DOG POISONING  IN SEYCHELLES

How many more letters from distressed visitors to Seychelles are we going to receive before we finally decide to take this matter seriously.

The SSPCA, as an animal welfare society and NGO, has neither the manpower, resources, authority nor finances to address this ongoing debacle of stray dogs.

When is someone in authority, going to decide to take appropriate action? Is it not patently obvious that serious funding and attention needs to be given to address this very basic problem?

“Lanet” (poison) may be acceptable locally as a ‘quick fix’ for stray dogs, but it surely isn’t accepted by the international community where it is seen as barbaric and deplorable. It is blatently obvious that it continues to impact negatively on our image as a tourist destination, and even more so, as a supposed eco and environmentally friendly country.

A large budget is allocated to attract overseas visitors and holidaymakers to Seychelles. Many of these people end up disappointed, disillusioned, dismayed, upset and angry at how they perceive animals to be treated in Seychelles. Worse still, apart from writing to us, they advertise their negative experiences on the Internet.

We have meetings, workshops, discussion groups, seminars, memorandums, proposals..... the list is endless, and nothing actually changes - no action is taken, no decisions made.

For the record, the SSPCA does not have the mandate to collect stray animals - only to respond to reported cases of cruelty and neglect.

The SSPCA has also initiated a proposal to completely re-write the Animal Cruelty Act. It is outdated and never enforced by the authorities.

The Veterinary Services, which falls under the Dept of Natural Resources, which in turn is part of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources is meant to respond to reported cases of stray dogs.

The SSPCA, in collaboration with the World Society for the Protection of Animals, has provided a weeklong practical training workshop on the capture of stray dogs, to the Ministry employees of the Stray Dog Unit. We have also provided humane traps and catching equipment with which to carry out the task.

With appropriate funding, manpower, organization, accountability, training and motivation, the problem could be swiftly addressed and maintained. In the city of Cairo for instance, approximately 4 million stray dogs roam the streets - imagine having to address that problem?.

As a humane society, the SSPCA must challenge the authorities to stop regarding these ongoing complaints as trivial and not worth the effort of response, or action of any sort. As an animal welfare society, our task is to uplift animal welfare in Seychelles, and reduce the unnecessary suffering of animals which is brought about through irresponsible ownership and/or lack of awareness of the basic needs of animals.

Anne Rose-Innes

(Vice Chairman – SSPCA)

Seychelles Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Below is yet another letter received by a tourist to Seychelles.

Ladies and gentlemen.

On a visit to Praslin in April 2007, my family and I found out, that beach dogs are poisoned by the Berjaya Praslin Beach hotel as well as the Sunset beach hotel, and maybe other hotels as well. We find this very embarrassing, and a very cruel way of killing dogs, if they have to be killed. The death fight and the pain for the dog are unbelievable. It would be a far more civilized way, to give them an injection.

This method of poisoning does not only kill beach dogs, but dogs, which belong to somebody as well. Hopefully it will not kill a child one day, because then the government will have a problem. Five star hotel tourism and dog poisoning do not fit together. We think, if this practice is not stopped immediately the need arises to tell the practice to tourism magazines in Europe and the United States. We understand from local people, that dog poisoning is forbidden in Seychelles, but seems to be common practice.

We found your e-mail address at Mahe airport, where we put money into your donation box. We would be grateful, if you could forward this mail to the Seychelles minister of tourism.

We would appreciate an answer,

With best wishes from Germany

Robert Gutser, Munich

May 25, 2007
Copyright 2007: Seychelles Weekly, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles