Baark! Bahamas Alliance for Animal Rights and Kindness.: February 2013

Wednesday 27 February 2013

Baark! On Cat herders

Cat Herders

Paradise Island is a little more like paradise for animals these days, thanks to some awesome Baark! volunteers who form an amazing team referred to as "The Cat Herders!". They have tirelessly dedicated time and energy to helping to control the stray cat problem on PI. So far, they have trapped, neutered and released (TNR) a total of 102 cats, remember that is just on Paradise Island.

The team of cat herders moves slowly over the island, trying to focus on pregnant females and big males whenever possible. The cats are safely trapped and transported to a vet. At the vet a quick procedure is done to spay or neuter the cat. After a recovery overnight at the veterinarian’s office, the cat is transported back to the location it was trapped and set free to live out the rest of their lives in peace without interfering with the human population.

Some people ask why we use TNR and not simply remove or euthanize the cats. Many people think this is a better solution whereas it is proven not to be. If cats are taken out of their territory, others will move in to replace them as there is a food source and the cycle continues again. "Trapping and killing teaches young and old that it is okay to create unwanted offspring and then kill the surplus - leaving no room for education or compassion for life."¹

What is amazing is that despite the fact that they have been able to do this for over 102 cats, the cat herders feel this is just the beginning of making an impact on the actual size of the cat colonies on Paradise Island. Translation, we still have a ways to go. Cat herders, thank you, we love your heart and your dedication to helping all the PI cats, your team is one of a kind!

There is also talk of doing this project in other over populated areas in Nassau as well but the cat herding team would need some dedicated volunteers to help them to take on this task. Please contact Baark! if you are interested.

1.www.feralcats.com/TNR.html

Please spay and neuter your animals.

By ensuring your animal cannot produce more litters you are saving lives and decreasing the suffering of unwanted animals. Please consider donating or helping with Baark!’s efforts to improve animal welfare in the Bahamas. For more information contact us at info@baarkbahamas.org or (558-3039)

Wednesday 20 February 2013

Baark! On.. I am afraid.

Dear Baark!

I am so pleased you are doing such great work for our Bahamian animals I often leave my spare change in your donations boxes wherever I see them. But I have a confession, I am really afraid of the dogs out there. I was raised in a neighborhood where every yard had two or three dogs that really seem scary. Do all those really cute puppies you help grow into mean dogs like the ones on my street? Also, is there a way for me to learn to interact with the animals so I am not afraid anymore?

Sincerely, “Want to learn”

Dear “Want to learn”.

First of all, thank you for donating your change to Baark! we truly appreciate all we receive, every little bit helps.

Secondly, in response to your fear, you are not alone. Many Bahamians confide in us that they are afraid of dogs as well.

We realize a lot of Bahamians mistreat their dogs thinking that it will help make their dogs meaner and more effective at guarding their homes. Sadly, this creates neighborhoods of mean sounding dogs which continue the myth that dogs should be feared. Mistreating a dog only makes a sad, angry dog that can even turn on his owner. Dogs that are well treated make the best guard dogs, they guard out of loyalty for their owners.

We think that what is most likely the truth is that you are afraid of mistreated dogs that while sounding angry are actually afraid themselves. You have yet to encounter a dog that is loved and affectionate with his owners. Seek out a friend who has a dog that is treated well; ask if you can learn to interact with it slowly. Soon your perception that all dogs are to be feared will disappear

If you would like a chance to learn how to be around dogs with experienced dog handlers please be sure to come to our Baark! Dog walk every Sunday at 3:30pm at the Bahamas Humane Society. Just make yourself known and we would love to help!

Thanks for asking!

Please spay and neuter your animals, this simple procedure saves lives and decreases the suffering of unwanted animals.

This column is proudly brought to you by BAARK! the Bahamas Alliance for Animal Rights and Kindness.

For more information contact us at info@baarkbahamas.org, (558-3039) or visit our website www.baarkbahamas.com

Wednesday 13 February 2013

Baark On! Potcake Math

Potcake Math

Thanks to the amazing success of Operation Potcake; a coalition of all the animal welfare groups (including Baark), the Bahamas Humane Society, the Vet Association and the Ministry of agriculture spayed and neutered a total of 2315 dogs, our city of Nassau is talking big time about the importance of spaying and neutering our animals.

Nassau has a stray cat and dog problem; that is a fact. Everyone knows it and everyone sees it. Some people have gone as far as to say just kill the animals and our problem will be solved. That solution is neither humane nor effective. Killing the animals temporarily reduces the population, but what about the animals that remain behind? They are still capable of reproducing and increasing the population, in fact due to the less competition for food the remaining animals will be healthier and therefore more fertile, meaning, the population will be able to increase at a faster rate than that of an unhealthy population.

The sheer number of homeless dogs and cats wandering our Bahamian streets creates doubt that spaying and neutering will make a difference. We are here to tell you it does. We at Baark! aim to educate and create a better understanding of the reasoning behind the spay and neutering programs, but we still have a long ways to go.

Let us introduce you to Potcake math. These staggering numbers that will help you better understand that our spay and neuter campaign is the not only the most humane method but also most effective method to obtain a healthier dog population in the Bahamas.

1 unaltered female dog and her subsequent offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in only 6 years.*

Operation Potcake altered over 2000 dogs here in the Bahamas during 10 days. Even taking a modest estimate, potcake math would suggest that we helped save over 250,000 unwanted puppies from being added to our roaming dog population.

That is amazing.

Those numbers speak for themselves; please continue to help support us at Baark! as we endeavor to make our Bahamas a more humane Bahamas.

* Stats taken from www.peta.org

Please spay and neuter your animals.

Wednesday 6 February 2013

Baark Bake Sale!

Baark! Bale Sale!

February 9^th 2013

11am-3pm

Windermere Harbour Bay

Super Value Cable Beach

Please come and support Baark and their efforts to create a more Humane Bahamas.

Doesn't seem that there is always someone asking you for donations? You might be tempted to let these requests go by, but Baark wants you to pay attention. We are proud to claim that we are a volunteer run agency which means that 100% of our monies raised goes straight to the amazing work we are doing in the Bahamas. Our primary focus of spaying and neutering campaigns requires money to run; we cannot do this good work without you. We are making a difference, thanks to people like you who support our work. Please, join us this Saturday February 9^th,at one of our two locations for one of the best bake sales this Island has ever has seen!

please contact us info@baarkabahamas.org if you can volunteer or can donate baked goods.