Road crossing request

| 07/07/2016 | 34 Comments

Cayman News ServiceAnimaliberator writes: As a frequent road user, I noticed more of these fabulous yellow solar powered flashing road crossing indicators going up in various locations. Great! Love those things, keeps pedestrians a lot safer crossing busy roadways. However, several attempts to have one of these placed at the Humane Society has pretty much fallen on deaf ears over the years.

Now that we have these solar powered units, very easy to install, bolt them down and done, ready to use. No need for white lines on the road in this case either, as it is just to suit the Humane Society but not a general crossover as such.

I now once more request that the government installs one set of them at this most critical point where virtually nobody wants to stop to let caregivers and their dogs cross the street for some well-deserved and needed exercise, both human and animal alike for that matter.

More so, as this road has become quite a speedway at 35mph but usually a lot more than that as most of us will know.

If not for the dogs, do it for the caregivers that are attached to the dogs. They have to cross four lanes with very excited animals ready to fly if they could. Could there be a better reason to protect life and limb as quite a few souls have nearly lost their lives as a result of this in the past.

In the hope that maybe one fine day the Humane Society may obtain a much better location than the one we have now, we’ll give them back to be used somewhere else.

Sounds like a win-win to me!

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Comments (34)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    11:55 Are the feral cats being de-wormed and treated for Mange as well? They must eat more to feed those worms…..

    • Anonymous says:

      I think they get a manicure, pedicure, fur cut, shampoo and blow-dry, a red bow, given $100 bucks and sent on their merry way.

      11:55

  2. Anonymous says:

    Now if everybody who has an opinion and ideas would actually do something and make it happen!

  3. Anonymous says:

    Whilst I see merit to your argument and request to add infrastructure, the only people and animal to primarily benefit from this are the dog walkers and dogs. May I ask you and other proponents of this crosswalk what is wrong with using Sound Way as a dog walking route? I realize that Sound Way does not have a sidewalk that extends the entire length of the road but to me this is obviously less hazardous than running the gauntlet across the 4 lanes of North Sound Road.

    • Anonymous says:

      I suspect its because Sound Way doesn’t have the undeveloped space across the road does. – NB I am not a HS dog walker but drive the area occasionally.

  4. Unison says:

    Could it be that location of the Humane Society is by Sound Road and NOT by a big hotel or establishment like on W.B. road … Hence it is not ideal for a fancy road crossing?

    And we are talking about dogs and cats … you know.. way lower than the white rich tourists. :/

  5. Anonymous says:

    A 1 billion dollar budget ! You need to ask for a overhead bridge not a cross -walk

  6. Anonymous says:

    I’ve just heard tonight that it is definitely in the works that Dart is going to give them land and build them a new bigger and better building, so i guess they made a deal with him with trading the Town location, not sure how because i think the lady who donated the building and land who is passed on stated they couldn’t sell it or something? Maybe she meant it was for the animals well being, so maybe a new bigger and better building on a large piece of land could legally alter the will from that lady as long as the animals benefit no matter where?

  7. Anonymous says:

    There was a proposal some time back to move the shelter aspect to near Northward Prison where the government owns substantial property. The concept was that the Prison could in turn select suitable prisoners to assist with caring for the animals. The thrift shop could stay in or near George Town.
    What happened to that idea? It seemed to make a lot of sense.
    A ‘pedestrian crossing’ isn’t the solution; it’s a high-strength pain killer to a condition that needs attention.

  8. Anonymous says:

    Hahaha

  9. Anonymous says:

    Does government have a money mill or what? Why is it Mr. Dart’s responsibility. The humane society can start raising funds and I am sure tgst the Dart Group would be happy to make a contribution as wil many many other people.

  10. Anonymous says:

    What a silly idea. Why don’t they come out of the human society compound and turn left then left again st Sound Road where there is much less traffic. It would be ludicrous to stop traffic across 4 lanes coming off and approaching a round about. Better yet why not try raising funds for better positioned a accommodations. I realise they do a great service but please don’t expect the impossible.

  11. Anonymous says:

    Humane society needs to be relocated. Someone is going to get killed crossing that 4-lane road.

  12. Anonymous says:

    Id like to see a 5-10 second delay from when they push the button to when they are allows to cross.

  13. Anonymous says:

    You would think that Uncle Dart could find it in his heart to donate some of his land (he owns all of it) in the Savannah area to the humane society for a new shelter. The dogs need a shelter that doesn’t flood, they need quiet roads and they need fields to run in off the leash.

    C’mon Uncle Dart lets see you do something for the puppies.

    • Anonymous says:

      Uncle Dart offered them land on the bypass area if they give him the current location. So he only wants a deal. (Also that area by the Bypass is polluted by the Dump and stinks! so that would not be a good location either with air and ground pollution, still alot of traffic up and down and cement factory dust everywhere.)

      I do believe they desperately need to move to a more calm tranquil less polluted place rather than be by a busy “highway”. They are in a bad location currently. The animals in the pen outside have to breathe in car fume carbon monoxide all day long, it’s terrible. And the flooding times are horrible situations there. And the animals are in a tiny space with hardly no outdoor area. They need to MOVE! Not get a traffic crossing light, jut MOVE! Give the animals a larger place to run around outside without leaving the premises. All these years go by, they should have moved a long time ago. For the sake of being humane to the animals, they need to move to a better and bigger location. They can always open their thrift store in Town and keep the animals in the “country” side to speak. The animals don’t have to be where the store is, that is a myth and totally unnecessary.

      I hope change comes soon for the Humane Society, it’s long overdue! Industrial park is developed now and been developed for quite some time now, it’ not the old time Cayman. They need to move now. They really do.

      All these animal charities in this island is a disgrace. This island is too small, there should only be one animal charity collecting all the funds for a bigger and better shelter for the animals. The Humane Society is the only one that has a shelter, the rest solicit for funds and don’t give any to the Humane Society. The Humane Society is the one with the shelter and should be the only one allowed to operate as a charity. The other animal charities should be shut down by Government or open a shelter. All they are doing is robbing the Humane Society of needed funds to operate a bigger and better shelter.

      Such a disgrace! I wonder if all the funds they collect even help the animals, they have NO shelter to show for it!

      Close them all down and let only the Humane Society get the support for the only Shelter on island! No shelter, no charity license!

      All of this happened because they get into arguments about how to run the shelter and then branch off and make up their own groups until now we have a few different animal charity groups on this island, but only ONE has a Shelter. The Humane Society.

      Shut down all the other animal charities if they don’t build their own Shelter, SHUT THEM DOWN!

      These other no shelter charities are causing cats to suffer all over the island. They come out and catch them and fix them and return them to suffer with no owner, no food and their natural instincts altered by spaying/neutering them, They are starving all over the island. That is what they do because they have no Shelter for them. And the ones who have the shelter and need the financial support, all these other animal charities are taking away funds that would be going to the Humane Society who has the Shelter.

      It is appalling. They claim they care about the cats but return them to the wild to starve, while they pat themselves on their backs and say oh look how we care so much! They don’t give a crap. Disgusting!

      I’m so sick of the hypocrisy some of these charities do. I wonder where all the money goes that they solicit in the name of these charities?

      • Anonymous says:

        Your points are valid. Returning neutered/spayed cats to the wild is pointless and causes terrible havoc to local birds and other wildlife.

      • Rhett says:

        …..one does have a Boutique Shop in Boddentown, too. Your explanation of only donating to the Humane Society makes sense, indeed, as to why there are no funds to build a new, much needed Shelter at a better location. Perhaps use Facebook to get the word out? The word will ‘get out’ to Tourists as well. Dart, what a surprise….The present location would bring them great value!

      • Anonymous says:

        If these animal charities did nothing about spaying and neutering the feral cat population what do you suppose will happen? That’s right genius they will breed and then there will be more cats out there “suffering”.

        What do you expect the animal charities to do with the ferals before or after getting them spayed and neutered? The CIHS is overflowing with cats at the moment and there are simply not enough homes for them all. Would you prefer that the ferals are caught and euthanized?

        By the way, their natural instincts are not altered by having them spayed and neutered. Trust me I know a thing or two about cat’s behaviour both domestic and feral cats.

        I think you will also find that there are lots of caring people on this island who feed the feral colonies so many of them are well looked after once they are released.

        Instead of bashing the animal charities why don’t you come up with some fundraising ideas, suggestions on how to control the feral population, go walk a dog at the CIHS or play with the cats, educate those morons who neglect and tie their dogs up with no food, water or exercise.

      • Anonymous says:

        I guess you haven’t volunteered with any of these organizations or you would know what hard work they do and how each and every one of these animal organizations is working to save dogs and cats in the community. You would know that there are too many dogs and cats on this island and there are people trying to save as many as possible, but there are others that don’t spay or neuter their animals and let them run free and inpregnate others. You would know that it feels like a loosing battle of trying to save them all and with the number of hard working volunteers out there, that should not be the case. I had 11 feral cats at my house because my neighbor did not want to spay or neuter her cats. With the help of one of those other organizations, I had them all fixed, but guess what, I didn’t get all of the cats in our neighborhood fixed so, the population continues to grow. BTW, I continue to feed them all. Speaking of the Humane Society, I have seen a dog that was hit by a car and left in the street for months suffering and ignored, I have seen a dog whose back was left with a chop mark from a machette, another with a paw that was partially chopped off, one that was so weak from fleas and ticks that it need a transfusion and could barely walk after a week of recovery. You think the charities are disgusting, well, I got news for you, the people who would do that to their animals are the disgusting ones and we volunteers are paying out of our own pockets to try and help all of these poor suffering animals.

        And lastly, I was feeding 2 dogs on the side of the road last night and a car came by and the dogs started chasing it, the car didn’t stop and was close to running over one the dogs. I yelled at him and he tells me to get them off the road. Like I could. So, instead of slowing going up the road, he puts a foot to the gas and came so close to running over that poor sweet animal. Thankfully, the dog was not run over but that shows you how unkind some people are. I don’t think if he did run over the dog he would give a crap about the dog or what he had done.

    • Anonymous says:

      And if they do something then everyone will complain he is taking over everything. Humane Society has been in this illogical space for ages, why haven’t any of US done anything to help them?

  14. Anonymous says:

    I think to your point that this is no longer just a small road, it doesn’t make sense to me to have a crossing on a four lane road. I think the Humane Society should move to somewhere more suited for the needs. Surely, a company out there can help them accomplish this, maybe the gov’t maybe can chip in to? If the Humane Society has to stay where it is, then gov;t should build an overpass walk way, I just don’t think a cross is appropriate here.

  15. Anonymous says:

    If you put a crossing near the Humane Society it would obviously have to be across both sides of the road. This would mean stopping traffic coming off the roundabout. At busy times this could stop the roundabout from working properly with traffic backed up on it. A better suggestion would be to move the Humane Society to a proper building with a large area for the animals to run around and in an area that doesn’t flood. Who is willing to start the ball rolling?

  16. Anonymous says:

    I think this is a fair request and Government should take heed.

  17. Anonymous says:

    Has the Humane Society considered moving to a less-trafficked, more-country setting, say near to the Dept. of Agri in Lower Valley?

    • Anonymous says:

      perhaps if they had the building and the land that would work. However, the dogs would then be out of sight, out of mind and they are struggling to find homes now for the many they have that no one wants or people abandon.

  18. Anonymous says:

    “Animal” and “welfare” are mutually exclusive concepts where our government is concerned.

    But the Humane Society facility is in a terrible location and cross walks will not change that fact. Time to raise money and move. Maybe Dart can help.

  19. Anonymous says:

    Agree 100% This is an absolute must. The volunteers and staff who walk the dogs have enough on their plate already trying to get each pup some exercise throughout the week without having to worry about dodging cars too!

  20. Anonymous says:

    Can the dog walkers not take the dogs down Sound Way?

    • Anonymous says:

      Good point, but my guess is that the dog walkers would rather not venture into the “hood”. Pity, since I’ve personally met some of the kindest people down that road. A certain establishment might also benefit from being a convenient refreshment stop along the way for walkers and dogs alike.

      • Anonymous says:

        The “hood” has other dogs running about, as well as a narrow road and traffic for the dog walkers to contend with. The street across the road has very little traffic and so it is easier to walk the dogs.

  21. Anonymous says:

    Move the dogs. There’s ‘no’ space left for them in that area. You have needed a place with more land for dog walking – not on a main road – for years. The recent road upgrade is just making it obvious even to you. (Yes I read your throwaway last part.)

    Government – please do not block up the road at that particular point any more than it already is.

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