Spay the Strays

Nina

We are now a family of 2 with 3 four legged kids. Max and Kyle our amazing cats and Nina is our new 2 month old, rescue dog. Nina was found in a nearby town of Nanci. She had strayed away from her litter, and as the story goes was hit by a car. She now runs like a rabbit, and has truly stolen all of our hearts. She is the sweetest dog I have ever owned.

Stray animals are just something the Panamanians live with. Garbage dogs or Tinakers as they are called roam the streets, our yards and the highways in search of their next meal. The stray population was getting out of hand, until one lady Pat Chan took to the streets and started a veterinary clinic which focuses on Spaying Panama.

Allan and I volunteered last Sunday at one of the local Spay and Neuter clinics, which is called Spay the Strays. It was held in Gorgona and I had a blast. I helped to greet the cats and dogs which arrived with their owners (mostly Panamanian) at a specific time. I weighed them and tagged them, and did the best I could with my broken Spanish to assure the owners that their pets would ok. "No Duele" it doesn't hurt I said more than once to the kids who covered their eyes as their pets were anesthetized.

What I was most impressed with is these Panamanian families saw the poster, called the number and made an appointment to spay their pets. Most of the families brought on average 4 or 5 cats and dogs. They put some money in the donation jar, and at that moment became responsible/accountable pet owners.
Allan helped to carry the sleeping perros and gatos to and from the operating table. It was a stifling hot morning, but we all didn't care, we were there for the 4 legged furry friends and their owners.

The following is a feed from Playacommunity.com illustrating the success of the day:

Spay the Strays held a spay and neuter clinic in Gorgona last Sunday, June 21. This was done in conjunction with Spay Panama, who brought in 9 vets and 11 assistants, all who were volunteers. Spay Panama trains vets and vet technicians in on-field spay and neuter techniques. Many of the volunteers had travelled from the United States to learn. For these folk it certainly is not a vacation, since on Saturday they operated on 89 animals in La Hermita, packed up and hauled all their equipment to Gorgona - set up, and sterilized 99 more dogs and cats on Sunday. The volunteers sleep in tents and on cement floors with limited facilities during the course of the events. Their unmatched dedication is met by local Spay the Stray expat volunteers who work with Spay Panama as a team in an attempt to control the population of unwanted animals in our local area. Spay the strays funding supported the mobile blitz held in Gorgona.

Our little Nina will be off to the next clinic which I believe will be held in El Valle in July.

Spay the Strays is funded by donations and volunteering. To support Spay the Strays contact Sheila Scott or Mary Rhodes sheilalouisescott@gmail.com , fugoweefarm@hotmail.com





Abrazos,

Karyn