Does Mauritius really want to save stray animals ?

@shirley1421971

Dear Shirley,

As a fellow expat, and like you, feeling compelled to do something, I took in three street dogs; a family of three no less. A mother and her two sons. I've had them for 18 months, got them into robust health and absolutely adore them.But oh my goodness, I can't believe the heart ache and associated expense of trying to find them respite care for when I need to leave the island. Its an arm & a leg job and yet I'd feel like I was sending them to Prison!

Its icausing me major heart ache and so on reading your post,

rather than adopt, I wondered if you might be open to the idea of looking after my threefwhilst I fly back tocthe UK to take care of business. I'm sure I'm not the only one with this challenge and for those of us that LOVE out dogs, you might just be heaven sent.  Please let me know if you might be willing to consider this. With my thanks.  Elaine

@shirley1421971

Hello Shirley,

I can help you to adopt a dog. In fact, we have 6 dogs coming in our hotel every day. They are friendly and easy to adopt.

Please contact me on *** would you be interested.

Thanks

@PG79 My preference is a male, 3 months or under, gold in colour & medium breed. There are plenty of these on various sites but trying to get one is becoming like a second job. 

Hi Shirley…

We also have a lovely cat that moved in about 3 months ago, and is very much at home.

The only dog adoption people I'm aware of are PAWS, and the regular Adoption Days help at Couer de Ville in Tamarin.

I wish you well in your search.

Regards, John

I volunteer at Happy Tails. A dog sanctuary in Baie du Cap

They have plenty of dogs desperate for a loving home.

@shirley1421971 you can get dogs for free. Just search online. There are few organisations.

The other thing is that i can see most of nobody's dogs being very happy as they are. Just look at their body language.

Anyone who understands their body lan3can see it.

@Victoria Strauss Thanks - is that what they are officially called (Happy Tails) - I have not heard about them.

@Ivan_Katinic Hope you are well.

I have tried searching online. But, most of those sites had people that asked me for money, asked me out or were rude when I said something they did not like - even though I didn't say anything bad. Messages & texts are hard because they have no 'tone'. I had one dude that sent me about 20 messages & then said he was in America & would send dogs to me. I had another dude verbally abuse me when I asked him to send me info & pictures about any suitable dogs after he sent me about 20 messages & asked me to meet him.

I get what you mean about unhappy dogs & their body language. I love animals though & treat them like family. My animals live inside & out, get training, get home cooked food & sleep in my room. I just don't get why the people on the adoption sites are so difficult even though I have more than what they require. Perhaps, I will just wait for one of my relatives to find me a dog.

Do animal shelters in Mauritius spay and neuter before finding new homes? Pets are such wonderful companions and human failings are often the reason why they end up in shelters. I would recommend making sure that they have the procedures done so that you can have a companion rather than another growing family.

In the US, the local SPCA gives away pets that have been vaccinated, spayed, and neutered practically for free (just the price of adoption papers and id chips) and they have to euthanize almost half of those abandoned pets. It's more humane to make sure that nature does not take its course in order for the human owners to be able to take care of their pets properly and for the long run without getting overwhelmed.

@shirley1421971, there is a Mauritius Society for Animal Welfare shelter and hospital near the Rose Hill police station on the way to Ebene. It's next to the MNIC building. It may be worth seeing both those places altogether.

Hope that this helps.

@prospectorland Some shelters do. Some expect you to do it. I desexed my 2 meows as soon as I could so I wouldn't end up with 20 cats & the crazy cat lady lol. I would prefer to get the dog desexed myself at 6 months - which is apparently better for the dogs health. There are always locals who do not desex their dogs giving dogs away - so I have a couple people asking around for me. Will visit PAWS & a couple places after Easter. Thanks.

@shirley1421971 we feed a string of street dogs on the beaches and have adopted one. If I find a young male that suits your needs should I let you know? You would have to get it vaccinated and sterilized.

We have also volunteered at PAWS and respect the work they do. They are over full. Consider going to either of their locations and looking at the puppies.

@Expat Ash Yes, definately - I would rather save a dog. Preferably: male, 3 months or under, golden/brown in colour, medium breed. Thanks.

@shirley1421971 on it. PS see my edit about PAWS.

I will be on the island for 2 weeks in May. I was thinking of helping out with the stray dogs although I am not a vetenarian, but buy local food and feed them for example. Would it also help if I would be able to take soem dogs to a vet and let them vaccinated and sterilized? or is that, I don't know what the expression is but like a needle in a hay stack? And would that not really help then because there are so many stray doggies?

I will be on the island for 2 weeks in May. I was thinking of helping out with the stray dogs although I am not a vetenarian, but buy local food and feed them for example. Would it also help if I would be able to take soem dogs to a vet and let them vaccinated and sterilized? or is that, I don't know what the expression is but like a needle in a hay stack? And would that not really help then because there are so many stray doggies?
-@oshudofsky

@oshudofsky, there are many stray dogs and you will definitely see them on the beaches.  They appear happy and well fed - mostly from rummaging through what is left behind.  My kids always want to play with them and I have to remind them that stray dogs are not vaccinated and can be carriers of numerous diseases. 

Volunteering by feeding stray dogs may not improve the situation.  If you have time and the inclination, it may be better to volunteer at a PAWS animal shelter.  I believe that there are 2 locations in Mauritius - just google PAWS Mauritius and they will appear on the map.  Also there is someone on this thread who is also volunteering there.  You may want to message that person and coordinate.

Hope that this helps.

@oshudofsky Feeding them only helps for a while & sometimes causes dog fights - I throw all my scraps onto the street for the stray dogs. Some of them now wait around every evening. Sterilising them would help. Even if it is like a needle in a haystack & there are very many doggies - every bit helps - like in the the starfish story if you know it. I personally think a sterilisation program would really help. Your challenge may be catching them & getting them to the vet. I agree with some of the people above - consider volunteering at PAWS. I have found PAWS to be more helpful & genuine in their attempts to help animals. They could use volunteers that really care. In the future, I would like to set up a small genuine charity to help the animals. So, if you move here, look me up.     

@prospectorland as usual, all your answers help a great deal. Thank you for that. And I will seek out PAWS and see how I can be of useful help for sure.

@shirley1421971 but then I ask myself why do you state a preference of a certain kind of the stray dogs? Does it matter if it is a male or female, blond or black haired?

@shirley1421971 thank you for the "invitation". If I decide to relocate to the island I certainly will contact you and we might be able to set up some charity program/shelter together and cooperate with PAWS. Also I will go and check out PAWS upcoming May and see that help I can give them.

One more question: at PAWS and Happy Tails(?) at those shelters, are de dogs put into individual cages or (hopefully) can they wander around a bit more freely around their premises? After all they are pack members animals, if you know what I mean.

@oshudofsky at PAWS the runs (a covered sleeping area and a small open area are shared with more than one dog. The staff are busy all day cleaning and caring. If you volunteer you can offer to walk dogs and play with puppies. The later might seem silly but the goal is to habituate the puppies to people to make them more likely to be adopted.

@oshudofsky Those are my personal preferences. I have found male dogs easier to train. In any case there are a lot of those kind of dogs available apparently on the various sites. It is just difficult to get a response without someone asking you for money, meeting or too many personal details that are not necessary. I'm just going to go to PAWS in person when I can if one of my friends cannot find me one.

@oshudofsky Not sure, I will let you know when I go there.