Animal Welfare: Managing Stray Cats and Dogs

Dear Supporters,

During the period of February to April, Coco’s Animal Welfare in partnership with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) had 1,230 Spay and Neuter Surgeries in Playa del Carmen and surrounding areas. They completed these surgeries to support the control of stray dogs and cats populations. The surrounding areas of Playa del Carmen represent a big challenge for the control of these populations as the large a large number of owners do not have their animals spayed and neutered for different reasons, some of which are: the lack of transportation to take them for veterinary care; low income families that cannot afford the treatments or surgeries; taboo; and ignorance on the benefits of caring about their animals. This quarter 355 animals from lower income areas were fixed, and there are plans for continued effort in outreach to increase the impact.

During the month of March, the GVI Trust’s funding was targeted to support Coco’s Animal Welfare in their outreach campaign. With the £60 funded during this month, we will support three more adult dog surgeries from the area of Invasores, where our Volunteering With Children project runs.

From the 1^st of January to August we are raising funds for Coco’s massive 9 day campaign. This campaign is being planned in the same way as previous, highly successful domestic animal spay and neuter campaigns run by Veterinarios Internacionales Dedicados a Animales Saños, VIDAS (International Veterinarian Dedicated to Animal Health) This campaign will have a potential impact of more than a 1,000 dogs and cats in Playa del Carmen. This year VIDAS has moved their Spay and Neuter campaign to Puerto Rico, where in September 2017 a huge Hurricane named Maria affected many people and animals.

The good news is that the experience with VIDAS in previous years and with the support from other local organizations, Coco´s has decided to take up the challenge and continue with the annual campaigns here in Playa Del Carmen. The aim is to keep controlling the population of dogs and cats in the area in partnership with IFAW, Planet Pethood International Puerto Morelos, and other vets, using the support of donations and volunteers will make this campaign a success.

In total this quarter the number of animals helped in various capacities were 4,191, a significant boost from the 1,888 animals vaccinated in a rabies prevention campaign in Playa Del Carmen.

The Sustainable Development Goals impacted by this program are the SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, SDG 15: Life on Land and SDG 17: Partnership for the Goals.

It will contribute to SDG 3: Health and Well-being by keeping rabies out of the region with vaccine prevention and by diminishing the number of stray dogs and cats that can carry diseases and plagues to human communities.

It will contribute to SDG 15: Life on Land by diminishing the number of cats and dogs in the streets that can kill and hunt local species, like birds, lizards, possums and other small mammals.

It will contribute to SDG 17: Partnership for the goals by promoting the collaboration between local rescuers, shelters, clinics, government and other NGO´s.

We would like to thank you for your support!

With Gratitude, 

Mexico Animal Welfare