Spaying and neutering cats and dogs is maybe not the first thing that comes to mind in strategies to help the wildlife. If you consider that there are almost 1 million stray dogs in Costa Rica and that dogs can have up to two litters of puppies each year and cats can have as many as four litters of kittens in a single year, then you know population management of cats and dogs is a big deal. Not only for the cats and dogs, but also for the wildlife.
Over 150 species of wild animals as well as birds are threatened by cats and dogs and some are now extinct because of our canine and feline companions. Predation is the biggest threat followed by the transmission of diseases. Dog attacks are the second leading cause of death to sloths in Costa Rica due to the sheer number of free dogs roaming and due to defragmentation of habitat because of human development. Sloths often resort to crawling on the ground to travel between trees in urban areas. During this vulnerable situation, it has no way to defend itself against a dog. If the sloth survives the initial attack, secondary infections from the bite wounds often are fatal. Reducing the population of free roaming (stray and pet) dogs by spay and neuter programs is reducing the number of dog attacks on wildlife in Costa Rica.
As the economic impact due to the COVID-19 pandemic is huge and times are even more tough for low-income community members, the cat and dog overpopulation problem is growing.
Spay and neuter clinics to control the population of cats and dogs is a multilevel solution.
- Prevention of animal welfare issues by keeping the amount of pets in one’s care manageable
- Raising welfare of the individual animals (getting a basic health check-up) and eliminating medical issues like injuries related to sexually driven cat and dog fights
- Reducing the chances of wildlife getting attacked or injured by free roaming cats and dogs
Spay and neuter clinics are a win-win for pets, humans, and wildlife!
AABLA is supporting low-cost spay and neuter clinics to help control the population of cats and dogs.
Join our support in financing these valuable spay and neuter clinics and make a donation.