AHPPA Outreach Project Visits Caribbean Coast

AHPPA Outreach Project Serves the Animals of Caribbean Coast in Costa Rica
February 2010

After a long drive we finally arrived in Costa Rica’s eastern coastal town of Limon where we had an early appointment for a live broadcast at the local radio station. We had been invited to promote the AHPPA/ Outreach Project, our spay and neuter campaign, to be held in the area over a three day period.

Part of Limon’s wildlife, in addition to the ominous and circling black vultures, are the numerous mangy street dogs; we couldn’t emphasize enough to all who would listen how important it is to have a spay and neuter campaign in this part of Costa Rica.

The thirty minute radio show allowed us to share information about the advantages of having animals neutered and spayed; time was also allowed for callers to ask questions. Although the radio show was held very early in the morning, there where several callers with questions about the Outreach Project and the surgeries and services it offered.

Following the radio broadcast, we continued our trip along the Caribbean coast to Puerto Viejo, an hour drive from Limon towards Panama. This laid-back, rustic beach town includes many Bob Marley look-a-likes, including some of the street dogs (or beach dogs) who too were sporting dreadlocks.

In the exhausting heat of the Caribbean we struggled our way through the 46 animals that were brought to the Outreach Project for castration. Several appreciative owners brought us cold drinks and snacks and cheered us for our work. Quad bikes (4×4 motorbikes) were used to transport the patients to and fro. Although a long and hot day, it was an energizing event due to the many local people displaying their care and love for the canine and feline population of Puerto Viejo.

Our final two days had us returning to Limon where we castrated another 48 animals in a Community Centre.  Many people understood the importance of having their pets de-wormed and vaccinated and requested these services as well.

Thanks to the big heart of Kim, the organizer of the Limon area Outreach Project, a mangy street dog was given a second chance. Seen roaming around town, this dog was finally caught after a heated two-block chase, her underbelly heavy with huge mammary, indicating the many litters she had thus far produced. This friendly creature was limping as a result of an old fracture, utilizing the affected leg as a walking stick. Kim decided she wanted to offer this poor dog a new life.

Kim is generously sponsoring this dog’s treatment and maintenance costs at the Outreach Projects home office: the Animal Shelter in San Rafael de Heredia. Here, she is now being treated for her skin problems and has been vaccinated and de-wormed. She will be spayed, as soon as her skin has healed, and available for adoption.

You can personally support AHPPA’s Outreach Project by organizing a neuter/spay project in your region by contacting us via email at: castracionescostarica@gmail.com

Or by making a donation at Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
Account name: Asoc.Humanitaria Para la Proteccion Animal de Costa Rica,
Account no. 100-1-040-0000431-9

Please keep informed about our upcoming projects by signing up for our monthly newsletter.

On behalf of the Animal Shelter Costa Rica,

Viktor van Marrewijk, DVM,

AHPPA Outreach Project

Last Day to Vote Pet Photo Contest

Anyone can vote, from anywhere on the planet, for your favorite pet photos.  Doing so will greatly benefit the Animal Shelter Costa Rica (AHPPA)!

All  pet photos shown on this particular Humane Society SPAY Day 2010 Pet Photo Contest  page were submitted to specifically help AHPPA raise funds.  Hover your mouse over the photos to read about each pet. Select your favorite by clicking on the “Vote for Me” button.

Note: the photos with little wings next to a beloved pet’s name indicate a Memorial Photo.

Your vote requires a donation per the rules of the pet contest but from this page you will be certain knowing that all funds generated from these adorable pet photos will be earmarked for AHPPA Animal Shelter in Costa Rica.

Visit this site:

Donate & Vote: SPAY DAY Online Pet Photo Contest

The last day to vote & donate with this Fundraiser  Pet Photo contest is Thursday, March 4.

Thank you so much for helping us raise critical spay/neuter funds for our organization!

AHPPA
Animal Shelter Costa Rica Team

SPAY DAY Online Pet Photo Contest

Already A Great Impact – Spay and Neuter Program 2010

Leaving behind the cold February winds at our clinic in Heredia, we headed for a more tropical destination. The almost four hour drive through the beautiful untouched rainforest of Death Mountain finally brought us to Dominical. Here we met up with Shawnell, Tom and Manon, the organizers of this spay and neuter project. First we visited a local farm with 14 dogs and 2 cats roaming and reproducing for several litters now. It took Dra. Laura Villegas quite some talking to convince the old farmer to have these animals neutered. But after reassuring that the male dog would really not turn into a female, and pointing out the advantages like the prevention of testicular or prostate tumors, he finally gave in. The first day we would castrate the animals we gathered from the farm and some animals in Matapalo, a small beach town, about twenty minutes drive from Dominical. It wasn’t entirely clear how many people would bring their pet to be castrated. This was the first castration project ever in Matapalo, so we didn’t expect great numbers yet. It soon turned out that we couldn’t have been more wrong: pretty much whole Matapalo was mobilized to bring anything that was furry and walked on four legs to be castrated or sterilized.

Of course the regular castrations don’t really stick to your mind after doing over 50 on one day. It’s the more extreme patients that you remember when you finally sit down. One of them was a cat that someone locked in the toilet that day. One of the volunteers found it when opening the door of the public toilet. It didn’t try to escape but just lay there. After the horrified volunteer asked me to come and see the cat as soon as I had time, I walked with her to have a look. It was no wonder that the cat didn’t move, as on first sight I could see that it’s intestines were prolapsed and covered with little black ants. Because of the seriousness of this condition and the irreversible damage to its intestine I decided to put the poor thing out of it’s misery as quickly as possible. Taking it out of the toilet and lifting its head it showed that the side of the head that was first facing down was cut by, what seemed to be a machete cut and now deeply embedded with maggots. The idea of this story however, is not to try to horrify the reader, it is merely to state how important these projects are. Apart from castrating 98 animals in Matapalo and another 34 in Dominical in just 3 days, these projects bring much more. The people in places where normally no vet comes, like Matapalo, hear about these projects and start thinking more seriously about taking care of their animals. Another great thing about going to these areas is that we can also help the more serious cases. Many times sick animals that are living on the street (or on the beach in this case) are really suffering for weeks or months, sometimes even years with severe skin problems, growing tumors or other diseases. Many of these sick animals can be treated, like one of the beach dogs in Matapalo where we removed a tumor the size of a tennis ball.

We can conclude this story saying that we made a great impact with our AHPPA Bullet Castration Program 2010. There are however still many more places to go and our mission is not over by far. You can personally support us by organizing a project in your region.

Please keep informed about our coming projects,
Viktor van Marrewijk, DVM

HSI (Humane Society International) Pet Photo Contest

The HSI (Humane Society International) started a Pet Photo Contest today that goes until March 4th, 2010.

You can either 1) enter your own pet photo and win money for yourself or 2) enter your pet photo and designate any winnings to the AHPPA (Asociacion Humanitaria Para la Proteccion de Costa Rica).

Whether you  enter a pet or not you can help by voting for the best Pet Photo! If you enter your own pet and designate the winnings to AHPPA let us know so we can help you get votes to win!

It’s good fun. To enter photo and/or to vote go to:

http://photocontest.humanesociety.org

WE CAN DO IT!! LET’S WIN THIS CONTEST!!!!!

Thank you,

Leigh and Lilian

La Negrita Goes To Live At The Refugio Senior Center For Dogs

As far as anyone knows the Little Black Dog was born in a cafetal about 13 years ago. She was often scared by loud noises. Somehow she managed to find enough to eat. Once though, she tried to get to close to some chicharones cooking in hot grease. The person cooking threw hot grease at her. She became very frightened of fire and hot things. She survived long enough to arrive at a house on the edge of the coffee field where a woman had two other dogs and two cats. She was tired and hurt. A car had hit her and one leg was broken but the woman was kind to her and took her to the doctor. She lived happily for two years until the woman died and all the animals went to different homes.

La Negrita went to live in the mountains where there was another woman with animals. This time she had a large yellow zaguate and a large weimeraner to learn to love. It took a while but they began to play together and enjoy the mountain air. They wandered all over the place exploring. Then a small kitten came to live with them and the Negrita was fascinated. They became best friends. She was still terrified of fire and loud noises but the kitten would come and lie down with her where she was hiding. That made her happy.

Then the time came when the woman had to leave in an airplane. The Negrita was used to mountain air and was getting old but still healthy. She went to try the compound for older dogs at the Refugio. There were many dogs running around loose when she arrived. They were all calm. There were even some kittens in a cage under a desk. La Negrita sniffed them and they were calm too. Lillian, the directora, gave her a shot and cut her nails. Then she sat in the office and watched the goings on with her own house and mattress right near her. It seemed like a nice place for dogs. The next day she went to live with the other older dogs. She can run free in the mountain air. She has plenty to eat and the doctor will take care of her when she needs it. She is very happy.

A Rescue With a Happy Ending

A Rescue with a Happy Ending.  A couple of weeks ago this beautiful golden Labrador was rescued after being abandon in the hills.  A friend of the refugio called to say the dog had been seen wandering for about 5 days.  He had lost weight and was in need of help.  I was able to coax him Into my car, and he arrived at the Refugio at about 4pm one  afternoon.  The Happy ending is that the very next morning, a lovely lady arrived at the Refugio and fell in love with him and took him home that has a very big yard for him to play with a couple of other 4 legged friends.  He has been Neutered and has all is shots now and is being well taken care of.  Its wonderful to meet responsible pet owners.

Dra. Gaby Wanted to Help this Kitten

Dra. Gaby wanted to help this kitten that was rescued by a loving person. These photos were taken as surgery was almost completed. As you can see by the 1 x-ray the leg was terribly broken.  After a long surgery, Dra. Gaby was able to repair the leg by putting a long pin in, which you can see in the other x-ray.  The kitten is recovering and we will keep you posted on her improvement.

Let´s keep in touch

Dear Friends

Let´s keep in touch!!!!! If you have frequent questions or information, please contact us:

spaycostarica@yahoo.com

(Espanol) Feliz Año Nuevo

Sorry, this entry is only available in Espanol.

X-mas present!

Thank you so much Francesca for your fantastic digital camera!

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