Dear Editor,
Visit Antigua – home of 365 beautiful beaches; the beach is just the beginning.
I have visited this beautiful island a number of times in the past 15 or so years. The beaches are wonderful, the people friendly but every year, I am seeing more and more of the underbelly of the island.
Is it getting worse or did I just not pay attention? Two pictures which appeared on Facebook, this past week and today, are the new tourist attracting photos now.
I am sickened and angry. I have seen these poor dogs kicked, run over and treated like street rats by islanders. Why?
I went to a beautiful beach the last time we were there, enjoyed the water and the food but was shocked by all the puppies running around.
Their poor mothers were barely more than skin and bones, starving for food.
I see the dogs hanging out at the supermarkets begging for scraps.
It is just heart breaking.
I have seen the work of the humane society and the Dogs and Cats of Antigua with Joy Farrell but the task is futile, never ending.
The abuse seems to be accepted and I don’t see any programs to urge people to spay or neuter.
I have also heard rumours of dog fighting deep in the bush at night. This is insane. I’m sure tourists would love to see that. Put it on your brochures and crystal beach websites. Just a side attraction of cruelty to animals.
Someone mentioned the air lift of puppies to the UK, USA and Canada. These puppies are given a chance of a good life and if you don’t like that, spay or neuter your dogs.
It’s a band aid solution to a big problem.
I don’t like it either.
There are lots of puppies looking for homes in these countries but rest assured, they are not left on the street to fend for themselves and die.
The rescue places in Antigua are filled to capacity so what else can they do?
The puppies have a chance for love.
Give them that chance but work on a better solution.
I hate to be spending any more money on tours, restaurants etc.
My tourist dollars are now going to these people who work hard to save these poor souls.
I would rather spend my money on dog food and the cost of spay or neutering. I don’t want to see this abuse anymore.
In the progressive countries, if you had a dog that looked anything like either of these, you would face steep jail time, a huge fine and a lifetime ban on pets. What is Antigua doing? Nothing!
It is appalling.
Take a page from the book of the Netherlands:
In the country of the Netherlands, they had a stray dog problem too.
They wanted to fix the problem, so they began with mandatory spays and neuters, all of which were free of charge and paid for by the government.
Each and every dog also got free medical exams and vaccines when needed.
After this was deemed to be successful, a new law was passed that protected animals, as well as animal welfare.
The new law encouraged owners to provide pets with adequate treatment and to eliminate abuse.
If the owners don’t abide, they could be punished with up to 3 years in prison and a fine higher than $16,000.
The country ran campaigns to raise awareness of the stray dog problem. The campaign was a huge success as it led to 90% of the population adopting a stray dog as a pet.
They also created a group of policemen who are in charge of protecting the safety of dogs called, “Animal Cops“ (Dierenpolitie).
Today, puppies living in the Netherlands are not only living comfortably in homes, but they’re also accepted in most of the country’s stores, restaurants, and other establishments.
Notice that it started from the top – the government!!! Where are you Mr. Browne? Is this what you want your country to be known for?
Maybe a country that not only has pristine beaches, crystal clear water but holds a healthy respect for the animals and their welfare.
Come to Antigua – home to 365 abused dogs a year; the b*tch (female dog) is only the beginning!
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Just wished the Netherlands was treating Syrian and Iraqi immigrants as well as they treated stray dogs.
DEAD DARG PRINGLE a way u???
Huh…what gives. With all the starving kids in Africa, you are giving animals your money?
The stray dog problem in Antigua is HUGE. It is fairly large throughout the Caribbean. If I had my way, all dogs not microchipped would be slept away. Sterilization helps but thats a whole Ministry by itself…so until I can be the change, I just encourage people not to allow their female dogs to wander. And to find homes for the 1st litter then spay them.
Starving kids in Africa??? Watta lie!! Homeless bums in Trump country
Why do you see this in Antigua? Because Antigua is populated by monkeys, not people. Those who were slaves will always remain slaves. They cannot treat animals well. They will never have human consciousness to do so.
Cry for help: Many of us Antiguans are suffering just like these stray dogs and also are in need of assistance.
But..it is a fact that there is an increase in strays all over the country..I’ve seen it for myself.
Brixtonian is back to tackle hypocrisy again.
Here are the countries still engaged in the slaughter and hunting of defenseless animals and creatures:
UNITED KINGDOM kill foxes, stags, boars, hares and deers for sport/fun.
UNITED STATES currently have 23 States that allow hunting – and the list is exhausted, I haven’t mentioned all of them:
The beautiful white-tailed deer; moose; elk; javelina; prong horn; musk ox and caribou, again mostly for sporting and hunting practices.
EUROPEANS hunting animals is also fair game with deers (roe, fallow and red); mouflou; pyrenees ibex; eurasian beavers; chitals and lynxes.
So whilst I agree that Antigua has an issue with the welfare of dogs, however we do not kill animals for sport, fun or hunting away days with mates.
Again, stop the finger 👉 at Antiguans and Start cleaning up your own backyards in your own countries.
WESTERN HYPOCRISY AT ITS FINEST …
Furthermore, in the UK in Essex on the 5th August 2022 (according to Essex Live News), 20 puppies were dumped in a box in a lay-by.
THE ABANDONED 20 PUPPIES WERE REPORTED TO HAVE WEIGHED LESS THAN A BAG OF SUGAR ACCORDING TO THE ANIMAL WELFARE CHARITY THE RSPCA.
The pictures are even more horrific than the one shown on the ANR thread recently. Absolutely awful!
SEE FOR YOURSELVES … AND MAYBE YOU’LL STOP LECTURING US ABOUT ANIMAL CRUELTY!
@Brixtonian, what does anything you wrote have to do with animal crulity in Antigua? It’s like you’re looking for fight where there isn’t one. Just because other countries commit animal crulity doesn’t make it ok here. I’m beginning to think you’re one of those people fighting dogs in the bush.
If you had an inkling of intelligence @ Jane Jones, you would realise that I am highlighting the out and out HYPOCRISY of people like you who get on your “moral” high horses without acting on the same said animal welfare issues in other countries.
Why is that Jane? Why?
And explain to me what you mean, by me giving out stark FACTS and FIGURES it somehow equates to “looking for [a] fight”.? How strange …
Sounds to me that you don’t enjoy OPEN and HONEST debates/discussions, unless it all one-sided and goes your way.
Strange don’t you think, in a so-called vibrant democracy @ Jane?
NO, I DIDN’T THINK SO …
Oh, and your take on the 20 abandoned puppies (that you totally ignored) in the the UK in recent times is …
AGAIN, THOUGHT NOT, YOU OUT AN OUT HYPOCRITE!
“cruelty”
@Brix .. get a life.
Resorting to soundbites now I see … 😁
While you were at it, did you take a picture of the vagrants on the street? The mentally challenged ppl? Where you’re coming from, human trafficking, child/ drug abuse, racism, ( blacks been killed just because of skin color) Among many other underlying issues.
I totally don’t agree with dogs been abused/ starved. Cost of living is high here, ppl struggle to feed themselves and provide proper healthcare and education for themselves much less to have a pet. Do you know to cost to neuter? Do you know the cost of Dog food? Do you know the cost of vet visits and dewormers?
It’s sad that you choose to put what you felt like placing on your social media page without thought as to effectiveness or your accusations you so boldly write about. Pictures you choose to post. Didn’t see pictures of the gorgeous beaches you love so much. Lemme guess, you ran out of gigs. Come back to ANU for a year, he’ll stay where you are and start a GoFund Animal Care Page in ANU.
Go check your history books. Oh shoot, I forgot slavery is not taught to you, for fear of stirring up the past. FYI dogs were used to keep us in line and drag our asses back to our masters. Hey psychological event’s could very much play a part in one’s taught process.
I take care of a friend’s dogs . I love dogs, my apartment doesn’t allow for dogs. When I can financially afford to feed and house a dog I will. In the meantime I will continue to help kids in need cause their paramount at this time.
Your response is filled with assumptions and prejudice toward this writer. Are you assuming they live in the United States? Are you assuming they are white? Are you assuming they are blind or ignorant to the plight of human suffering? Are you assuming they are blaming YOU specifically (since you talked about your apartment not allowing pets etc.)?
@Brix … while you’re finding something to do with your life, I’ll be out trying to save and feed the abused animals in Antigua, something I’ve been doing for over 50 years.
I’m a proud Antiguan who believes more should be done to protect animals on this island. It’s a disgrace. Last you’ll hear from me on this subject, I have humanitarian duties that need my attention.
You have no idea about the work I do in the community at large you ignorant so so … good riddance!!!
Jane Jones, Brixtonian is a troll, always looking for attention, ignore him!
He will not do anything about the situation in Antigua for humans or animals, just deflect from reality.
Take me on in a debate of YOUR choice @ Commenting – I dare you, I double dare you!
I’ll take you to the cleaners as well 😉
I am a dog owner and lover who was born and resides in Antigua. Let’s take a look at the reality: there are too many stray dogs in Antigua. While there are spay and neuter programs, they are not as easily accessible to poor locals. The behavior of some animal welfare groups towards locals has also lead to lack of cooperation, so dogs and cats populations alike have become a problem. The treatment of dogs in particular is a learned behavior that needs to be addressed. We do need programs to address stray dogs and reinforcement of laws surrounding licensing. The animal groups who play Doggy God and just take up dogs because they think they know the whole story also need to be regulated. There are actually instances where dogs and cats are sick and don’t look as they normally would despite treatment and anyone who has nursed a sick dog back to health knows what I’m talking about. We do keep most dogs chained in the yard here. I have a dog that stays inside and one that stays outside. Because of social behavior one of the dogs is best kept in a dog house. Those who came here from other countries need to understand that this isn’t the UK, US or Canada. We are not ever going to be like those countries and in some instances people need to simply mind their business. If an animal is being outright abused and starved, I see a huge problem. That is something that our government should address. Stray dogs on the street need to be removed regularly and those that can be re-homed should be. I would very much like to see the false narrative about the majority of Antiguans abusing dogs change. There definitely is an issue with too many free roaming dogs that damage property and then don’t have an owner when they do. What I suggest is actually doing a census of some kind to verify the dog population and differentiate between stray dogs and dogs who have owners. With actual data maybe we can then fix the problem and people who came from other countries and were welcomed by our hospitable people even when their countries don’t return the same courtesy can stop acting like they are the only ones who love animals, when the way they way the behave tends to suggest that they don’t love human beings.
Well said @ Antigua First. A reasonable and well balanced response to all the animal naysayers about Antiguans not caring, tarring us all with the same brush without stepping back and looking at the bigger picture.
We don’t have the same finances, policing of animal or the wherewithal like major developed countries.
Well highlighted …👍🏾
All you people who love dogs more than HUMANS needs to go out and get the stray dogs and keep them for yourselves. Leave Antiguans alone about dogs! Y’all think poor people in Antigua can afford to treat dogs better than themselves? There are hungry and homeless humans in Antigua, just like dogs. The Antigua government cannot even provide what is necessary for its residents and you think they should be providing for dogs?
Bringing your foreign dog loving shite on ANR as if that is supposed to make Antiguans behave like y’all when it comes to dogs. In America, they are still using dogs to control Humans, especially black ones – I’m quite sure that not a problem for you.
Here here @ WTF, I couldn’t have put it better … 👏🏾
@WTF There are many Antiguans who Love dogs as much as “foreign dog loving” people.
You people write a lot of crap. Don’t write on behalf of anyone else but yourself.
And for your information some dogs have a better behavior than humans.
So what many of you genius people are saying is that because humans are suffering leave the animals to suffer and help people?
HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE? Stupid people.
Stupid like you momma for having a dog loving ass. Do you think I’m going to help a suffering dog before a suffering person. Take your dog loving shite elsewhere – the majority of Antiguans aren’t going along with y’all dog shit. I know some of y’all dogs are y’all man. Dirty bitches!
Is the Bible the ONLY book you have ever read @ Nonsense talking? Seems so …
Poor animals. Id prefer to see human beings in that condition
. I féed stray animals. Go out of my way to help them, but human beings…no way.
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