Animal help in the Dominican Republic - for a better cooperation between humans and animals

Dear Friends and Donors,

somehow the days and weeks have drifted away – and now it’s already the 1^st of December – high time to give you an update on our activities.

We spent September taking intensive care of some extremely difficult cases; Salomon, Blanca and further hurt terrapins, then the sad message of bereavement in my closest family reached me. Two days later I was sitting in a plane to Germany; not only to give emotional support in Berlin, but also to sort everything out on-site.

Buschi (my husband) stayed behind alone in Las Terrenas with all the animals (and the associated problems...) – thank God Puschel (see NL 14) had been taken in by our friend Nicole, who looks after the old stinker lovingly and has given him a permanent home in his old age. Thanks to Puschel’s sponsors his (medical) supply is ensured.

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Mäuschen (in place of all animals) and me (still with a bandaged head) – by the way, over here the beautiful red-blossoming Poinsettias (Christmas stars) get tall as trees...

Our separation lasted for four weeks, four weeks during which Buschi among other things fought for Isabella’s life (see report here and Sponsorships), sadly, he lost the fight...
Isabella died, because of the repeated thoughtlessness of people using herbicides. What makes me angriest about this is that these poisons were banned and forbidden a long time ago in Europe and the USA. So why do the manufacturers still sell them to Third-World-Countries where they are available to every child??? Are the people, the animals and the nature here third-class and therefore dispensable, doesn’t it matter if they perish due to poisons??? Can you expect people who can neither read nor write to handle toxins responsibly???
Isabella’s painful death was so unnecessary and we grieve for this caring, sweet dog.

Poor Isabelle – her life was already difficult enough at the start, we would have wished so much for her to have a long and happy life in her new family... This photo was taken back then, when she and her daughters Chivi and Duchesa were picked up for their neutering.

Unfortunately there were two new cases of distemper as well that where so serious, that we couldn't save the animal’s lives. Life can be so cruel sometimes...

When I returned to Las Terrenas after four sad and hard weeks in Berlin, another blow of fate struck. I had probably brought a “souvenir” with me from a check-up in a German hospital: Staphylococcus aureus – a typical hospital germ. Since my immune system wasn't that strong at the time, I promptly fell ill.

What started off as a little pimple on the back of my head, grew into a huge carbuncle – don't ask about the pain... – finally I had to undergo surgery in a hospital in Santo Domingo. After 10 days and 4 surgeries (with general anaesthetics) I was allowed to go home again. Because Buschi is medically experienced, he took over nursing me and caring for my wound. This was two weeks ago and I still have a large hole in my head and associated pains. It will take a long time until I have completely healed, but I see things positively (because it could have been more worse), I now try to live even healthier (e.g. by quitting smoking after 32 years!!!), Buschi’s love and the animal’s love give me strength, I am full of drive and already occupied with planning the next spay/neuter campaign... ;-)

Salomon and I – being ill is a drag...

The hole in my head behind a gauze pad – those who want to see the „scary“ details,

 please click here (ato your own risk) ...

It is planned to take place in Las Terrenas, La Yagua and Sanchez for two weeks in February/March 2012 Vet Nina and an assistant will be there. We still have the terrible pictures from Sanchez in our heads (see NL 14) and even if we only make it to approx. 100 castrations (a fraction of the female dogs and cats that have to undergo surgery), it will still be a start – a start that saves lives...

There is so much to do in the poor fisherman's village of Sanchez, because there is so much misery for the numerous animals...

To give you a better insight into what a difference your donations are making, web master Christian and I will take special trouble and put pictures of the castrated and treated animals in our online donation calendar after every working day.
Further information here: Donation Calendar

On the sponsorship page there are also still some (also newly introduced) dogs that are in desperate need of permanent financial support. For only 10,-€/14,- US$ per month you can offer them a better life.
Further information to be found here: Sponsorships

I can hardly believe that the year is coming to an end – with all the work we have been doing the time feels much shorter to me. When I look back on the past 12 months, I see

• many healthy, happy and fixed animals
• people (no matter of what nationality) that showed courage and committed themselves to a good cause
• that we are very much closer to our goal to offer the Dominican animals a good and species-appropriate life in their natural surroundings
• and I see very much love on all sides...

Of course there were negative experiences as well

• when we couldn't save the life of some animals, despite our effort
• when yet another animal was abandoned, abused, poisoned or run over
• when nobody stepped in to prevent sorrow and misery
• when eyes closed upon this world and voices fell silent forever...

I thank all of you with all my heart for keeping faith with us this year and for supporting us so wonderfully. I wish you a peaceful festive season with your loved ones and your animals and a good start into the New Year.

Whole-heartedly
Yours Miriam