Operation Potcake, a move to control and improve the lives of stray animals through sterilization by the government and private sector animal welfare organizations, has been launched. Their goal is to spay and neuter an estimated 14,000 animals, which represents 70 percent of the 20,000 dogs on the island. The spay and neuter program seeks to improve the lot of the country's many stray and owned animals, and reverse their sometimes behavior-related negative effects on neighborhood residents and tourists.
The 10-day spay and neuter program will be carried out on New Providence Thursday, January 10 to Monday, January 21. According to experts, spaying and neutering keeps animals healthier and helps prevent diseases such as testicular cancer in males and ovarian and mammary cancers in females. A neutered male is less likely to go wandering the neighborhood when a female is in heat and will stay at home to watch your house.
A spayed female won't go into heat and won't attract all the neighborhood males. And spayed and neutered animals live longer, healthier lives. Owners of female dogs are assured that their dogs can lead perfectly healthy lives without having puppies. Kim Aranha, president of the Bahamas Humane Society (BHS), said it has long been her dream and that of The Bahamas Humane Society to introduce a program that would relieve the obvious suffering of the stray dog and cat populations."
I am so grateful that at last our groups have joined forces for this very important, environment-changing program," she said. Experts say stray dogs have the same health issues as owned dogs, but are less able to be treated. And they say spaying and neutering strays is a way to humanely control the stray population. Laura Kimble, president of Bahamas Alliance for Animal Rights and Kindness (BAARK) said the program is important on many levels for the country as a whole. "As The Bahamas is a tourist economy, a healthy-looking potcake presents a better picture to a tourist than currently encountered," said Kimble.
"The Ministry of Tourism, cab drivers and hotel front desks get many shocked guests complaining about the number of pitiful stray and sick animals roaming the streets. Operation Potcake should go a long way in improving visitor perception about how we treat our animals in The Bahamas." Operation Potcake aims to spay and neuter any dog or cat that comes in, regardless of breed. And they need the help of the community to do so.
They are asking people to register their animals and let them know about any other dog in their neighborhood that needs to be spayed or neutered. Once a dog has been spayed or neutered, it will be tattooed so that animal handlers do not bring the same one in twice. Organizers say that people can arrange to bring in their animal or a stray, or ask them to have it picked up by one of their drivers. Fox Hill, Kemp Road, East Street, Carmichael Road, Gambier, Mt. Pleasant and Adelaide are the five main areas to be covered initially. A full list of clinic locations will be made available in January.
The clinics will open daily at 7:30 a.m. and close at night with the last animal. The spayed or neutered animals generally go home on the same day, but provisions will be made for necessary sleep-overs. Organizers say they can also mobilize, and conduct clinics under tents in local parks, but they prefer to do their work in an enclosed building. And to spay or neuter your animal is free for owned animals or stray animals.
But they say donations of supplies are welcomed and appreciated. Money an be donated by using the donation button at Animal Balance's website, or writing a check to BHS or to BAARK, ensuring that you specify the funds are for Operation Potcake. Organizers of the effort are also in need of food and water for the volunteers who will work the clinics. They are also in need of time, as they will need volunteers to collect supplies, to pick up and transport animals, and to assist with registration and recovery.
As there are many ways to assist the operation, organizers said they have need of towel laundering, sponsorship of advertisement, and people to speak about the initiative at schools and churches. Volunteers from across the globe, organized by Animal Balance of Bend, Oregon, will join with the local organizations and veterinarians to spay and neuter target numbers, and Operation Potcake is the starting point for a five-year humanitarian and environmental campaign.
Operation Potcake will be followed by a new five-year plan to offer affordable spay and neuter operations for owned pets to help reduce the number of strays in the country. Dr. Peter Bizzell, president of the Veterinary Medical Association of The Bahamas, has pledged a five-year plan to continue the work begun with Operation Potcake. "Locals vets will, between them, endeavor to spay and neuter 3,000 dogs per year for the five years following Operation Potcake," said Dr. Bizzell, the founder of Proud Paws, the first organization to spay and neuter stray animals free of charge 12 years ago.
"The objective is to improve their lifestyle and longevity by removing major causes of their daily distress. Spaying and neutering strays reduces the spread of disease, and keeps the stray population healthier and happier," he said. The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources is supporting BHS, BAARK, Proud Paws, Animals Require Kindness (ARK), Pink Potcake and The Veterinary Medical Association of The Bahamas in the initiative to ensure the country-wide humanitarian and environmental initiative has the best chance of success. The general public is encouraged to volunteer time, supplies or a donation during the 10 days of Operation Potcake. Log on to: http://www.operationpotcake.com/volunteer/ or email potcake2013@gmail.com. People open to volunteering can fill out a volunteer form available at the Operation Potcake website, BHS and veterinary clinics, indicating when they will be available (dates and times) and what they would like to do.
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