Animal Welfare Peru Project #33162

PAWS for Change: Help Roaming Dogs in Peru

by Globalteer

PAWS for Change: Help Roaming Dogs in Peru

Project Report | Apr 13, 2023
Helping Street Dogs in Cusco, Peru

By Jim Elliott | Project Leader

A handful of pups!

The PAWS animal Welfae Project

The PAWS project was created to reduce the suffering of roaming animals in Cusco city and surrounding villages, as well as address the underlying issues that contribute to their numbers. The Mobile Veterinary Clinic works in rural villages around Cusco where there is no access to veterinary care and there are high numbers of roaming dogs. These villages contribute to the roaming dog population in Cusco, as residents take puppies into the city to sell them, and they often abandon them there, if sales are unsuccessful. By taking veterinary care to villages where it is otherwise non-existent, we help reduce suffering from common diseases. Free neutering in the villages controls future dog and cat populations, in turn reducing the perceived need for culling or other inhumane population control methods. Additionally, education to change human behaviour towards animals will improve animal welfare and care in the long term.

It is rare to see old dogs in villages

By the end of last year, we had carried out regular visits to 32 communities and shelters. Our teams carried out nearly 3,000 health-checks for the animals registered with us. We also neutered 279 animals, around 66% of them female. Only 6% of the animals were neutered and most had never been vaccinated.

The age range of the animals was very telling. Of the newly animals registered in 2022:
0.8% were over 10 years old
3.4% were over 5 years old
15% were over 2 years of age
80% were under 2 years old.

This is due to the unhealthy lives of the dogs and cats as well as many dying young from accidents, poisoning and disease.

Helping Dog Rescue Shelters

We now regularly visit 7 rescue shelters to provide the animals with healthcare and neutering. This has proven to increase adoptions of their dogs. Few people in Cusco want a female dog as they do not want to deal with litters of pups, so it is much easier to adopt a spayed female. Similarly with male dogs, a neutered and healthy dog is preferable for people to adopt.

Along with the health of the animals, we have been working with the shelter owners to help them improve the facilities at the shelters and therefore improving the quality of life for the dogs. We have provided many mattresses for the dogs to sleep on. We get the mattresses donated from hotels and then prepare them for the shelters. We are also planning workshops for all the shelter owners to help them understand the needs of the animals in their care.

Without a doubt, last year of many challenges and achievements that could not have been achieved without you. You've already made a valuable difference in our community. Keep an eye out for future updates about how you've helped.

Helping the dogs in rural villages

Bringing his cat to the mobile clinic

Joining the queue for healthcare

Children are often the carers for the family dogs

Bringing a box of pups

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Dec 19, 2022
End of year update for PAWS

By Lena | Project Leader

Street dogs in Cusco, Peru are a common sight in the city's streets and plazas. These dogs, known as "perros callejeros" in Spanish, are often seen wandering the streets and begging for food.

While some may view these street dogs as a nuisance, they have actually been a part of Cusco's history for centuries. In fact, it is believed that the Inca people kept dogs as companions and used them for hunting and guarding.

Despite their long history in the city, street dogs in Cusco face many challenges. Many of these dogs are not spayed or neutered, leading to overpopulation and increased competition for food and shelter. This can also lead to aggression and fights among the dogs, putting both dogs and humans at risk.

In recent years, efforts have been made to address the issue of street dogs in Cusco. Local organizations, such as Paws have implemented spay and neuter programs to help control the population of street dogs. In addition, PAWS offers medical care for street dogs in need as well as dogs in shelters.

Overall, street dogs in Cusco are a reminder of the city's rich cultural history and the bond between humans and animals. While their presence on the streets may be challenging, it is important to recognize the efforts being made to address their needs and to find solutions that benefit both the dogs and the communities.

We have expanded our work to support more dog shelters by providing healthcare and neutering to their dogs and cats. Many shelters in Cusco are overpopulated and underfunded so our free services supporting the welfare of the rescued animals is vital. With this great need in shelters, we provide general veterinary health, deworming, vaccination scheme, vitamins and veterinary consultations.

In the shelters we have also had the support of our volunteers who have worked hard to keep the animals clean, healthy and, most importantly, restoring trust in the human being through games and lots of love. We have also been able to purchase a number of beds for the dogs so they can rest and sleep in comfort.

We have also been working in areas known for having a high level of birth and large populations of stray dogs and cats. This can be challenging as our work needs to be with the community leaders and people to educate them on caring for their animals and responsible ownership of dogs. We have been knocking door to door, handing out leaflets and talking about the importance of neutering animals to slow the population growth and limit the number of dogs suffering on the streets.

Without a doubt, it has been a year of many challenges and achievements that could not have been achieved without you. You've already made a valuable difference in our community. Keep an eye out for future updates about how you've helped.

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Aug 18, 2022
PAWS: Knowing our Scope

By Daniel | Director of Development

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