This was my second time visiting the Galapagos in the past five years, but after working with DAD, I have completely re-programmed my mental impression of the archipelago. From a cruise ship, the islands seem desolate and eerie—the only thing you hear are the sounds of water, wind and animals. On the other 3% of land where thousands of people reside, you will hear cars, music, air conditioners, and barking dogs. People carry out daily chores, make a living, raise families, and have no intention of leaving anytime soon. Pets are very popular, but the idea of them is misunderstood and outdated. If you want a puppy, you can have one. Can’t or won’t keep it inside all day? Chain it up in the backyard, or let it wander the streets until dusk when it comes home for dinner. A very laissez-faire approach for a laid-back locale.
But as a vet student, I worry about the whole situation, and so does DAD. Dogs shouldn’t be wandering where there is so much car traffic. They shouldn’t be pestering wildlife, but how can this be prevented with no one babysitting them? Importation of dogs and cats to the islands is prohibited, yet why is the average age under two years? New litters of puppies and kittens are a weekly event. There is a hesitance among the public to sterilize their animals, and we cannot blame them. Often an owner would reason that she didn’t want Fido neutered either because she wanted to keep him intact as a guard dog, or she was afraid of the surgical procedure. The first reason sounds reasonable, but it is false, and it will not help the pet overpopulation. The second reason was usually followed by a story of a past pet dying or having complications after surgery, which was rumored to have been performed by non-licensed individuals in the past.
Bringing a veterinarian into the web of intertwined Galapaguenos, their pets, and the wildlife was a smart decision. On our campaign this past summer, we treated 500 animals, many of which would not have sought out veterinary care if we had not walked from house to house offering free de-worming treatment. Parasites and other preventable diseases are so common in these cats and dogs, that many puppies and kittens don’t survive their first month. If puppies and kittens weren’t so expendable, and we could make owners more attached to one or two sterilized pets that they keep in their yard or home, perhaps we wouldn’t see so much illegal importation of animals. By forging stronger bonds between owners and pets, and taking animals off the streets, we can worry less about diseases such as Toxoplasma and Leptospirosis, could be transmitted to wild animals, since their habitats overlap.
I felt strongly about our mission to kick-start the veterinary care of these animals. Getting the word out to owners in the towns was generally well received. Once we visited a home with pets, told them about DAD and the free care they could receive, it was very likely we would see their pet in the clinic that very afternoon. That would be a small success for us, one that was repeated many times in our two-week campaign. For now, we have to go to them, but once owners are more educated in what their pets need and the impact that they have, we hope that DAD continues to build a base of clients willing to come to the clinic on their own accord.
Catherine Stevenson, Vet Student, University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School
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