Help the straying dogs in the Dominican Republic

  Hi! I am Sugey Pena. I reside in the Punta Cana area in the Dominican Republic. This area is wellknown for its picturesque settings and attracts tourists throughout the world. Although the place is charming, the people living here do not take good care of animals, especially the dogs. Most dogs live on streets and they obtain their food from the waste in garbage cans. Therefore, the majority of the canines are in ill, weak, and undernourished conditions. Also the female breeds are not neutered and this causes a significant increase in number of wandering or straying dogs every year.

How do I help these poor dogs?

3 months back, I started giving fresh water and dog food to straying dogs. At the moment, I have a group of about 80 dogs who wait for me on each day. I travel to 6 different places regularly by riding on my buggy and take fresh water and bowls of food for my canine friends. At times, I spend the entire day for this purpose. Since I am a married person, I have household duties to perform. Therefore, feeding the dogs regularly often becomes difficult for me. I intend to construct some sheltered places for my canine friends which will protect them from rain. I will arrange for fresh supply of water and provide them with few pounds of food. I hope there will be enough food for everyone. Usually the stronger dogs don’t allow the weaker ones to eat. Also there is fierce competition for food. From the picture, you can view the “food house”. Although it looks a bit outdated, it does the job.

Why your help is needed?

Every month, I shell out around $150 only to purchase dog foods. Although I can prevent the dogs from starving to death, I need to secure their future. I intend to work with a vet to neuter the female dogs. This will stop the uncontrolled growth in their population. With less number of dogs on street, each dog will be able to lead their life in a better way. However, neutering each of the dogs will cost around 4000 Peso. This is equivalent to $95.There are many tourists who come to Punta Cana and donate for my cause. However, this is not adequate for keeping my project alive. It is the tourists, who have advised me to organize fundraising projects. This is the reason why I am asking for everybody’s support. It would be of great help if I get some financial support for the neutering process of female dogs. Initially I intend to cover the expenses of 3 months. Therefore, I am in urgent need of around $500. I will warmly accept anything that you donate. I will really appreciate the efforts if the tourists could bring some toys and medicines for my canine friends. I am in urgent need of medicines which can protect the dogs from ticks, fleas, and parasites.