MISERY IN PUERTO RICO

 

WHAT:  Street dogs (“satos”) in Puerto Rico suffer a miserable existence.  They are everywhere – in gas stations, hotels, streets, gutters, etc., etc.  Despite the admirable efforts of a few local groups, it seems that the Puerto Rican government does not care about the dogs or about stopping the epidemic.  You can read much more at www.saveasato.org.

 

WHAT YOU CAN DO:  Write to Puerto Rican officials and tell them that you won’t support their economy with your money so long as they ignore the suffering on their streets.  Puerto Rico wants very much to become a “destination,” a premiere vacation spot for American tourists.  Let them know that won’t happen until they clean up their act.

 

SAMPLE LETTER:

 

May 2, 2002

 

Congressman Carlos Romero-Barceló
2443 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515

 

Re:  “Satos” in Puerto Rico

 

Dear Congressman Romero- Barceló:

 

I am writing to express my great disappointment with Puerto Rico.  My friend Christina Johnson spent nine days there in December, and told me that most aspects of the trip were enjoyable.  However, there was one blatant problem:  the stray dogs. 

 

As an animal lover and dog owner, it is incomprehensible to me how a government and a culture can be so cruel and uncaring about the plight of the poor and defenseless creatures that roam the streets.  My friend spent much of her time in Puerto Rico crying, trying in vain to forget about the suffering that was all around.  How do the government and people of Puerto Rico expect to market themselves to the world’s tourists as a premiere vacation destination when the streets, gas stations and parking lots are filled with emaciated, sickly, pathetic little dogs, begging for scraps of food and a little affection? 

 

A government with any sense of duty and compassion, or any public relations sense, would do everything it could to promote and enforce mandatory spaying and neutering, animal protection services and public education campaigns.  The answer, of course, is not to just “round up” the animals and destroy them – that would be barbaric, and a temporary fix to a long-term problem.  The answer is to make animal welfare a visible top priority of Puerto Rico and to commit the necessary resources to finding humane solutions to this epidemic. 

 

Until such time as the government and people of Puerto Rico demonstrate a lasting commitment to this goal, I refuse to spend any of my hard-earned money there and will encourage my friends and family to go somewhere else for their vacations.  Thank you for your consideration of this important problem.

 

Sincerely,

Jane Doe

cc:

Honorable Sila M. Calderon
Governor of Puerto Rico
Capital Building, Ponce de Leon Ave.
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00901

Senador Charlie Rodríguez
Presidente, Senate
El Capitolio
San Juan Puerto Rico 00901

Edison Misla Aldarondo
President, House of Representatives
El Capitolio
San Juan Puerto Rico 00901

Director of Tourism
PO Box 4435
Old San Juan Station
Old San Juan. PR 00901