Guatemala is a country with many faces. Its nature is stunning with its majestic volcanoes, mesmerizing lakes and lush jungle. Its Maya culture, ancient and present, is fascinating, and its colonial architecture is worth a visit.
But Guatemala is also known for its inequality, corruption, insecurity and high levels of poverty. Of course, this reflects on the animal population too.
Many people have pets, especially in the rural areas. They are often taken for granted and don’t receive any specific treatment or care. This is logical of course, in a society where people can barely feed themselves. But the lack of care has led to an overpopulation of dogs and cats, which in its turn leads to issues such abandonment, cruelty and the spread of diseases.
Many families in Guatemala can barely feed their pets, let alone afford to sterilize them. That’s why Unidos para los Animales offers subsidized, high quality mobile spay and neuter clinics in collaboration with community-based organizations or initiatives who generally take care of the inscriptions. The surgeries are not a hand-out, a payment of some sort is required, depending on the socioeconomic status of our target group. Sometimes payment is a bag of beans or a handful of avocados.
Our surgeries are carried out by a skilled team of qualified local vets, as well as US based Dr. Jim Bader during his yearly visits. The technique used is microsurgery, with a smaller incision to prevent wounds opening or infections. Each animal also receives injected pain medication and antibiotics as well as vaccines (rabies and multiple) and parasite treatment. Aftercare consists of keeping the patient quiet for a day or two and monitoring the surgical site.
One surgery, including meds and vaccines, costs us US$30 per animal. This might not sound like much, but for many Guatemalans it is more than they can afford. That’s why we need your financial support to allow us to keep offering these low-cost spay/neuter clinics. If you’d like to help, please donate!