for cats, and Jose for both. Across the country are good souls who take in and care for animals. They strain their own comfort and well-being to provide some for their canine and feline charges. In doing so, they provide a valuable service for society at large.
The refuge operators are motivated by their love for animals, not by any monetary rewards. Some, who know they must limit the numbers they can help, live stable, enjoyable lives. Others who don't set reasonable limits progress into what we call animal collectors. These, unfortunately, do no favors for themselves or the animals--they only spread misery and often hunger and sickness among their collections.
Still, well controlled or not, Cuba's private animal refuges try to discharge their communities' duties to our animal partners, even if their efforts seem makeshift by modern sheltering standards. Aniplant tries to help these refuges with advice, medical help, and some food rations.
Les Inglis
Here in the US, animal refuges perform a service for society as a whole. In our modern era it is thought cruel to abandon a dog or cat, and why not? Both dogs and cats have lived for thousands of years as partners with human beings, and they have developed a symbiotic relationship with us. From the time long ago when the first wolves dared to come a little closer to humans in their garbage dumps and were thus rewarded with some discarded scraps of food, dogs--and to a lesser extent cats--have been giving up their independence bit by bit to earn a living as our companions.
And what did we get from this growing relationship? Well, watchdogs for one thing, hunting helpers for another, and just plain enjoyable companionship. Yes, our domestic animals--our home companions--have been gaining a living in return for giving up their original antagonism to us and standoffishness from us. After a few thousand years of this developing relationship, our dog and cat friends can no longer fend for themselves in the wild. Indeed, anyone who dumps a cat in the country thinking he will be able to live on the birds and field mice he can catch is fooling himself and betraying the cat.
So it makes sense we would come to recognize our duty to our symbiotic animal friends and establish shelters, refuges, and pounds to avoid their starving to death when they become homeless for any reason. Even though many such unfortunate animals are killed (hopefully by humane methods), such an end is better than condemning them to sickness and starvation without a home. Thus nearly every community has some provision for homeless dogs and cats. It's a societal obligation and rightly so.
In Cuba, privation is ubiquitous, and there is little resource to be devoted to cats and dogs. The government tries to sweep strays from the streets in an attempt to control rabies and present a prettier environment for tourists. But such dog and cat orphans caught in those sweeps are only held for a short time and then killed, often by poisoning. It's a national shame.
I have often said the Cuban people love animals, and one way they have shown that love is that a few have stepped in to try to offer homeless animals a place to live. Rosa runs a refuge for dogs, Rebecca one for cats, and Jose for both. Across the country are good souls who take in and care for animals. They strain their own comfort and well-being to provide some for their canine and feline charges. In doing so, they provide a valuable service for society at large.
The refuge operators are motivated by their love for animals, not by any monetary rewards. Some, who know they must limit the numbers they can help, live stable, enjoyable lives. Others who don't set reasonable limits progress into what we call animal collectors. These, unfortunately, do no favors for themselves or the animals--they only spread misery and often hunger and sickness among their collections.
Still, well controlled or not, Cuba's private animal refuges try to discharge their communities' duties to our animal partners, even if their efforts seem makeshift by modern sheltering standards. Aniplant tries to help these refuges with advice, medical help, and some food rations.
Les Inglis
Friday, December 24, 2010
Cuban Zoos
Cuban Zoos
Most animal protectionists have a low opinion of zoos. While arguably they offer some education, they subject their animals to unnatural lives of confinement and stress. Surely animals have the right to be free of such treatment. In these respects, Cuban zoos are no different from zoos anywhere else.
The first Cuban zoo I visited was the Havana City Zoo. Built before World War II, it was quite modern for its day. Most animals there were shown in relatively spacious simulated natural areas appropriate to the animals in them. Instead of bars, the animals were contained by moats and steep walls to prevent them from mingling with the general public. This was the state of the art when it was built. I can remember visiting a similar zoo in Cincinnati when I was a young boy. It was the pride of Cincinnati at that time well before we began to think about the rights of animals.
Only there is a difference between the Havana and the Cincinnati zoos. Cincinnati's is kept clean and well-maintained, while Havana's needs lots of attention. In Havana the walkways and the animals' display areas were littered with scrap paper, food wrappers and debris. Each display area has a water pond, but in Havana, most of those have no water in them. I recall thinking; I wonder of those poor bears have to wait for it to rain to get a drink of water? All in all, the Havana City Zoo was a disappointment and a reminder that many civic services are showing signs of neglect.
The other zoo in the Havana area is the National Zoo. This one, in the care of the state, is in much better condition, and occupies hundreds of acres in the far outskirts of Havana. Just as open grottos were state of the art before World War II, now the state of the art is like Lion Country Safari--having large open areas simulating various landscapes from around the world with free running animals. The observers go through the park protected in vehicles. As we did so, we saw lions, antelope and water buffalo. Certainly this provides more freedom and realism. But in an absolute sense, it is still confinement.
The director of the National Zoo is a tall, personable man very dedicated to his work. Our tour was accompanied by a discussion of each free-ranging area, and we could get very close to the animals here. And the place is well-maintained without litter or mess.
As we concluded our tour, we were shown an older part of the zoo. There iron bars defined a large collection of cubicles with too many primates. At least they were well fed and cared for. It was a reminder that nothing is perfect. Today, the government recognizes that zoos need to be improved. Very recently a commission was established by the Ministry of Agriculture to function within Aniplant to review zoos and recommend improvements. It includes vets, techs, a sociologist, and Nora Garcia, Aniplant's President. It will work with the environmental authorities in Cuba to recommend the creation of needed improvements for the benefit of animals.
Thus the 23 other municipal zoos in Cuba will be moved toward and humane practice.
Les Inglis
Most animal protectionists have a low opinion of zoos. While arguably they offer some education, they subject their animals to unnatural lives of confinement and stress. Surely animals have the right to be free of such treatment. In these respects, Cuban zoos are no different from zoos anywhere else.
The first Cuban zoo I visited was the Havana City Zoo. Built before World War II, it was quite modern for its day. Most animals there were shown in relatively spacious simulated natural areas appropriate to the animals in them. Instead of bars, the animals were contained by moats and steep walls to prevent them from mingling with the general public. This was the state of the art when it was built. I can remember visiting a similar zoo in Cincinnati when I was a young boy. It was the pride of Cincinnati at that time well before we began to think about the rights of animals.
Only there is a difference between the Havana and the Cincinnati zoos. Cincinnati's is kept clean and well-maintained, while Havana's needs lots of attention. In Havana the walkways and the animals' display areas were littered with scrap paper, food wrappers and debris. Each display area has a water pond, but in Havana, most of those have no water in them. I recall thinking; I wonder of those poor bears have to wait for it to rain to get a drink of water? All in all, the Havana City Zoo was a disappointment and a reminder that many civic services are showing signs of neglect.
The other zoo in the Havana area is the National Zoo. This one, in the care of the state, is in much better condition, and occupies hundreds of acres in the far outskirts of Havana. Just as open grottos were state of the art before World War II, now the state of the art is like Lion Country Safari--having large open areas simulating various landscapes from around the world with free running animals. The observers go through the park protected in vehicles. As we did so, we saw lions, antelope and water buffalo. Certainly this provides more freedom and realism. But in an absolute sense, it is still confinement.
The director of the National Zoo is a tall, personable man very dedicated to his work. Our tour was accompanied by a discussion of each free-ranging area, and we could get very close to the animals here. And the place is well-maintained without litter or mess.
As we concluded our tour, we were shown an older part of the zoo. There iron bars defined a large collection of cubicles with too many primates. At least they were well fed and cared for. It was a reminder that nothing is perfect. Today, the government recognizes that zoos need to be improved. Very recently a commission was established by the Ministry of Agriculture to function within Aniplant to review zoos and recommend improvements. It includes vets, techs, a sociologist, and Nora Garcia, Aniplant's President. It will work with the environmental authorities in Cuba to recommend the creation of needed improvements for the benefit of animals.
Thus the 23 other municipal zoos in Cuba will be moved toward and humane practice.
Les Inglis
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