Costa Rica Pets – One Tail At A Time!

“Pura vida” is the pure life – A saying that describes the goodness of life in Costa Rica.

A move to Costa Rica is a great adventure, yet this move must be tempered with reality. Costa Rica is a developing country in Central America; even though we are better off than many countries, poverty is always right around the corner, and sometimes will land on your doorstep.

There will be adjustments when moving to Costa Rica. Part of a successful cultural immersion is coming to terms with the ramifications that poverty has on the country, its people and even the dogs. Waking up to sunshine every morning was a wonderful, easy change for me. It took a deeper shifting of the soul to come to terms with the poverty, and its ramifications on humans, the environment, and the animals.

After living in Costa Rica for almost six years, I have seen a discarded, neglected, or unwanted domestic animal almost every day. A lucky dog may find a home, food or love, but most never do. A large population of people own dogs in Costa Rica, 87% according to a study last year by La Nación (Costa Rica’s largest newspaper).

For many families, the dog provides the affordable security. Yet the relationship to dogs is often defined by physical force, fear, rancor, and neglect.

A majority of dogs live outside without proper shelter or care and although the temperature are never extreme, the rains can cause problems. Many dogs that live outside have fleas, ticks, or other parasites. In more developed nations, a net of resources are usually available to help abused or neglected dogs. Costa Rica lacks enough resources to deal with a growing population of unwanted pets.

Almost every foreigner that I have come to know in this country has at one time or another tried to help a suffering dog or cat; some dedicate their lives to helping the stray pet population A strength or weakness that I have (depending on the characterization) is the desire to save all animals from suffering. Even before coming to Costa Rica, I had a long history of trying to help animals on the streets.

When I lived in downtown San José, five ‘zaguates’ (mutts) lived across the street in a falling down house that was surrounded by a 10-foot high cyclone fence. This fortress of metal was topped with ribbons of barbed wire. Two dogs lived in the front yard, and three were caged along the side that I never saw. I only heard their barking.

The owner told me that he had rescued the dogs from the streets. My husband and I got to be friends with the two dogs. One we called Gabby for his goatee, and the other we called Blue, for his one blue eye. Gabby and Blue’s owner would disappear for months at a time. Though I do not officially speak DOG, I do have a basic understanding of the language.

Every night the dogs barked, and the three on the side (of which I never saw) joined in. My heart ached as I listened to the lonely barks; the howls even when there was no moon. Night after night, I couldn’t sleep. Since many dogs live outside in Costa Rica, many areas are inundated with barking dogs at night.

I see the difference in accepting this noise even between me and my daughter. My daughter has grown up going to sleep (and waking up) with the sound of dogs barking. I, on the other hand, feel my blood-pressure rise and my blood-sugar drop if a dog barks more than two minutes. I immediately want quiet. My daughter accepts the barking as background noise.

A woman did appear several times a week to feed and give water to Blue and Gabby. When her raggedy green car pulled alongside the house, the dogs were crazed with joy. She unlocked the gate; stomped her foot to shoo away the dogs; filled bowls of food; poured water into a soup pot, and left.

Once in my feeble Spanish, I complained about the poor treatment of the dogs. She picked up right away on the fact that I wasn’t a native Spanish speaker and told me in English that her boyfriend would be back soon. Then, she left. About once a week, Gabby or Blue would escape. While the one dog was gone galloping the city streets, the other would bark almost nonstop until his return.

In order to end the incessant barking, we had to return the escapee when he returned from his romp. My husband and/or I could return one/or both dogs back into the yard in about 10 minutes. This included dragging the ladder from the garage, finding rocks to close up the newly dug escape route, and depositing one (sometimes both) dogs back into the muddy, feces ridden yard.

Every time Blue and Gabby escaped, I did not want to return them to their life. Who would adopt these dogs at the overstressed animal shelter? Didn’t they have a home already? Many dogs were worse off than Blue and Gabby. I questioned whether I could save the world, even a little part of it.

Two organizations have been working for a long time in Costa Rica. One is the Asociación Nacional Protectora de Animales (ANPA), and the McKee Project. Each is dedicated to animal rights, education, and the adoption and spaying of companion animals. Part of my cultural awareness is accepting the path Costa Rica is on with relationship to the animals. I have learned to help when I can. Yet, there are so many more times I have had to learn to walk away.

The McKee Project is dedicated to animal health in Latin America. The Project has a core philosophy and goal that every animal they touch will have a chance at a better quality of life and that all suffering of companion animals will end. According to the McKee website, it is estimated that Costa Rica has from 350,000 to 500,000 stray companion animals. The McKee Project works towards its goal through an “Aggressive Companion Animal Population Control Campaign” of surgical spay/neuter programs, basic medical care via a linked veterinary network, education and community involvement, and replacing shelters by building “companion animal homes.”

The McKee Mission believes that Latin America does not have the resources for shelters, so the community must become involved to be part of the solution. La Asociación Nacional Protectora de Animales (ANPA) was founded in Costa Rica in 1980. The ANPA is dedicated to helping domestic animals through education, adoption, and neuter/spay programs. ANPA is a non-profit organization. The ANPA lives thanks to the work of their volunteers that have a vision to end the suffering of animals.

The ANPA says their mission is to educate the public about the physical and emotional needs of companion animals so that they may have a higher quality of life through better food, health care, and clean, safe shelter. The ANPA publishes a magazine called ‘Guas y Miaus’ (bows and meows) available at no cost at many retail locations throughout Costa Rica. The non-profit also aims to provide low or no-cost neuter/spay services and medical care.

I now live 20 miles outside of the city, and there are just as many stray or neglected dogs. It didn’t take long to be faced with another animal staring at me for help.

On a walk one day, a Collie was chained to a tree limb. She couldn’t move because the chain had become tangled between pieces of scrap metal. The dog had no water and could barely move. I bent down and peered through the fence. Nestled in a crib of cement bags were eight, tiny, black and white puppies. I was afraid to approach the mother. With my heart in my stomach, I walked home.

I was disappointed in myself and humanity. Was I supposed to save every stray or neglected dog? What was I supposed to do with eight puppies when I already spent my day chasing after a two-year old, two dogs, and three guinea pigs?

If I did nothing I knew the puppies might die. I was saddened and guilt ridden because I felt some relief knowing that if they died, at least their suffering would end. I returned the next day with my nanny, Ana. Though the mother’s chain had been adjusted so she could now reach her puppies, she still had no water and no food. I fed the mother raw eggs and gave her a drink of water from a cup.

Ana asked why the dog was being treated so badly. The family said they could not afford to keep her. My nanny said she would care for the mother and puppies until we found homes for them. I would provide the food and medical care. We returned with the van and loaded up all nine animals. The puppies were only 5 days old. Ana, who has a heart bigger than a St. Bernard, told the family (without me knowing) that I was from the Human Society. And we would be back to check up on them. She said maybe they will learn something.

Slowly animal lovers are gaining some ground. The Costa Rican government is making strides in the attitudes toward caring for domestic animals. In February of 2004, new regulations were passed by the government with the intention of bettering the treatment of animals. The Ministry of Health issued the regulations in response to public pressure for more humane treatment of animals (specifically cats and dogs). Through these regulations, the Ministry of Health hopes to lessen the rising number of dog bites that occur each year, especially against children.

The regulations state that individuals must provide proper care, vaccinations, and sanitation of animals. Owners are required to promote a healthy lifestyle such as long tethers (four times longer than the dog’s size) and regular walks. Furthermore, pet owners may now be held liable for their animal’s behavior. The challenge these regulations propose is that enforcing them will be difficult. Money is short, and every group from humans to dogs in Costa Rica need more. However, even the discussion of the problem is a step in the process of awareness.

Back at Ana’s house, a vet made a house call and proceeded to de-flea each puppy and the mother. A $100 donation was quickly used up for the medicines, food, and the vet’s examination. Another veterinarian donated the first round of shots. Since six of the puppies were females, I wanted to find help in getting them spayed. It is estimated that one domesticated female animal can leave a legacy of 61,000 offspring.*

As I sat with Shelter (the mother’s new name), I waited for the vet to apply flea medicine to each puppy. I stroked Shelter’s long nose and thought of Blue and Gabby. My daughter ran between playing kickball and checking in on the puppies.

Shelter laid her head on my knee. My soul opened again, and for a moment, I spoke DOG. She said thank you. I told her I couldn’t have helped alone. It took compassion, love, and community involvement. And, I told her; by touching one tail at a time – that is how we can make a difference.

*All eight puppies found a home, though a few did run away. I took one of the puppies (and have since rescued another street dog that followed me home while limping on a broken leg the entire way). Shelter and three of the six female puppies were spayed.

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Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.