Verde, 20th October 2014
I am
writing as a current volunteer who has been working with the staff, management,
and the volunteers with SIMABO Association for the past three months.
When I first arrived in Cabo Verde, it was as
a volunteer with Sea Shepherd Conservation Society since I was joining the ship
Brigitte Bardot at the Mindelo Marina.
Once I arrived in Cabo Verde, I was horrified to see the number and
condition of the street dogs here.
Thankfully, I quickly learnt of SIMABO Association and was able to spend
my first two days here volunteering with them,
awaiting the day to join my crew with Sea Shepherd.
After
meeting my crew on the Bardot, I was made aware that the volunteer that I was
replacing had decided to extend her stay.
This was no problem with my joining at all! However, I greatly wanted to contribute my
energies to both organizations.
Therefore, I made a proposal to Sea Shepherd to switch ships since a
crew member of another ship here, the Jairo Mora Sandoval, would need a crew
member replaced sooner (but giving me a solid month to volunteer with SIMABO
full time). So my proposal was happily approved by Sea Shepherd, who gave me
their complete understanding and support, having witnessed the situation here
themselves.
It is with
great concern that I write this article for SIMABO’s site now.
With the presence of more veterinarian volunteers the number of spays/neuters
performed is drastically increased and that is what is needed here on this island,
Sao Vicente, more than anything. Just
two years ago, the municipality’s solution was a mass poisoning of 400 animals
within one night. Other islands here in
Cabo Verde continue legal mass poisonings as a solution which we know is
not. If spaying and neutering is not
achieved here on Sao Vicente, I am worried that at some point the municipality
will commit another mass killing. With
SIMABO Association, Sao Vicente can
serve as a positive example of the success of applying a spaying and neutering
program to the other islands to alleviate the cruel and blatantly wrong mass
poisonings being committed to date.
Please feel
free to contact me to answer any questions or concerns you may have about
particular matters. Since I am currently living on a ship (and volunteering at
SIMABO on my days off) I can best be reached by email or Skype. My email address: jnnmd711@yahoo.com Skype: Jeannie.deibel
Respectfully,
Jeannie
Deibel, Mindelo, S.Vicente, Cabo
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