Humane Society closes shelter doors

| 28/08/2019 | 33 Comments
Cayman News Service
Cats and dogs at the Humane Society need good homes

(CNS): After receiving nine dogs over the last few days, surrendered by owners, the Cayman Islands Humane Society has been forced to close the animal shelter doors. Given the problem of unwanted or stray dogs and cats in Cayman, the charity is struggling to cope with the number of animals needing care. The shelter is already way over capacity and staff said they desperately need to find new homes for the animals they are trying to care for in the limited space they have, and until they do they cannot take in any more dogs or cats.

In a social media posting, volunteers spoke about the responsibility that comes with owning animals. “Try seeing it from the animal’s point of view, it must be very scary and stressful to be removed from their environment,” the charity stated.

“Our shelter, at any given time, is at or way over capacity. We are simply unable to create space. Having such an overcrowded shelter also puts enormous pressure on our staff and resources. Pet ownership comes with responsibilities; it is a long term commitment and owners are responsible for their pet’s mental and physical wellbeing,” they added.

This is by no means the first time the shelter has had to close its doors. The charity has been under increasing pressure for years, with constant overcrowding and flooding of the building. But recently, the Dart Group offered the charity a 99-year peppercorn lease on a two-acre piece of land near the gallery to enable them to construct a new shelter and purpose-built facilities.

“The provision of land for community development purposes is one of the areas in which Dart is uniquely positioned to provide long-term support for established, well-run non-profit organisations that enhance our shared community,” said Pilar Bush, Dart’s executive VP for community development.

Humane Society Board Director Lesley Walker said the society is desperately in need of fit-for-purpose premises. Dart has also agreed to cover the cost of clearing and filling the site ahead of construction, but the charity will need to raise the funds to build the new facility.

In the meantime, it will continue to make-do at its current premises, which means it needs help now.

Volunteers have appealed for dog and cat lovers considering fostering or adopting an animal to help and contact the shelter as soon as possible on 949-1461 or visit the society on North Sound Road in George Town.

The Cayman Islands Humane Society is currently not accepting any more animals. The shelter is FULL. Only in the last…

Posted by Cayman Islands Humane Society on Wednesday, 28 August 2019

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Comments (33)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Cayman has a significant transient population, I’ve seen this problem in other countries, but in these places all strays were rounded up an euthanised or culled in the wild. Sadly there’s no easy solution. Ban expats on work permits from owning pets? That’s not going to happen. Not saying this is the whole cause of the problem but it sure is a major part of it.

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    • Anon says:

      7.24pm It may be part of the problem but most expats adopt their dogs from the Humane Society after they have been abandoned by locals.

      • Anonymous says:

        And when they leave what happens? I don’t think most bother to take the pet with them.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Surrendering pets is should not be classified as abandoning them, whether you are local or an expat. This decision is probably the best a person can make, if it is not what they expected as in time and finances.

          When expats are speaking of “cultural” behavior by locals whom own pets, just remember that generalizing all locals as abusers is the same as the generalizing all expats as using pet adoption and volunteering at the HS for PR points. Maybe the latter should be more scrutinized as most of them do not take the pets back with them for various reason including country regulations, cost and simply not interested. Hence, they are returned to the HS.

          With that said, the key point here is funding for the new location, any ideas for that instead of finger pointing????

  2. Anonymous says:

    It would really help A LOT if more landlords would allow pets. It’s nearly impossible to find anywhere to live with a pet these days.

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  3. Anonymous says:

    People PLEASE spay and neuter your animals! It’s not cruel like many of the islanders think. It’s to prevent unwanted litters. Please do it for the love of your friends. It also prevents most cancers by neutering and spAying! 🐶😸

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  4. Anonymous says:

    Perhaps it’s your culture! I’m a born and bred multi-generational Caymanian and grew up loving and caring for animals. Presently have 3 pets (one just died) and all are well loved and cared for! Seeking to adopt another soon to replace the one we lost.

    Heartless people exist in every culture and society, it is NOT a “cultural” thing to hate and abuse animals. It’s a mental and moral issue and its strictly personal!!

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  5. Anon says:

    Humane Society please sell the land you were given in west bay and build a new unit please

    Not sure the board of directors have a clue what they are doing

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    • Anonymous says:

      They don’t have a clue That’s why there are so many different animal charities on island. Most volunteers start with the Humane Society and then move on to others or start their own when they see the incompetence and waste of resources. If all of the animal charities came together they would achieve much much more. I have volunteered with the organisation of events for the HS and, whilst the intentions of the volunteers is great, the oversight of the board is sorely lacking. Funds raised for transport, buildings and for various projects have all been squandered and it’s the animals that suffer

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    • Anonymous says:

      Lest we forget, they’re going to getting a GOOD piece of facility from Daddy Dart. Soon it’ll be better to be a dog than a human in Cayman, woof woof!

  6. Anonymous says:

    If the CAVO and local vets were made to enforce the Animals Law, the prohibited breeds wouldn’t be breeding and clogging up capacity.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Definitely, however not just prohibited breeds..anyone who breeds a companion animal(dog or cat) is supposed to be licensed to do so. Government has never enacted the Law into law, so licenses can’t be issued, and offenders can’t be prosecuted! Its beyond ridiculous.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Change the Animal Control Law so those who want to adopt a prohibited breed or a mixed breed (which is just about all of the dogs at the HS), spay or neuter it, make it part of their family, travel back and forth to Cayman for holidays and medical treatment can do so. I cant adopt a prohibited breed if I cant travel with it and the Law wont let me bring it back to its home country. It is a born and bred Caymanian dog though no fault of its own.

  7. Anonymous says:

    For years, the current directors have overseen the loss of investment and development. They live in a wonder world of keeping unadoptable dogs alive in faclities that are way below the minimum for any dog. This is an island at capacity and growing animal population, by closing their doors they are condeming adoptable dogs to euthanisia at the DOA. It is a never ending revolving door. Even if they built a new venture, they would just fill that up, Why are the dogs not being shipped off every week to US locations, or have they screwed up those relationships as well.

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  8. Anonymous says:

    well done caymankind.
    the humane society sums up everything about cayman….expats cleaning up the mess made by locals.

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    • Anonymous says:

      And your country is so perfect🤣..

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      • Anonymous says:

        no…but why not address the issue at hand?
        two wrongs don’t make a right.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Not perfect but way better at least as far as treatment of animals by the locals. We put people who abuse animals in jail. Really. We put people who abuse people in jail. Its a way better country to live in. But that’s just my opinion.

    • Anonymous says:

      Smh

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    • Anonymous says:

      Agreed 8:06! Cayman needs to take responsibility for its own actions and the truth is many Caymanians dont care about animals. They see them as objects or a convenient way to guard there homes and not as the loving companions they are. And before anyone tells me to “go back to my own country” I am a Caymanian so accept the criticism.

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      • anonymous says:

        It’s our culture.

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      • One love says:

        Be sure to state your own neglect of pets as well before you criticize Caymanians on a whole. Whether you are Caymanian or not you probably should not deserve to be one or have it revoked with this kind of comment. Not all expats love pets and treat them right and not all Caymanians do. Let’s be thankful for the expats and Caymanians who put in extra help to assist in caring for their own pets and helping out at the humane society.

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    • Anonymous says:

      You’re kidding right? You do realize that a lot of pets that are returned to the humane society are pets that were fostered and adopted by expats until they leave the island which at that point they return the older animal to the humane society.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Exactly, this is a island wide issue for locals and expats. They are both to blame. Quit the unnecessary insulting and criticism. They are people who love animals and treat them right and others who don’t. That’s it.

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      • Anonymous says:

        9:16 I can guarantee that 9/10 times dogs that end up in the humane society are because of locals. People don’t neuter/spay their pets or purposely breed them for profit then dump the ones that didn’t sell. You look through the media and the majority of cases of cruelty are Caymanian based. The puppy farm that had over 50 dogs living in squalid conditions – by a Caymanian. Dora who was set on fire – by a Caymanian. Another male dog doused in fuel to “fix his flea problem” – by a Caymanian. And that’s just naming a few. Also most expats if they have to leave take their pets with them or try there hardest to find a new home for them. I’m not saying that all Caymanians treat their pets poorly. I know many that love their pets. But I’m afraid that the majority of cruelty or neglect cases are caused by Locals. And those who say that the expats who walk the dogs at the shelter for “residency points” are delusional. These people are passionate animal lovers that want to help. Blaming expats is the route of many problems here.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Expats always talking crap about what they do for Cayman.
      Let me be very clear. Everyone of you dog walking people did not do it just to walk a dog. It was to get that letter that claim that you did charity event for Points on your resident application.

      After Ivan a lot of you claim that you help build Cayman.
      I can guarantee you as well that a lot of you took advantage and went from Pizza to Plywood. (Cayman term for those that deliver pizza one day and next day doing construction business).

      Stop this foolishness about expat cleaning up for Cayman. They only do things that get them the document for points. If they love walk dogs so much and care , how come after they get the legal papers they do not continue to do the services as charity.? If they did the shelter would not be short staff.

      And as everyone know, The walk a dog scheme was being looked into , so it was not as useful anymore as more of the applications was approved. No need to walk dogs anymore.

      Now the new thing is to make a little investment into business, apparently that option has more points. Soon to be abused as well.

      There I said it.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Your hate has betrayed you. But not the kindness of others.

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      • Anon says:

        9.40am I spends a lot of time in a town in Devon, although I live here. There are a very large number of dog owners and every one of them walks their dog every day even in bad weather. All dogs need exercise and appreciate the chance to bond with their owners. The owners also all carry plastic bags and collect any mess their dogs may deposit. This is because they love their dogs and are responsible members of the community. They do not do this to collect “points”. How many Caymanians walk their dogs daily and carry a plastic bag?.
        You are a disgusting Caymanian to suggest all good deeds are carried out by expats for this reason. There are thousands who have status or permanent residence who continue to volunteer their time and money for good causes in the local community.
        There are also many Caymanians that do the same, but then there are some like you who can only preach ignorance, shame on you.

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    • Anonymous says:

      You need to STOP and look at yourself. What kind of person are you to make such a comment. Completely unnecessary.

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