Rescuers Save 200+ Dogs From Being Euthanized In Puerto Rico

Apr 09, 2019 by apost team

Puerto Rico has been experiencing rough times in the past few years. After being hit by a few hurricanes, several parts of the island are still being rebuilt. With so many problems facing the island of Puerto Rico, many communities haven't been able to care for their dogs, as reported by AP Press.

This has resulted in an increase in stray dogs as the proper spaying and neutering procedures haven't been followed. 'Stratos' is the local word for these stary canines.

Although the island's shelters try their best to manage the problem, they are often overcrowded and forced to euthanize some of the dogs. In the small town of Caba Rojo, there was only one operating sanctuary that didn't even have running water.

apost.com

Kimberly Alboum, a volunteer with America's Humane Society, recognizes that these shelters in Puerto Rico often have no choice but to put the dogs down. In many cases, this result is better than the alternative that dogs would face on the streets.

The current economic crisis is making the situation even worse as Puerto Rico struggles to keep its head above water.

Many families are forced to leave the island in search of a better life. These contributions ensure that the number of strays in Puerto Rico continues to rise. Wings of Rescue is a non-profit organization that seeks to move canines from kill shelters to safe havens throughout North America.

Earlier this week, Wings of Rescue teamed up with several local rescue shelters for a massive project. Hundreds of helpless dogs were rescued from struggling shelters throughout the island.

All of the dogs were brought to the capital of San Juan for health checks from registered officials. After passing all of the tests, these dogs were sent to mainland America in search of a better life.

Another group of shelter dogs came from the small town of Mayaguez. This mountain town is so remote that the local shelters often have trouble finding homes for the dogs. Shelter workers were sad to see their dogs leave for the United States.

Many of the dogs had been born in captivity. After landing in Fort Lauderdale, most of the dogs were scattered throughout the state of Florida. Many of the rescued strays made it as far as New York and North Carolina.

Despite their precarious beginnings, these dogs are on their way to finding new homes and families.

While this was a special moment shared by animal lovers around the world, there is still a lot of work to be done. Pass this along to any animal-lovers you know to spread awareness!