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)

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

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.

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)

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.

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

Baark! On: Thoughts of a Young Baark! Volunteer

Bahamas Alliance for Animal Rights and Kindness

Thoughts of a Young Baark! Volunteer

We are thrilled to have as a guest columnist today Anya, a young lady who has a big heart for Potcakes and cats. Anya was required in school to do a project about a charity. We are thrilled that Anya has chosen Baark! and even  more thrilled that she let us use her writing for our column this week.

Baark helps the dogs by taking them from the streets with the owner’s permission then spaying and neutering them. They also rescue animals from the pound before they are euthanized, which happens every Friday to the dogs in the pound. But lately Baark has not been able to rescue any dogs from the pound because there is no room at the Bahamas Humane Society. This is why Baark’s main goal is their spay and neutering programs.  Some volunteers from Baark have helped with “operation potcake” which happened in January 2013 and was able to spay and neuter many of the dogs in Nassau. I heard the number of animals helped that week was over 2000! Baark also has walks where volunteers walk the dogs from the Humane Society. The dog walks take place on Sunday afternoons at 3:30 pm from the Humane Society, and are really fun. The dog walks help keep the dogs healthy and get them used to people and hopefully get them ready to be adopted into a new loving home.

 I am proud to be a Baark volunteer and even though I am only 10 I am glad I can make a difference. I help Baark by helping walk the dogs at the humane society and I try to go to as many Sunday walks as I can. I also helped out with the refreshment stand at the Strut your mutt in October. Also when Baark has their Baark sales I make sure my mom bakes things for donations to sell and I love buying their goodies. Our next bake sale is Saturday February 9^th. Baark! has two locations for the bake sale;  Super Value Cable Beach and Windermere spa Harbour bay the hours are 11-3 pm. Please come out and support your taste buds and the awesome work Baark is doing in your communities!

Won’t you consider helping Baark! too, I am sure you can make a difference and I know you will love the feeling when you do.

Sincerely

Anya- age 10

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

Baark! On : What to do with Mixed Messages?

Bahamas Alliance for Animal Rights and Kindness

Dear Baark!

I heard it was better for female dogs to go through one litter before spaying them? Can you comment? It just seems so backward to make the dog have a litter of puppies so she can have a surgery to avoid having further puppies?

Signed; Mixed messages

Dear Mixed Messages

We at Baark! love this question! This is a common belief here in the Bahamas. In reality all the medical evidence suggests a dog should be spayed before her first heat. The surgery is much easier to perform before she matures to have your female dog spayed before she sexually matures mean you will eliminate any chance that she will go into heat. When a female dog goes into heat she will seek out a male dog to try to mate. This is just natural behavior and cannot be changed. So yes, it is best to get your dog spayed before she matures; the simple procedure protects her from the dangers of mating, pregnancy and delivery all of which impact the health of a dog.

Also consider the math. If your dog has a litter of puppies you will have to find a home for each puppy reducing the number of dogs adopted from the shelters. The number of homeless and unwanted dogs and puppies here in the Bahamas is enormous; please do not add to the already overpopulated population.

A dog is usually sexually mature by 6 months of age; therefore it is recommended you get them “fixed” by about 4 months. Consulting with a good veterinarian on this is also something that we at Baark! highly recommend. They can advise you more clearly as to the perfect time to get your dog spayed or neutered.

Thanks for asking!

Baark!

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

Baark! On: Operation Potcake, it's on!

Bahamas Alliance for Animal Rights and Kindness

Operation Potcake is underway!

You will notice a lot of happenings this week around your communities. Operation Potcake is underway! Operation Potcake is a ten-day intensive spay and neuter campaign to be held on New Providence Island from January 10th, 2013 to January 21st, 2013. The goal is to sterilize 2,000 animals over the ten days.
The Five-Year Initiative will continue to follow up from this campaign, with all the island vets working together to continue spaying and neutering.
For more information Operation Potcake, please email potcake2013@gmail.com or see Animal Balance's website at www.animalbalance.net.

We often receive thank you letters as an expression of gratitude for what we have done. This one is from a potcake, we are sure you it will touch your heart.

Dear Baark!

I want to thank you for the quick surgery you did for me. I understand that this surgery will save me from having any other litters. I have loved all my puppies but the toll it has taken on my body is enormous and I could not fathom having another litter without serious consequences on my health and that of my puppies. Thank you to the wonderful team of caring and kind people at Baark! for giving myself a new “leash” on life.

I understand that over the next two weeks “Operation Potcake” is taking place here in the Bahamas. Baark and lot of other amazing people are here in Nassau to help a lot of dogs and cats like myself. Thank you! I will spread the word on the street so my potcake friends can come to receive your much needed services! You are amazing.

Sincerely,

Fredina Barker

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