The Puerto Rico I Love

Puerto Rico can only get better is she cherishes what is good about her.



The high rollers go to the casino and the expensive resorts; that’s not the tourism dollar that goes into the community beyond the shore. I can’t afford much of that and it’s not my lifestyle.
I can only tell you why we fell in love with Puerto Rico.

The pure physical beauty, shore, mountains; I kept tripping over my tongue saying, “Oh, my!” like it was an original thought.


The culture is gracious, polite. With permission is the way of saying excuse me here. I love the courtesy with which the Puerto Rican people treat each other.


Music is everywhere and there is dancing in the streets. It sounds so cliché, but when you actually see dancing in the streets; it makes you smile from way down deep.

A part of the culture that you won’t see in the resorts is the horsemen on their Paso Finos. On Friday night rides just like days before you can hear the clip, clip, clip of dancing hooves. It’s history; it’s romantic. The first time I saw a man riding down my road on a horse was a complete “waah” little girl moment for me.


We’ve been to the bio bay, looked for manatee, love the art museum in Ponce. The small things are the most wonderful. On route 129 there is a roosting tree for rather large white birds. The pure white birds against dark green foliage, that’s it for me, the oh, look kid moment.


Where ever we go we see dogs.


Hello Puerto Rico It’s time to be practicing safe sex. You can’t pick up all these dogs. Where are you going to put them? A shelter for 200,000 please!


Anyone can read about the mass murder in Puerto Rico. Perhaps we could look at another island with a long history of tourism. In Athens the health inspected, vaccinated and collared street dogs are popular with tourists.


Wouldn’t that be fun to say in Puerto Rico? SPAY IS THE WAY.

Visit Puerto Rico See the Beaches and the Dogs

Hello Puerto Rico if you want to improve tourism, SPAY IS THE WAY! Zero population growth for the island dogs! This could be a dog lover’s dream vacation if the island cleaned up her act!
The spirit of Puerto Rico is in these dogs living impoverished lives in the back drop of the most beautiful place in the world. They have grace even in adversity and sometimes not.

I would like people to come to get to know the Puerto Rico I know and love. It includes cool dog rescuers, who would gladly show tourists around the beaches so they could see the dogs. Donations from tourists could support rescues or FOICCA programs.


Mostly it includes some of the coolest and most unique dogs I have ever met.


People around the world are doing cool things with dogs. The more we train with a dog, the more together we become. I knew a lady who trained in agility, that dog always wanted to live in her head constantly. The brilliant Border Collie wanted the rush they both felt in the harmony.


The show dog looking into a handler’s eyes plays the beauty pageant dog role like a star. Dog lovers are everywhere and so are great dogs.


One of the things the island has taught me all over again is the importance of socialization. I thought I did a good job with Shaker the Golden Retriever waiting for us. With what the Satos teach me, maybe not.


If the dogs were actually controlled: spayed, vaccinated, collared, etc.; the island economy could be stimulated by tourists wanting to take more than a tee shirt home.


If the Department of Tourism wanted to hire someone passionate about this issue; I am available. A Boricua friend of mine said the PR tourism office would hire a hack, before talking to me. Please, prove my friend wrong, give me a hollar.

Puerto Rico Beaches Island Dogs

Let's face it, if you come to a Caribbean Island you are going to see some free ranging dogs.
Would you prefer to healthy, vaccinated dogs wearing government coded collars or skinny, mangy mutts?
Peurto Rican people can be counted on to feed the dogs if their numbers don't overwhelm them.
These dogs are cool animals. Cheryl, a good friend of mine from Illinois told a story of the dogs in Nevada being the same no nonsense attitude as the people she encountered. Dogs seem to same the same spirit as the people. How often, do we say such and such dog is just like------!
Cheryl asked if I thought that the dogs' temperament was reflective of the easy going, fun loving island people. Hmm, she hit the nail on the head.

Some beaches in the overcrowded end of the island have dogs that look miserable. These are the dogs which will cause you to cry. Donations to groups like www.amigosdelosanimalespr.org/ will rescue dogs from deplorable conditions.
Elsewhere on the island hard working veterinarians, like Dr. Gwen Davis of the Pet Vet in Isabela are working full time to neuter animals. Her hard work must be paying off.
When you go to the beaches on the northwest end of the island, there is usually only a couple of dogs here or there. It's fun to make friends with the dogs when there's a couple to a few at most.
If you pick up a bag of food on your way to the beach, you will be doing an honest good deed for the day. :) It's a Puerto Rican tradition, since man and dog came here.
Don't be surprised if a beach king ignores your offering. Good dog loving islanders take leftovers to the beach after dinner. They visit enjoying the some of the most beautiful coast in the world, while feeding their beloved "Satos".
If you fall in love, I feel a song coming on; forgive me!
That's better, if you fall in love Dr. Davis can get your new friend ready for travel. That lady wants nothing more than the island dogs finding a good forever home.
Personally, I love the island and I love the dogs. I am a dog lover! Te amo Boricua!

SPAY IS THE WAY

Puerto Rico cannot become Auswitch Island for dogs! As long as the population is controlled these people can continue to live with their dogs as they have historically! This is not new; this is how people have lived with dogs since they've been roaming the island.
Living in 2010 we get to make a choice. Do we want to kill them off? Do we want to spay them?


I say, "Spay is the way!"
There are not enough shelters in Puerto Rico! These bitches are breeding every heat cycle; we can't wait for that.
If you want to learn something you didn't know about dogs come to Puerto Rico. Dogs have a barking language, a society that when its not compromised by over population is stable and fascinating. This is the best behavior lab you will ever see!






For those of us interested in dog behavior, this is a gold mine. I am starting to see more of the effects of scarcity of resources as the dog population in my neighborhood grows.
If any of you, who read this blog, are interested in helping, I need advice. I need help in figuring out how to help these dogs. I am not asking for money! What I want is your input on what steps to take next.
Here is what I have so far:
1) Hook up with van MASH units. Who are they, where are they?
2)Central Supply- What equipment to we need to treat sick dogs,
    spay, euthanize as necessary? How much will it cost per spay?
3) Medication- Antibiotics? Anesthesia, Vaccinations
4) Funding- Where do we go? I am getting that pilot projects will be necessary
     to prove ourselves.
5) Donations of vaccine, equipment.
6) Volunteers-
7) Collars- color coded for the year the animal was picked and vaccinated.

8) Vets to do the deed.
This is the beginner list, please, give me your thoughts. If any of this happens it will be because a bunch of caring humans got together.


Thanks!!

Puerto Rican Lemonaide

Every day we go places on this beautiful island; we see dogs joined the ranks of the many Puerto Rican people feeding the Satos, the feral or island dogs. It’s a national past time; these people do love their dogs. This is a good society to be so broke. To me that says huge wonderful things about the people, El Corazon!

For a serious dog lover this is the opportunity of a life time. I get to meet some of the wisest dogs I have ever met in my life, yes, I said wisest.


How else can you say street smart without giving it a negative connotation?


In the states we are dysfunctional with our dogs at the opposite end of the spectrum from here.
We worship and adore these critters to the point we’re telling them they can get on our laps, if they’d only get up and give us space on the couch; then we take them to school to learn who the boss is. Smirk.
Thank heaven; we also have some pretty great trainers in the states! You’ve got to see how schizophrenic puppies must get when raised in the trip from worship & adore to you had better do what I say, now. And we didn’t see it coming when spoiled critters go from worshipped to what the f—are you doing to “King”, I have teeth; SEE!

In my behavior practice I have worked with the Kings, Princesses about to be dethroned. I won’t get into the psychology of a nation of loving people looking for a safe vessel for their love. We have found that in dogs; that is until we start looking for a little r-e-s-p-e-c-t.
Some of us create our own little monsters; that’s no surprise.

Adopting a Puerto Rican street dog is the answer for the respect starved mush mellow dog lovers. These “Satos” are respectful and submissive; so many skinny dogs follow me as I walk away from the food to give them space to eat without a stranger hovering.

The hardest thing for me about meeting, greeting and feeding island dogs is that I fall in love over and over again. I want them all.
Even an old salt like John Saccenti, Pres. of C.D.I., New Jersey who told me he encountered only nice, friendly dogs when touring the island with Tim Vazquez. John said that based on his experience the Puerto Rican Island dogs were a pleasant surprise. This was a lovely compliment coming from a man who trains animal control officers.
I want to that John and his organization for the lovely badge; it looks good on me.

Congratulations for another fine course in Puerto Rico, bravo!



HELLO PUERTO RICO, tourism opportunity here; it will be so much fun!!

Dog Drama in Lares Mountain Side

In the mountain town of Lares a lady started feeding stray dogs. More dogs came; she started keeping them in her house. The house was full of dogs; she would no longer let family in to visit. She became ill and then add insult to injury; she was evicted.


Suddenly all of these dogs are back on the street waiting for this woman to take care of them. Animal Control Officer, Alma Febus to the rescue; she, alerted authorities, organized the capture of perhaps forty-five dogs and assisted the neighbors in an effort to feed the remaining dogs.


One of the neighbors wrote on my face book news page that about twenty of these dogs were taken to Villa Michelle, which is a good shelter in Mayaguez where the dogs have a shot at being adopted before a lethal injection. The other twenty-five were picked up by the municipality. In some municipalities, that may mean they don't get past go and no two hundred dollars. For dogs that are sick or suffering, it's a blessing. What about the ones that aren't sick or suffering? A meager existence is still an existence.


Auswitch Island for dogs is my nightmare, but that does not negate the good many people are doing here or the love of the well intending.

This past week Animal Control Officers Natalia Vega, Alma and I hiked up the mountain to see the make shift shelter the retiree tried to put together, so she could keep her beloved dogs. We tried to assess how many dogs are still in the area. In my opinion a credible current count is almost impossible as the dogs have scattered.


What I do know is that the large number of dogs defecating on the roads in front of homes is a health hazard.


An island wide organized spay week twice a year will go a long ways towards getting control of the animals in a compassionate way befitting an island with the enormous heart of Puerto Rico.


The island's reputation and tourism would benefit by some good public relations. If we invite young veterinarian students about to graduate to the island to help, they'll feel happy about the good they are doing.


After graduating these people with well paying careers will return to Puerto Rico where they have friends and warm feelings.


Tourism opportunity here, HELLO, PUERTO RICO.


Taking care of our dog problem doesn't have to mean murder. We don't have the shelters; let's use what we have. Every neighborhood has dog lovers, who will get involved.


F.O.I.C.C.A., ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS OF PUERTO RICO can lead the way.

Drive The North Coast

Thursday we went to San Juan to see my classmates from the Animal Control Course and pick up my badge.

On the trip home the expressway was crowded at two in the afternoon, wall to bumper traffic. We needed an adventure. In Barcoloneta we found the 681, this is the Puerto Rico we want to see miles of Atlantic coast line. Family love is the core strength of the island, so when we stopped for a beverage the first thing I found was a father teaching his sons about caring for their pet while teaching it to swim in the ocean.

 

I get shy about stopping places sometimes; that’s my head trip. One thing I’ve found is that this is a formal society, they greet each other. In the Midwest where we come from you state your business, get to the point. When I greet people with, “Buenos Dias.”, they know I’m not from around here. Most people respond to me in English. People are very friendly and most helpful.


When you get away from the tourist haunts, you will notice that this is not a rich island; don’t let the sometimes poorer dress or condition of cars give you concern. The wealth of the island is in the natural beauty and the soul of the people. We could not figure out how to get to the Arecibo light house. I asked a man in a tattered shirt which way, this delightful gentleman tried to explain in Spanish. He could see by the look on my face, I was not getting it. He waived follow me, hopped in his beat up old truck, a few miles later we were at the lighthouse. This is the rich heart of the island people.

One thing you can do to make them happy is to occasionally pull over to let the parade of cars behind you go about their business.

Puerto Rico What Are You Going To Do?

This isn't the picture of Puerto Rico anyone wants to see. Because there is no island wide sterilization program dogs are everywhere procreating.

Wonderful, caring people do the best they can to help these dogs. They are the dog saviors. In Lares there was a lady who lived near the garbage dump, which apparantly is a favorite place to drop off unwanted pets or maybe they gravitate to the smell. This lady started feeding the dogs before long she had many, many dogs. It took most of each month's retirement check to keep them fed. She lost her health and then her house. The dogs are back out in the street.

Shelters have picked up most of the dogs. Villa Michelle a private shelter has taken many; they are wonderful. The municipal shelters all too frequently, pick them up and kill them. Euthanizing is not animal control; it's murder.

Dora Morales, the very kind woman pictured with her favorite spoiled darling has been feeding the dogs until they are rescued or put down. She gave us a tour of the area, so I could document what was there.

 A dog running free here or there can be considered a part of the culture. It has a certain charm, but large packs of malnourished mangey dogs speaks so

poorly for this island. How much does the tourism industry have to spend to counter act this negative publicity

Would the best public relations be to show the world Puerto Rico cares by sterilizing these animals. Animal lovers of the world would support that; ask Athens.