Man's Best Friend
Usually these blogs are about Cuban animals or Cuban people, but this time I want to start with an American dog named Danny Boy. We came to know Danny when he was boarded at our vet's office while his master had surgery. Danny is a beautiful example of a Border Collie with symetrical black and white markings. Our vet showed him to us after hearing that his master died during surgery. We went home that night talking about adopting him, and by morning it was decided: we wanted him. When we called, his master's wife (who never liked the dog) had already picked him up to take him to a shelter.
A few phone calls later, we found Danny at Sarasota's Humane Society, and they agreed to hold him until we could pick him up. At 9 years old, Danny knew the ropes. He immediately got along with our other dogs and with our cats. We learned how smart Border Collies are when he needed only about two minutes to teach me to play toss with him. (I'm a fast learner, but he's an even faster teacher.)
But Danny does one thing better than all the other things he does--he is absolutely loyal to his master--and now that's me. When I wake up in the morning and get out of bed, he comes around the end of the bed as if to say, "good morning." Not most days--every day. When I'm writing or reading or using the computer, he's right there in sight and he moves from room to room with me always.
I heard a story about a dog in Cuba who reminds me so much of Danny. Baldo was another dog completely dedicated to his master. His master became sick and had to enter the hospital, and Baldo waited at the hospital entrance, expecting to see his master when he was discharged. Tragically, his master died in the hospital, but Baldo didn't know it.
Someone must have taken pity on Baldo and must have given him food and water, because Baldo maintained his vigil for 15 days without leaving. Finally some good soul called Nora Garcia, the President of Aniplant, Cuba's only official animal protection organization. Nora found Baldo and arranged for his adoption by a new family. Now, years later, Baldo is alive and well and focusing his love and faith on a new master.
Danny, Baldo, and countless other dogs prove every day that dogs deserve their "man's best friend" description. They'll stick with you through thick and thin--through happy times and adversity. They don't care if you are rich or poor--good looking or ugly. All they really want is the occasional demonstration of love--a pat on the head or a scratch on the neck, and they'll become your loyal friend for life.
Les Inglis
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Learning in Another Land
Learning in Another Land
We were walking up Havana's most famous old street, The Prado. The street has a large, park-like central walkway, elevated a few steps above from the lanes of traffic to either side and shaded with century old trees. Kids were playing in the walkway while adults watched them from benches on either side of the parkway. There is something special about this street with many of the buildings on either side restored. We crossed the traffic lanes and walked up the small sidewalk next to the buildings. We looked into an open window and saw about ten young children quietly reading, and my friend, Nikki, who is a teacher from Holland, spoke to the young lady who was obviously in charge of the children.
She told us in good English this was a temporary location for her library. She was teaching reading to the kids, who were all dressed in the standard uniform of all the primary grade school kids in the country. I was stricken with the perfectly quiet and obedient manner of the children. They each had a reading assignment. The teacher invited us inside the library. Books were piled on tables and shelves, and every child had a book and was reading with great interest. Except for brief initial peeks to see who these strangers were, their heads turned back to their books, and there was not even a hint of talking among the children.
I remembered my own grade school classes, and how the arrival of someone new in the classroom was always an excuse for some chatter with the other kids. My teachers seemed to tolerate this break in discipline for a short while, but it didn't happen in Cuba. No, Cubans of any age take education very seriously, and when it is time to study, no other activities are permitted or tolerated. It wasn't just this small group of readers--you could see the respect in the uniformed boys and girls at the grade school across the street from our hotel. When classes were done, they lined up for their rides or walked along the sidewalks talking politely. There were no antics, no exceptions to the decorum, even after school was out. The same was true before classes, when they all took their positions in the school yard to pledge the flag and sing the national anthem.
As we left the library and the small class of readers, there were practically no eyes lifted from the pages. These kids were completely engrossed in their books, the way any serious reader would be. Education in Cuba is a respected right of every individual. They seem to regard it as sacred, and the idea of causing a disruption is the farthest thing from the minds of the students. Surely this attitude is carried forward into adulthood for many. Cuban radio has lots of music and some drama and comedy shows, but above all, are the news programs and the didactic programs. Aniplant presents three radio shows now and one television show every week on animal protection. If Cubans want to learn something about caring for their dogs, they listen to their radios. It isn't hard to find one of Nora Garcia's little lessons about man's best friends.
Judging by the number of people who stop Nora on the street for advice about their pets, the advice she offers about animals is just one more kind of education that informs the lives of Cubans.
Les Inglis
We were walking up Havana's most famous old street, The Prado. The street has a large, park-like central walkway, elevated a few steps above from the lanes of traffic to either side and shaded with century old trees. Kids were playing in the walkway while adults watched them from benches on either side of the parkway. There is something special about this street with many of the buildings on either side restored. We crossed the traffic lanes and walked up the small sidewalk next to the buildings. We looked into an open window and saw about ten young children quietly reading, and my friend, Nikki, who is a teacher from Holland, spoke to the young lady who was obviously in charge of the children.
She told us in good English this was a temporary location for her library. She was teaching reading to the kids, who were all dressed in the standard uniform of all the primary grade school kids in the country. I was stricken with the perfectly quiet and obedient manner of the children. They each had a reading assignment. The teacher invited us inside the library. Books were piled on tables and shelves, and every child had a book and was reading with great interest. Except for brief initial peeks to see who these strangers were, their heads turned back to their books, and there was not even a hint of talking among the children.
I remembered my own grade school classes, and how the arrival of someone new in the classroom was always an excuse for some chatter with the other kids. My teachers seemed to tolerate this break in discipline for a short while, but it didn't happen in Cuba. No, Cubans of any age take education very seriously, and when it is time to study, no other activities are permitted or tolerated. It wasn't just this small group of readers--you could see the respect in the uniformed boys and girls at the grade school across the street from our hotel. When classes were done, they lined up for their rides or walked along the sidewalks talking politely. There were no antics, no exceptions to the decorum, even after school was out. The same was true before classes, when they all took their positions in the school yard to pledge the flag and sing the national anthem.
As we left the library and the small class of readers, there were practically no eyes lifted from the pages. These kids were completely engrossed in their books, the way any serious reader would be. Education in Cuba is a respected right of every individual. They seem to regard it as sacred, and the idea of causing a disruption is the farthest thing from the minds of the students. Surely this attitude is carried forward into adulthood for many. Cuban radio has lots of music and some drama and comedy shows, but above all, are the news programs and the didactic programs. Aniplant presents three radio shows now and one television show every week on animal protection. If Cubans want to learn something about caring for their dogs, they listen to their radios. It isn't hard to find one of Nora Garcia's little lessons about man's best friends.
Judging by the number of people who stop Nora on the street for advice about their pets, the advice she offers about animals is just one more kind of education that informs the lives of Cubans.
Les Inglis
Friday, March 11, 2011
Alicia and the Drainpipe
Alicia and the Drainpipe
Ballet audiences around the world from New York to Monte Carlo to Havana love her as Cuba's prima ballerina, but I love her for her love of animals. And Alicia Alonso Martínez deserves all the love she gets for whatever reasons. She has lived and danced in many places, winning fame and fortune as she stirred ballet audiences. For the animals, she has been a friend and supporter of Havana's Aniplant, the country's only recognized animal protection organization. This is a story of her love for animals.
Alicia, in her role as director of the National Ballet had charge of the National Museum of the Dance, an impressive mansion on Havana's spectacular Avenida de los Presidentes. The museum had its cat mascots, and one had had a litter of kittens. One adventurous kit explored too far and disappeared falling from a gutter into a drainpipe. When the museum staff discovered one kitten was missing, they called Aniplant for help. Everyone scrambled to find the kit, and eventually someone heard the soft calls from inside the drainpipe. The kitty was stuck at a turn in the pipe. Firemen were called, but they were reluctant to cut open the pipe on the historic old house.
Alicia, never uncertain about helping animals, gave the order: "Cut whatever you have to to save the kitty." And cut they did to find the kitten unharmed and safe. The firemen who first spotted the little creature had to pull the cat out by its tail, squawking and scratching.
All this was years ago, but the little cat went on to become the museum's mascot, and Nora, Aniplant's President, says that cat still lives there in the mansion on Vedado's most beautiful street.
This story reminds me that we think we know famous people from their public performances and their publicity, but we really don't. They all have private lives, some just as interesting as their public lives. In another example of her love for animals, Alicia was recuperating from an eye operation when she ignored her doctors' orders not to move around and took her dogs for a walk. Surely she deserves her being named a "Person of Culture" by Cuba, and not just for her dancing.
Les Inglis
Ballet audiences around the world from New York to Monte Carlo to Havana love her as Cuba's prima ballerina, but I love her for her love of animals. And Alicia Alonso Martínez deserves all the love she gets for whatever reasons. She has lived and danced in many places, winning fame and fortune as she stirred ballet audiences. For the animals, she has been a friend and supporter of Havana's Aniplant, the country's only recognized animal protection organization. This is a story of her love for animals.
Alicia, in her role as director of the National Ballet had charge of the National Museum of the Dance, an impressive mansion on Havana's spectacular Avenida de los Presidentes. The museum had its cat mascots, and one had had a litter of kittens. One adventurous kit explored too far and disappeared falling from a gutter into a drainpipe. When the museum staff discovered one kitten was missing, they called Aniplant for help. Everyone scrambled to find the kit, and eventually someone heard the soft calls from inside the drainpipe. The kitty was stuck at a turn in the pipe. Firemen were called, but they were reluctant to cut open the pipe on the historic old house.
Alicia, never uncertain about helping animals, gave the order: "Cut whatever you have to to save the kitty." And cut they did to find the kitten unharmed and safe. The firemen who first spotted the little creature had to pull the cat out by its tail, squawking and scratching.
All this was years ago, but the little cat went on to become the museum's mascot, and Nora, Aniplant's President, says that cat still lives there in the mansion on Vedado's most beautiful street.
This story reminds me that we think we know famous people from their public performances and their publicity, but we really don't. They all have private lives, some just as interesting as their public lives. In another example of her love for animals, Alicia was recuperating from an eye operation when she ignored her doctors' orders not to move around and took her dogs for a walk. Surely she deserves her being named a "Person of Culture" by Cuba, and not just for her dancing.
Les Inglis
Friday, February 18, 2011
Las Terrazas
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
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 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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
