In Caracas, and throughout Venezuela, the number of stray animals is striking. Street dogs or “cacris” live without a home, human companionship, or veterinary care. Generally the animals are unsterilized, heightening the overpopulation crisis with each season. Meanwhile, the very few Venezuelan animal shelters are packed to capacity.
To help alleviate the crisis, a group of Venezuelan youths took action, and “La Red de Apoyo Canino” (or the Canine Support Network) was born in 2005. The mission of La Red, is to share information, encourage sterilization, and find homes for cats and dogs through a network of foster homes. Through its listserve, supporters voice concerns, ask questions, and find homes and supplies for rescued pets. The Network supports a number of caring citizens who have turned their homes into animal shelters.
Notably, in Caracas, Mrs. Maria houses 30 to 40 dogs at a time in her apartment. Volunteers from “la Red” visit her each week to help her clean the house, wash the dogs, and give them walks and attention. They usually bring a load of dog food along, too. Mrs. Maria’s home is pictured at the top.
The number of stray dogs and cats in Venezuela is still increasing, but there are a growing number of active, concerned citizens who are connecting with each other and educating the public to help save the animals and give them the loving homes they deserve.
One Response
on September 18, 2008 at 7:33 pm | ReplyComandante Gringo
It will be one of many signs of concrete socialist organization on the ground, in Venezuela, when problems such as the spread of feral animals is brought under full control of society, and eventually eliminated. This kind of grassroots initiative is certainly part of what I see as socialism in action. Thanx for bringing it to our attention. It’s one more facet of venezuelan society that we now know about. However, there must be 10.000.000 urgent tasks — all competing for attention, and which have to be fully addressed — before we can truly speak of Venezuela actually being a socialist society in any meaningful sense of the word.
And of course, in a truly socialist society, every animal of any type will be cherished and loved.
