Suzan Crane reports on Costa Rica’s countless street animal population and what’s being done to help them. Originally published in Landings, Nature Air’s in-flight magazine.

Homeless and abandoned animals carpet streets throughout the world but developing nations are particularly afflicted with the lack of resources and education that lead to the epidemic. According to the U.S. Humane Society, a female cat can have up to three litters of five kittens per year, potentially producing 420,000 cats in seven years total. In just six years, one female dog and her brood can deliver as many as 67,000 puppies.

Here in Costa Rica, the problem is no less severe, but thanks to increasing efforts of people like Doña Carmen, a Quepos native who has been rescuing and caring for strays for over a decade, the crisis is being addressed but far from abated.

Carmen’s charges currently number over 85 displaced animals, but hundreds more sad-eyed creatures continue to roam the streets, barely escaping the fate of speeding cars and starvation.
Despite periodic donations and adoptions, limited funds and space has prevented Doña Carmen from completing a task even larger than her heart.

And so was born PAWS (Pets of Aguirre Welfare Shelter), a non-profit organization formed by members of the Quepos/Matapalo CR Ladies Group, devoted to providing “no-kill solutions to reduce the number of homeless cats and dogs through education, rehabilitation and re-homing”. PAWS has, since its inception, initiated neutering clinics, garnered charitable commitments from local veterinarians and spearheaded an aggressive adoption campaign.

In addition to a proposed fundraiser, PAWS is presently seeking land on which to construct a proper shelter. In the interim, funds and homes are desperately still needed. You can aid this humane mission by becoming a fan of the PAWS Facebook page or making a financial or food donation. Merely $10 will sponsor the neutering of one animal and help stop the needless heartbreak.

As Mother Theresa said: “Good works are links that form a chain of love.”

Contact: info@paws.cr; www.paws.cr