The Collared Anteater is not commonly seen on the island but at times has been reported roaming the streets in the less traveled areas of town as well as the northern area of Ambergris Caye. It is a nocturnal, terrestrial and solitary creature which lives in trees and is found in Central and South America. As its name suggests, it feeds mainly on ants, termites and bees extracted after ripping apart their nests with their fore-claws. The average size of a Collard Anteater is around 23 inches in body length; while the tail would range around 19 inches with an average weight of about 13lbs.

The suffering Anteater, affectionately dubbed “Tia” (Aunt in Spanish) was found in San Juan under a London bridge in polluted water. According to Cherie, ACES was on a crocodile call in the area, when the little critter was found dehydrated, and apparently very tired. Her tail was bleeding from about three places and appeared to have bite marks, slightly healed, on her nose and neck.

ACES took in the suffering “Tia”, gave her fresh water and harbored her at their home. Cherie informed that Tia spent Sunday night at their house and slept a lot. On Monday ACES travelled north and cut down a termite nest and collected the insects for her to eat. Sure enough Tia gobbled up the termites and by Monday night she began to show signs of recovery, scampering around the house, finding her way through locked doors and creeping around exploring. “I did not apply topical antibiotics to her injuries because being an anteater, I didn’t know her tolerance if she was to lick at it with her long tongue. I called the Belize Forest Department (BFD) and talked to Wildlife Officer Rasheda Sampson-Garcia and I also notified Dr. Isabelle-Paquet from the Belize Wildlife Conservation Network.”

On Tuesday Vince transported Tia to Belmopan where BFD Wildlife Officer Jazmin Ramos along with Ella Dunn from TAMANDUA World collected her and drove her to Cayo to the new Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, where she was examined by wildlife veterinarian Dr. Isabelle Paquet-Durand.

After a through examination, Dr. Paquet-Durand told The San Pedro Sun, “She [Tia] has a broken middle finger on the left hand. The middle finger is the strongest one in the tamandua and her left hand was obviously very swollen, felt warm to the touch and she was sensitive to the touch. I felt a slight crepitation (crack in the bone) and decided to take an x-ray, which confirmed the fracture. She is indeed using the hand and has strength in it so we are hopeful that she will heal. As to her release-ability it will take longer to assess as she goes through the healing process“. Dr. Paquet-Durand went on to inform that Tia weighs 7lbs and has slight skin issues (normal for the species), some scarring and scabs from older injuries. As far as her age is concerned, Paquet-Durand stated, “It’s hard to tell. From the x-ray I would say that she is not yet ‘old’. Body wise she is fully grown and within adult weight range, but since they have no teeth, which is what most other animals can be aged by, it is tricky to say once they are fully grown. Wild guess would be that she is two to four years old“. Paquet-Durand went on to say, “It was fabulous to be able to use the equipment purchased for the Belize Wildlife and Referral Clinic to help assess Tia’s health, especially the x-ray thanks to recently winning the Heska Inspiration in Action contest“.

After the tamandua’s health assessment Ella Baron from TAMANDUA World took Tia under her care. On Tuesday evening Baron told The Sun, “Tia is very relaxed right now, she is sleeping for the last four hours in the same space where she is eating- sleeps for 1/2 hour, eats termites for an hour, sleeps, eats…that is a very good sign – good appetite. I am in touch with Dr Isabelle, making sure that the injuries that she has will be healing. The first evaluation is that x-ray showed broken bone in the left paw, but other than that it is hard to say yet, if there’s anything else it could take a few more days to observe her movements, behaviors, etc“. The final decision on her future, captivity or release, however, will be determined by the BFD.

In closing Cherie Rose of ACES stated, “This incident again shows the need for a Wildlife Refuge Center here on Ambergris Caye; a center that would provide intermediate care for harmed wildlife while getting them to the appropriate organization for treatment. We encourage the community to assist us with this effort. The center would not only deal with crocodile issues, but would also employ a veterinarian to provide some immediate comfort to injured animals. Visitors could learn about the wildlife of Ambergris Caye by visiting the center and an entrance fee would provide self sustainability. The goal of the center would be to respond to all wildlife calls and do just what ACES did with Tia. Get the injured animal to the appropriate permitted facility on the mainland as quickly and as humanely as possible.” ACES currently has a new location to be announced and are awaiting some secured funding, but still much more monetary support is needed.

The San Pedro Sun will be printing and posting Tia updates on our website at www.sanpedrosun.com as they become available.

San Pedro is on an island, so it would be very easy, if everyone did their bit, to solve our dog problems. The simplest, kindest and easiest way to do this is to neuter male dogs and spay female dogs before they have the chance to have babies, or catch one of the deadly sexually transmitted diseases so common among dogs in San Pedro.

Neutered and spayed dogs are better pets, better guards, healthier, less at risk of disease and, more importantly, by having your dog neutered or spayed you are helping to make San Pedro a better, healthier and happier place for everyone. Do the right thing, get your dog neutered or spayed.

During this campaign March 13-15 SAGA HS will be in the community capturing stray animals to be brought in for Spay/Neuter surgeries. SAGA HS is now making appointments for FREE Spay & Neuter 226-3266.

If you can assist SAGA HS and World Vets during this time, let us know. We will need these volunteers and services to help: Patient check in, Bi-lingual interrupter, transportation of both animals and the Vet team to and from clinic, discount of lunches, stray animal capture and general assistance at clinic. Please contact SAGA HS at 226-3266 or email saga@btl.com for details on how you can help. Fix your dog to fix up San Pedro!

For more information please contact:

The SAGA Humane Society:
Coconut Drive, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize
Tel: +501 226 3266
Email: saga@btl.net

According to Woodward, the number of cats on the island far exceeds the demands for pet owners. So when Woodward was looking for a place to conduct some volunteer work, he was recommended to come to Belize and work with SAGA to help with feline population control. Woodward works with Best Friend Animal Society in Salt Lake City in the Trap, Neutered and Return Program where he does wild animal population control for the society. Because during the winter it is challenging to conduct such type of work, Woodward wanted to do similar population control volunteer work in a warm climate. Through a friend, he got in contact with SAGA where he was welcomed and has been volunteering of his service.

All the cats, about 29, have been trapped using humane traps with fasten bait, neutered, vaccinated and then released back into the community since SAGA cannot accommodate the wild cats. While stray cats are found all over the island, Woodward concentrated his efforts around the Boca del Rio Area.

Woodward said that since San Pedro is a small island, it’s a contained environment for the animals, which means that with some efforts from the residents, the nuisance caused by stray animals can be brought under control. ‘It does require that those who are concern donate funding because SAGA does not have government funding. It depends on donations and it requires the community to recognize that there is something going on with these stray animals,” said Woodward who ended by explaining that he was happy to have been able to volunteer his time in Belize.

My family and I first became aware of SAGA on the AmbergisCaye.com forum. We noted that SAGA was looking for volunteers to walk the rescue dogs. We walked SAGA dogs on numerous occasions while on vacation in San Pedro and were grateful to the staff at SAGA for this opportunity.

A Canadian couple living on Ambergris Caye took two of the SAGA puppies home over the holidays to assist the SAGA staff. While we were visiting this couple they mentioned they were concerned with the future of the smaller puppy as it was the runt of the litter and very submissive.

There was concern that it would not survive life on the streets of San Pedro. We decided that despite the next day being the last day of our holidays we would try and adopt this puppy and bring it home with us. I was concerned that there was not enough time to get the necessary permission and paperwork in place for this to happen. The extra efforts of this Canadian couple, SAGA staff, and the San Pedro Animal Hospital got us to the airport on time with all the necessary steps taken.

I was concerned about the possibility of delays travelling with this puppy. We were happy to find that the airlines and security personnel at every airport and border we passed through were very helpful and supportive.

After a total of 28 hours in transit we arrived home with our 10 week old puppy in Warman, Saskatchewan. We named our new puppy Dante and he is adjusting well. He has been accepted by our other animals after a few days of being ignored. Dante is still not very fond of being outside as current temperatures here are around 0 degrees Celsius or 35 degrees Fahrenheit.

This is nice for us as at this time of the year, as in 2008 the temperature was – 44 degrees Celsius/-47 Fahrenheit. We bought Dante a little jacket that he wears when he goes outside. While we are away during the day at school and work he stays with our other dogs in a heated porch with doggy doors. They can go in and out of whenever they want. We feel life for Dante will be good despite our cold winters. I have not mentioned the names of those who helped us as I do not have their permission. A very big thank you to all of you, you are special people.

s/
Dan, Guylaine, Robyn, Samantha & Michael Krozser

Press Release – Belize Wildlife Conservation Network – December 23, 2011 -

Since 1994 Dr. Isabelle, a German trained Veterinarian and French national, has worked with wildlife projects throughout much of Latin America, spending two of those years in Costa Rica where she studied for her doctorate in parasitology and public health. Since 2003, she has worked closely with the Belize Forest Department and wildlife NGOs, providing wildlife veterinary medical assistance and training. After much stakeholder consultation, in August 2009 the first “Belize Wildlife Conservation Networking Conference” was held and BWCN was established to facilitate communication and cooperation between GOB, NGOs and private organizations in wildlife conservation. The Belize Wildlife Referral Clinic is the next major step to support wildlife conservation efforts with needed medical services.

Heska, a US veterinary medical equipment manufacturer, organized the “Inspiration in Action” contest for which over 300 veterinary practices and organizations competed. It seemed unlikely that an organization outside of the US would be a strong contestant. The Belize Wildlife and Referral Clinic was the first and only Belizean applicant, among a pool of mostly US based and international entities including well known organizations such as the France-based “Veterinarians without Border.“ After two rounds of judging, five finalists were selected for public voting. After three weeks of intensive networking rallying votes, doubts were quelled and excitement rang out among the hundreds of people who supported the Belizean project and helped to raise thousands of votes from US citizens. The award will be presented in January 2012 at the American Veterinary Association Conference.

BWCN insists that the clinic will not only serve wildlife, but provide Belize with a facility where veterinarians can access medical equipment difficult to afford for the individual private practice. Dr. Isabelle currently serves as Secretary of the Belize Veterinary Association, and is the Councillor for the Commonwealth Veterinary Association. Before his untimely passing, Dr. DeShield suggested Dr. Isabelle to take his place on the Veterinary Surgeon’s Board; which she sadly and humbly accepted. For more information about BWCN and the upcoming Belize Wildlife and Referral Clinic in the Cayo District, visit: www.wildlifebelize.com.

The donation was presented by Forrest Jones, Director of the San Pedro Animal Foundation and was the product of the SPAF working in conjunction with the Lawrence family in memory of the late Sarah Lawrence who passed away earlier this month.
Lawrence held a special place in her heart for pets and her son Peter commented that through-out the years all of their family pets came from local pet shelters.

In lieu of flowers and wreaths, it was Lawrence’s wish that cash be donated. A total of approximately $2000US was collected. This coupled with a very generous donation of $500BZ on behalf of Lawrence by Tom and Jan Droke, parents of San Pedro Veterinarian Dr. Laurie Droke, provided for a very generous donation to the animals of SAGA. According to the SPAF, this will be a yearly donation to SAGA on behalf of Lawrence.

This year the pets received seven cases of assorted cat and dog food along with toys. According to Forrest, “Christmas is all about giving, and the orphans that SAGA looks after need presents as well.”

In the correspondence, it was stated that “the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries is honored to announce that the American Crocodile Education Sanctuary in Belize has achieved GFAS Verification. This is the fourth sanctuary to be recognized in Central America, and the first in Belize.”

A site visit was conducted by veterinarian Isabelle Paquet-Durand a few months ago, who provided a comprehensive report to GFAS. Robin Mason, Accreditation Manager for GFAS stated in reference to ACES that, “it is so wonderful to see this sanctuary recover from the intentionally-set fire last fall, which resulted in the total loss of the former ACES facility in Toledo District of Belize, as well as in the tragic loss of crocodiles.”

The GFAS Verification means that ACES meets the comprehensive and rigorous definition of a true sanctuary that is providing humane and responsible care of the crocodiles. ACES meets thorough and peer-reviewed standards established by GFAS, which is the only globally recognized organization providing standards for identifying legitimate animal sanctuaries and rescue centers. The verification status also provides a clear and trusted means for the public, donors worldwide and government agencies to recognize ACES as an organization that is worthy of support for continued growth and development.

Co-founder and director of ACES Cherie Chenot-Rose commented, “This is huge for us. We’re very proud to receive this very prestigious accreditation. It means that we are meeting standards set internationally, that the quality of our facility has met superior standards. At ACES, our facility is constructed in a way to ensure that the animals are being kept in the most humane way possible and that the best interest and welfare for their health is being maintained.”

With the recognition from GFAS, more international funding will become available to ACES. Chenot-Rose stated, “Having this will definitely open up more funding opportunities for our facility. We would very much like to construct a facility such as the one in Ladyville here on the island but the land is just not available.”

The new ACES facility that was accredited is located in Ladyville Village in the Belize District. ACES is dedicated to the conservation and protection of Belize’s critical wetland habitats, specifically crocodilians, through scientific research and education in order to preserve Belize’s wildlife for future generations.

Saga Humane Society would like to give our warmest holiday Thank You to all our supporters and sponsors who helped in the First Grand Champion Cook Off become a great success. Central Park was the setting for all the festivities. We were honored to have Miss Belize, Idolly Saldivar as a special guest to help launch the Paws & Princesses 2012 calendar, benefiting Saga Shelter Animals.

There were many great dishes entered by some of the island’s best cooks, you are all winners to us. After the votes were counted the title of the Grand Champion 2011 was Jan Brown with her Homemade Carrot Cake; she took home a brand new Kindle. Placing second was Letty Hernandez with her Three Cheese Lobster Crepes with bacon sauce (winning an iPod Nano with accessories) and third was Anna of Mathieu’s Delicatessen with her Apple Strudel (winning an iPod Shuffle with speakers). The other talented cooks were Gunter of Mathieu’s Delicatessen, Susanna Eiley, Wahoo’s Lounge, Ramon’s Village, Laura Sutton, Sharon Metcalfe, Noemi Castro and Lori Purdy. Thank you all for entering Saga Cook off’s through out 2011.

We wish to thank all the businesses and individuals who helped make this event possible. Ramon’s Village, Maya Island Air, Conch Creative, Fido’s, DandE’s, Beliken Distributors, Lazy Croc BBQ, Palapa Bar, Hamilton’s & Jolly Roger Bar, Big Daddy’s Beach Bar, Lone Star Grill, Mousepad, Allen Soto, Ari Trejo, Bonnie Musbach, Carolina Gonzalez, Cindy Carlson, David Marin, Eden Paz, Edna Marin, Eileen Jamison, Faride Salinas, Gary Barrentine, Gary Barrington, Grant Crimmins, Ingrid Lima, Janine, Joe LaRosa Jose, Kate Vincent, Katia Marin, Lori Purdy, LouAnn LeClair, Michael, Nancy Rountree, Noemi Castro, Pepe, Rachel Masterson, Renee, Rosa La Rosa, San Pedro Town Council, Sean Masterson and Sharon Metcalfe.

Through ongoing support Saga Humane Society is able to save the lives of orphaned or abandoned companion animals, provide humane education and serve as a resource for pets and their owners in our community.

/s/

Thank you for your support
Saga Board of Directors and Staff

Press Release – SAGA Humane Society -14th December 2011 -

Most of the complaints are caused by too many dogs and not enough good homes to care for them. You won’t see responsibly owned dogs wandering in the street, barking, fighting and emptying garbage cans, but the more dogs we have in San Pedro, the easier it is for irresponsible dog owners to cause problems for everyone else.

Did you know that many dogs in San Pedro have to be humanely euthanized because there are not enough good homes to care for them? Every time someone allows their dog to have puppies, this just adds to the problem. San Pedro is an island, so it would be very easy, if everyone did their bit, to solve our dog problems. The simplest, kindest and easiest way to do this is to neuter male dogs and spay female dogs before they have the chance to have babies, or catch one of the deadly sexually transmitted diseases so common among dogs in San Pedro.

Neutering and spaying are very simple surgeries. Normally your dog can come in for the operation in the morning and come home with you in the afternoon. There are many myths about spaying and neutering dogs. For example, some people think that female dogs must have a litter to be healthy and happy. This is not correct. In fact, spaying a female dog will help to reduce her risk of catching breast cancer and many other serious illnesses.

Some people think that male dogs will lose their strength or personality if they are neutered. Some even try to compare their dogs to human men. Horses and bulls are neutered because they are domestic animals, just like dogs. If you wouldn’t want a stallion or bull to play with your children, why would you want an un neutered male dog in your home? In fact, neutering makes male dogs more loyal, less likely to wander and less aggressive towards children and family members. It does not affect their ability to guard your home and actually makes them better at it because they stay home rather than wandering, looking for fights with other male dogs and mates.

Neutered and spayed dogs are better pets, better guards, healthier, less at risk of disease and, more importantly, by having your dog neutered or spayed you are helping to make San Pedro a better, healthier and happier place for everyone. Do the right thing, get your dog neutered or spayed.

To find out how you can get your dog neutered or spayed, please call SAGA Humane Society on 226 3266. Fix your dog to fix up San Pedro!

* All dogs should be kept up to date with their vaccinations. This will help to stop them from catching or spreading diseases. Rabies is a very important shot to keep up to date as rabies can be transmitted to humans and is life threatening.

* All puppies are born with roundworms and there are other internal parasites that they can catch, such as tapeworms. When a dog poops on the ground and has worms, there is a risk that someone could become infected. For the health and safety of everyone, it is important to worm your puppies and adult dogs regularly. There is a good reason it is an offence to allow your dog to poop in a public place and not clean it up immediately. It is a health hazard to humans, especially children.

* Fleas carry tapeworms, so making sure that you have effective flea protection for your pets is essential.

* We all know how common ticks are, but they too transmit dangerous diseases, such as tick fever, to dogs. Many beloved dogs die unnecessarily because the owners have neglected to protect their dogs from ticks. Mosquitoes also carry the deadly heartworm and so it is very important that every dog is given heartworm prevention on a monthly basis.

* Keep your dog under control at all times. No one deserves to be frightened or hurt by your dog. Make sure that your dog does not disturb garbage cans as this not only makes San Pedro look dirty, but is a health hazard.

* Do not allow your dog to bark all night. Everyone wants a good night’s sleep and it is unfair if you allow your dog to keep other people awake.

* Neuter or spay your dog. This will prevent them from spreading disease and from adding to the dog overpopulation problem we have in San Pedro. It will also make them healthier and more loyal.

To find out how you can be a great neighbor and to learn more about preventing, worms, fleas, ticks or if you want your dog neutered or spayed, please call SAGA Humane Society on 226 3266.

Press Release – Saga Humane Society – 30th November 2011 -

As responsible dog ownership starts the minute you get a dog, this article will look at the way to find a healthy dog with a good temperament and how to choose the right dog for your family. As a healthy dog can live up to 14 years or older, it is important to understand that dog ownership is a long and very rewarding commitment. Puppies are cute, playful and they make wonderful companions for children. But all puppies grow up to be adult dogs and so it is important that you get the right puppy or dog for your household – so that once the cute puppy phase wears off, you have the dog you really wanted and dreamed of.

Before even looking at puppies or dogs, you need to think about exactly the sort of dog that will suit your lifestyle. Here are some important issues you should consider:

What size dog do you want? Big dogs mean big dog food bills, big poops to clean up and often more exercise and training. They can do a lot more damage to a garden or yard and may require additional fencing to contain them. Small dogs often have special grooming or dietary requirements and often need to be kept more protected.

What sort of coat would you like your dog to have? All dogs should be groomed daily, whatever their coat type, but dogs with very long coats may need regular professional grooming. The longer the coat, the more time grooming is required. How much time do you want to set aside each day for grooming?

What breed or type of dog do you want? All dogs need training. Smart dogs from working breed backgrounds such a German Shepherds and Rottweilers require a great deal of time and training as they grow up. Terriers, including pit bulls, need a lot of additional socialization with other animals as well as training. A rescued dog may need a lot of time and confidence building if it was abused or neglected. You should really think about how much time you can commit to your new pet. An untrained pet can become a problem in the home and a lack of training or socialization are common reasons for people giving up their pets to SAGA Humane Society. If you don’t have the time, dog ownership may not be for you.

Can I afford a dog? The costs involved in raising a dog can vary, but it will never be cheap if you are being responsible and doing it right. All responsible dog owners will need to be able to afford: suitable nutritional food, vaccinations, neutering or spaying, veterinary care in case of illness, boarding or care costs when going away, in some cases professional grooming but certainly appropriate grooming tools, collar, leash, shelter, toys/chews, monthly heartworm pills, intestinal worm prevention and tick and flea prevention. If these costs seem like too much, dog ownership may not be for you.

How do I find the right dog? The first place to look for the right dog is the local humane society. In San Pedro, this would be SAGA. Make sure you take your whole family so that the staff can meet them. Explain to the SAGA team the sort of dog you would like and they will help you to make the right choice and give you good advice and support. Of course all SAGA dogs will be neutered or spayed and vaccinated as well as health checked. If you cannot find the dog you want at the humane society, you may wish to consider getting one privately, from a breeder.

So, how do I make sure to get the right dog from a breeder? First, make sure that you are buying from the breeder, not a dealer or pet shop. To do this, insist on seeing the mother dog with her puppies. That way you can also make sure that she has a good temperament. If she is aggressive, it’s likely her puppies will be too. Second, make sure that the breeder is doing it on a small scale because they care about the dogs. The last thing you want is a commercially bred puppy that has been produced as if in a factory. Puppies bought from those environments often have terrible health and behaviour problems. Check that the environment that the puppies live in is clean and that the puppies look healthy with no weepy eyes or distended bellies. A good breeder will have started socializing the puppies, started vaccination and worming and will have had the puppies health checked. Finally, if the breeder seems responsible, pick the puppy you want carefully. Many are tempted to choose the nervous and shy puppy, but in a household with boisterous children, this can be a disaster. Others choose the puppy that seems the friendliest, but again, sometimes those puppies can require a lot of extra training or they can become overwhelming and demanding. Please remember that all good breeders will offer to take back your puppy at any age should things go wrong. If they don’t offer that guarantee, they aren’t responsible breeders.

Getting a puppy or a dog is a big commitment. Make sure you put in the time and energy to find the right one for your family so that you and your dog can be responsible members of the San Pedro community. Please remember that most of the dogs that are handed in to SAGA, end up homeless because their owners did not think about what it takes to be a responsible owner. So, make sure that when you get a puppy or dog, you can provide it with a forever home.

If you want advice on choosing the right dog or puppy for you, talk to the SAGA team and they will be happy to share their expertise and experience. Call them on 226 3266.

SAGA and the SPTB have worked together informally for several years to try to address the problems caused by irresponsible dog owners in San Pedro. These are the owners who allow their dogs to wander on the streets, causing a nuisance to others. This irresponsible behavior leads to complaints to the Town Board and they have no option but to do their job and deal with nuisance animals. Fortunately the vast majority of dog owners in San Pedro are responsible, and will welcome this new initiative to make San Pedro a happier place for people and pets.

SAGA has been given the authority by the San Pedro Town Board to act as Dog Catcher and Pound for the San Pedro area and to enforce the Control of Dogs Act 2000 (Chapter 153). SAGA will be working hand in hand with the SPTB, Police Department and Health Department to collect strays, investigate reports of nuisance, neglect and cruelty and set fines for those in breach of the law. Section 15 of the Control of Dogs Act 200, allows the collection of fees and fines and it is hoped that by enforcing this law, San Pedro will become a cleaner and happier place for all. These laws have been in existence for many years, but because San Pedro is growing in population and the complaints about irresponsible dog owners are increasing, they must now be properly enforced. By introducing fines, these will act as a deterrent while helping SAGA to fund this service to the San Pedro community.
Pet owners and non-pet owners have to suffer with the problems caused by the minority of irresponsible dog owners. Dogs owned by irresponsible owners foul in public places, causing a mess and health hazard, they chase bicycles and golf carts, turn over garbage cans and bark and fight in the night. What many don’t know is that dogs are not allowed to be wandering in the streets during the day or night and should be safely and humanely secured by their owners.

According to the Dogs Control Act 2000, which is the law in Belize, dogs that disturb the peace by persistent barking, dogs that are loose in the street, dogs that chase people and dogs allowed to toilet on public or private property – unless the mess is immediately removed by the owner – are all considered a nuisance and may be seized and the owners may be fined. If your dog is seen loose in town, on the street or in a public place without a collar or without an owner present, it may be considered a stray and picked up by the Dog Catcher. If you have a female dog that is in heat in a public place and she is not on a lead or being carried, she may be seized. If your dog is suffering from illness or injury and is not being carried or on a lead, it may also be seized.

It is an offence for a dog owner to allow their dog to be loose in any street or public place and dogs must be under the owner or handlers immediate control if they take their dog off their property. This means that owners should have a collar and lead with them when walking their dogs and not allow their dog to become a nuisance or disturbance on walks, supervising them closely at all times.

SAGA is already authorized to charge fees for the return of wandering dogs to their owners. Right now, if SAGA is forced to seize a dog that has been neglected or allowed to become a nuisance or stray, the owner will have three days to collect the dog and pay a fine, which will be $50 + $10 per day. After that time, the dog will be owned by SAGA Humane Society and may be rehomed or, if there is not sufficient space at SAGA’s shelter or the dog has been assessed as not adoptable, it may be euthanized humanely. A more comprehensive set of fines regarding owners who allow dogs to wander and create nuisance, as well as for owner who abuse or neglect their dogs, is being introduced in accordance with details set forth in the Dogs Control Act and will be published and enforced by the beginning of 2012. Posters and articles will be appearing around San Pedro and in the paper advising the public of the specific procedures and fee schedules.

SAGA Humane Society is appealing to the public and local dog owners to help them enforce these laws, which are designed to maintain public health, reduce nuisance and to protect dogs from cruelty and neglect. Your support will help to prevent the Town Board from being forced to resort to eradications with poison to control loose dogs and the deal with nuisance they create. Please remember that SAGA Humane Society provides this important public service with no financial support from the government.

If you have any questions about the laws relating to dogs or animal welfare, or if you would like to contact SAGA about animal cruelty or neglect, please call SAGA on 226 3266.