Today, November 16, 2019, is Havana’s 500th Anniversary. The commemoration has taken place throughout 2019. The Spanky Project was part of these celebrations.
In February our goal was to provide sterilizations for 500 dogs/cats and in addition 500 deparasitizations in separate events. We even made up buttons to announce our goal.
Our Cuban team came from as far as far away as Guantanamo. Veterinary students came from as far as Santi Spiritus to join us.
Caregivers and their pets came from other provinces for the opportunity to have their pets sterilized; a service which is seldom available to them. Our international team came from Canada, Mexico and the USA.
Sterilization and education are what the Spanky Project is all about. Every day at our campañas, while caregivers are waiting for their pets, we offer educational talks on animal care, health and welfare.
It is the path to humane population control and a reduction in the number of those abandoned in the streets. The Spanky Project collaborates with CEDA- cubanos en defensa de los animales.
They educate and facilitate adoption and rehoming of those rescued from the streets. Together we achieved our goals and more.
We blew past our target of 500 with an amazing 628 sterilizations done in 6 days.
Much has been said in the past couple of weeks about Zoonosis (the dog catcher) collecting dogs in the streets ahead of the 500th anniversary. Some of the comments have been sensational and less than truthful.
Zoonosis does have a purpose. By definition Zoonosis is “a disease which can be transmitted to humans from animals.” I do not agree with the methods of collection and end of life for the street animals. There is no guarantee these methods will change any time soon. Zoonosis supports our work in Habana Vieja. They provide rabies vaccine
Dr.Luis, head of Zoonosis in Habana Vieja ,brings us rabies vaccine and issues the certificates. This supports their mission, the prevention of transmissible disease. Though the facts about Zoonosis collecting street dogs ahead of the 500th anniversary are murky, one thing is certain. They did not enter the tourist center of Habana Vieja where SP has been working to reduce the population of homeless dogs and cats. The success of our sterilization campañas are proven in this fact. STERILZATION and more STERILZATION is the path to less Zoonosis intervention.
Sterilization is what we are all about. Our feet are on the ground and our hearts are in Cuba. Help us help Cubans help their animals.