The Street dogs of Bogota

LivingOnTheStreet600

In Bogota, the capital of Colombia, there are an estimated 350,000 street dogs and cats at any one time. To manage this overpopulation of street animals, there is a government-sponsored office called Zoonosis that takes them from the streets. This office has a direct order from the government to kill at least 400 dogs and cats a week (an estimated 25,000 of them a year) in order to cull the expansion of these street animals.

However, although this number is tragic, an estimated 70 billion non-domestic animals like cows, pigs, goats, and sheep are also killed annually as food.

All this mass slaughter of innocent animals is why I decided to dedicate my life to helping all animals. It has been my dream since I was a little girl and I’ve been rescuing animal since I was 7 years old. I remember perfectly the first animal I helped, a large white dog whom I found scavenging through the garbage outside my apartment. Ever since then nobody can stop me.

As a young schoolgirl, I would bake cakes to sell at school to help me realize my dream of an animal sanctuary. I saved and saved until one day I had enough money to purchase a small plot of land in 2009. We have since moved from that property to an even better location.

Juliana’s plan to help the street dogs of Bogota

We are not going to solve the problem by taking animals to shelters. Furthermore, there are many millions of farm animals that are in terrible pain with no hope of shelter. No amount of shelters can save these animals.

So I have 3 projects in my mind to help all these animals:

  1. Street Sterilization Project
    The main problem here is that cats and dogs in the street are multiplying daily. We need to slow down the expansion. So I want to get monthly donations to sponsor the sterilization of dogs and cats in the street. The ones who are in better condition we can also help to find a home for them. But even if we are unable to find them a home, at least they are not going to multiply.
  2. Senior Animal Care
    I want to help senior animals and those in special need. At a typical animal shelter in my country, if the dogs are old or their medicine is too expensive, they are “put to sleep.” In other words, they kill them in a ‘sweet way’ without a care to ask them if they want to continue living or to go play with their friends.I would like to give these very sick and old animals a second chance; to honor their seniority and show them that if it is their time to leave this world they can do so surrounded by love with all the medicine and care they need. I’ve been doing this at my sanctuary since the beginning and I’d like to do more.I also want to help those animals with mental scars; the ones that have been abused by humans and try to find a place here or in other countries where they can get the special care they need to heal their “wounds.” My unique connection with animals is that they allow me to communicate with them and I have a special ability to understand what they are saying to me and can respond in ways that make them feel happy and safe again.
  3. Equality for All Animals, including Farm Animals
    Unfortunately, we can’t save all the cows, pigs and chickens in the world, but I’d like to do my part. I would like more land to help as many farm animals as I can, but I feel I can be most effective by teaching people to understand why humans should not slaughter innocent animals for food; why they deserve respect like us; why we have to honour their life and why we have to help those without a voice in any way possible.I believe, without a doubt, that the way to a better world is through honoring the equality of all beings and I want to be a catalyst for this change. I know what I can do. I know how I can talk with people; I’ve been doing this since I was a little girl. So I want to be an instrument for animals to explain to humans what they want, what they feel, what they need, and what they love.

Please help me serve these poor innocent beings.