DAWGs Do Dream

by Tom & Shawnell Parker

dream

Another sleepless night; tossing, turning, and churning with worry about tomorrow. We are closing seven of our shelters, four in Costa Rica, two in Panama, and one in El Salvador; so many unpaid volunteers out of work; a sad but celebratory day.

Our challenge has been to control the ever-expanding population of unwanted animals. Statistically that meant sterilizing seventy percent of the population every year. But when our Costa Ballena campaigns proved so successful, contributions came rolling in and volunteers knocked the doors down to help expand our efforts and reach.

It seems like only yesterday; the party at the National Stadium in San José was sold out. We had just completed our one-millionth sterilization. TV personality and longtime animal advocate Bob Barker was master of ceremonies and Cesar Milan gave tribute to the thousands of DAWG people from all over Central America for stepping up to the problem in their own community.

We are closing the shelters because they are empty. With our mobile hospital program we were able to conduct clinics wherever needed and the population of unwanted animals is non-existent. We have actually started importing rescues to satisfy the demand for pets in Costa Rica.

“Honey. Shawnell, Wake up! Someone just dropped off an emaciated mother and thirteen two-week old pups. Fernando is out of space; we need to get them into foster. Coffee’s ready. Dogs and cats are fed; cages are in the car. Go, go, go! I’ll see you tonight.” Yawn; so much for that dream.

The statistics are a nightmare. In every community of 500 people, about the size of Dominicalito, 126 spay/ neuter operations are performed every year at a cost of over $1,500. No one person makes a community dream come true.

Join the team and help the DAWG dream become a reality.

Posted in Costa Ballena, Local News and Community Initiatives, Vets and pets care and tagged , , , .