Temp shut-down for overwhelmed animal shelter
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Humane Society has said it cannot take any more animals and has been forced to close its doors as a result of an overwhelming number of animals being abandoned and left at the shelter in George Town. Having run out of space to put the adult dogs and cats, Lesley Walker, the charity’s director, said the kennels will be temporarily shut until the volunteers can find homes for the animals it currently has there. She urged people who have been considering adopting a dog or cat to seize the moment and come forward to help relieve the pressure at the location which houses lost, abandoned, abused or unwanted dogs and cats.
The director said the charity’s Facebook page or website shows many of the animals currently staying at the shelter that are in need of a new, loving home, as she explained about the forced closure.
"We have had to make the heartbreaking decision to temporarily close the doors as we currently at full capacity,” Walker said. “In the past month we have been inundated with adult dogs and cats, puppies and kittens. At this time we are unable to accept any more animals as we unfortunately do not have the space for them. One of our prime purposes is to provide a safe refuge for lost, abandoned, abused or unwanted dogs and cats.
“We are responsible for keeping these animals that are in our care as healthy and comfortable as possible and the only way to do this is to ensure that we do not house them in cramped conditions, which not only is a health hazard but is also very stressful for them,” she added.
The Humane Society shelter is a small house that has been adapted as much as possible to function as an animal shelter but it is cramped. In preparation for the future, Walker explained that the charity is examining the possibility of getting a piece of land donated and then a campaign to build a larger and better functioning shelter.
“In the meantime we are faced with the ongoing crisis of animal overpopulation in the Cayman Islands. We are asking people to please call us first before coming tothe shelter to surrender an animal so we can advise them on possible options,” she added.
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It is in an animals best interest to spay or neuter. I only noticed 1 comment regarding fixing dogs and cats. Gov needs to step up and implement bylaws. People need to become more responsible owners.
Why don't we just eat them?
Haw about turning the turtle farm into an animal shelter?
I wonder how much of the overcrowding is due to the number of people who permanently leave the island at this time of year (end of school year) and don't take their pets with them?
Instead of having used the Nation Building Fund for some imaginary scholarship for some offspring of well connected parents, we could have long time ago purchased land and built a facilty. Despite the humane society shelter being way too small when considering what they are up against, it surely is at the wrong location. Perhaps facilities up by the agricultural ground with some space for the dogs to actually run around outside would be something to aim for. That said, I would fear that building a new humane society shelter would once again lead to excessive cost so that some well connected companies can make a killing in the process………..
The politicians in charge of the building fund have a far greater compassion and love of God's votes than they do of God's creatures. Just ask him.
Recently I was walking near the shelter and every single dog must have been barking at the same time OMG …What an awful sound it was..I wondered how can the neighbors sleep with that racket..I would suggest the old ones put to sleep that would ease up the shelter a whole lot..As we all know times are hard people cant afford pets these days I know what I;m talking about i'm a dog owner I have 4 one came from the shelter..
I might suggest the same treatment for people that blast their 'music' when I'm trying to sleep.
The animals should be put down and their carcasses jurned into fertilizer for our local farmers
The bodies should be hung on the wall in your room in hell.
What about people that badly treat their animals by having them tied all the time? What is being done with them? It is cruelty to the animal to be kept tied for majority of the day.
Shouldn't all dogs and cats be mandatorily registered? That way when the stray animal gets to the shelter the owner can be notified. Or if the animal has been abused, the owner can be charged. It an animal is found unregistered the animal is confiscated and put down after a week.
I thought the humane society puts animals down? Is this no longer the case?
what of the unlawful breeders for restricted animals. Pit bulls and the other dangerous dogs? The owners of those, what is happening to them?
The questions you are asking will be addressed sometime after the second coming of Christ, and will be addressed by Christ himself as this culture would sooner grind up the poor animals for fertilizer.
Third world mentality when it comes to animals in this country.Many Caymanians take care of their pets but many more abandon them when they stop being cute and cuddly.Therein lies our problem.
This problem extend to other nationalities as well. Quite a number of guest-workers have pets that get 'left behind' when they depart.
What he hell does Dart have to do with this?? NOTHING!!!
He is our Saviour, until, you know, the One comes along.
Before slamming the Humane Society, ask yourselves why all these dogs are abandoned.
I would not be surprised if the Dart group stepped up to the plate and offered to build them a nice new hurricane proof shelter down at Camana Bay…
Why doesn't the CIG do it, take some of that 10 milion a years spent on turtle and build them a new shelter. This isn't Dart responsibilty, people alway dog them out yet alway ask them for handouts..
CNS Please can you put up a flag for sarcasm because some people dont seem to grasp the posts of others… As in poster 8.15 did not grasp that I was being sarcastic…
CNS: What icon would we use? Maybe we should have a competition.
As an icon for sarcasm, a bottle with acid written on it and a drop coming out of it.
You can simply put the word Sike or just kidding at the end of your comment, There's already enough voting buttons…On the other hand you can jusy put comments that are expected to be taken seriously…
If McKeeva had been allowed to give the cruiseship pier contract to China Harbour we wouldn't have this problem now.
Funny as heck, Lucky dogs, they didn't end up on the menu..
On the other hand very racist…
What do they currently do with the donations they already receive? Do they have a book of accounts the public can view before giving them donations?
I know – I am always donating privately and they seem to have a ton of fundraisers…does it go to sending them off-island (as I thought volunteers did this)? Or what?
Where will they send them to ? No one is going to take stray dogs off our hands. I guess we can sell them like the tires..
You are wrong. Dogs are now routinely sent off Island up to no-kill shelters in New York State and Florida. There are many happy stories of Cayman dogs being adopted by US families there. Take a look at the facebook pages of C.A.R.E. Canine Friends and the Humane Society tosee the wonderful efforts of the volunteers who rescue the dogs, raise funds to have them all spayed or neutered, vaccinated etc and once they are in good health and ready chaperone up to 10 dogs at a time to the US. But the amount of dogs needing intervention is becomeing overwhelming. Please instead of buying designer dogs for 1000's of dollars think about adopting lovable adorable Cayman Mutts..they are a joy.
I agree, however, you cannot fault someone for appreciating a breed.If someone chooses to spend 2k on a golden retriever, they are allowed.
It is up to them to take the precautions and spay/neuter the animal they have.
Again, the animal control not doing what they are suppose to do. desinger dogs being sold here for 2000-3000, but the problem here there is a pet shop doing it and the animals are poorly, I mean poorly cared for. It smells in there, they are in small cages (bird cages), numerous amounts in one pen. Very sad…we pay someone to check and to enforce the law for years, they only collected their pay check not doing anything….
I stand corrected, this is indeed a great thing the CARE is doing..Thanks for pointing this out I always appreciate it when someone corrects my thoughts with facts..
Not true. I personally know 3 folks who adopted Cayman dogs in the US.
Where's the corporate, church and government assistance?
Probably not enough votes in it. That is the only thing that motivates the PPM.
Or the UDP, for that matter.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Geese get a bigger bldg. From the time you guys been open, this is ridiculos!!
People who can't afford to feed themselves should not have animals. Stop punishing animals or stop breeding them.
Some places where people can't afford to feed themselves they eat dog meat, one probem can solve another..
I hope this comment was meant to be sarcastic. Im sure if the Humane Society could afford a bigger and better location they would have it.
How about Dart donating some land out behind Camana Bay somewhere to build a new facility, with proper dog walking grounds? Anyone?
How come people bash Dart at every chance they get, yet are always asking him to donate something from free…
Maybe they're not the same people Einstein
so are you saying you'll fund the new building? thats terrific, thanks!