PADELA, is a non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to the protection of animals, the promotion of their wellbeing, avoiding their abuse in all forms, and guaranteeing their health. It is secured under the Law 520 that guards associations of its type and is registered in the State Department of Industry and Commerce of the Dominican Republic, with the registration number (RNC) 401-50329-8 and recognized as a Non-Government Organization by means of Decree No. 1454.
PADELA, was founded on April, 2003 by a group of people with the sensitivity to protect our animals and was incorporated by the Executive Power by means of Decree 996 of the year 1983.
Presently, PADELA is member of the “The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals” (RSPCA) and the “World Society for the Protection of Animals” (WSPA).
PADELA, was founded on April, 2003 by a group of people with the sensitivity to protect our animals and was incorporated by the Executive Power by means of Decree 996 of the year 1983.
| PADELA’s objectives are: | |
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The general protection of animals |
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Promotion of responsible ownership and correct care of animals |
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Avoidance and denunciation of their abuse and abandonment |
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Avoidance and denunciation of the utilization of animals in shows, fights, popular parties and any other activities that imply cruelty and mistreatment, that may cause suffering or make them object of unnatural treatments |
Presently, PADELA is member of the “The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals” (RSPCA) and the “World Society for the Protection of Animals” (WSPA).
Presently, in the Dominican Republic we lack statistics regarding the stray animal population. Nevertheless, in a recent work by local television, a population of more than 90,000 street dogs was estimated in the city of
Taking into account the country's conditions regarding the situation of stray animals and as per suggestions of what the World Society has been doing in other countries to assist in the reduction of the proliferation of these animals by means of the sterilization of females and the castration of males, PADELA feels responsible for contributing toward an improvement of the environmental health of the city.
The physiological wastes of these animals, carried out in an uncontrollable manner, not only soil the streets, sidewalks, etc. but also pollute the environment. Additionally, they place at risk the health of our children who tend to touch these animals when many of these have mange or other skin diseases.
Finally, these stray animals are more propane to be infected with rabies, a fatal disease for both the animal and for a human bitten by an infected dog.
Initially, for several reasons only the Colonial Zone of the city of Santo Domingo was considered. Firstly, as a strategic decision with the intention of motivating government institutions (such as the Department of Tourism) to support us in this operative given that this is the area of the city most visited by tourists. Secondly, because of its architecture and dimension it was the easiest to control with limited resources. Several small-scale operatives have already been completed. With the experience acquired we can extend into other nearby areas.
| A. | Primary |
| The main objective of this operative is to control the population of abandoned domestic animals (dogs and cats), of the streets and neighbourhoods of the Colonial City, and the neighbourhoods of Ciudad Nueva and Gazcue of the city of Santo Domingo. | |
| B. | Secondary |
| The secondary objectives are: 1 Register and identify each animal with a collar or ring that bears the name of PADELA and the animal’s registration number. 2 Incorporate into the PADELA adoption program those animals that are collected and effectively taken to a good health state. 3 Support the proposal of the WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals) with seat in London, England that recommends the control of the animal population with surgical means, in order that they do not pose a threat to society. |
| A. Administrative Aspects | |
| 1) | Preparation of the Animal Control Centre: Complete the construction of the centre. We are still pending the cages, due to lack of funds. |
| 2) | Also, the area that will serve as the clinic and consulting room must be finished; we are presently operating in our office of Isabel La Católica no. 5, where there is a lack of adequate facilities and space. |
| 3) | Hiring of personnel: A veterinary doctor, janitor, driver and assistant for animal collection, and a guard for day and night service. |
| 4) | Acquisition of vehicle, equipment y other materials: The vehicle may be a small van with a closed space where cages may be installed. |
| B. Educational Aspects | |
| 1) | Elaboration of an educational campaign with the purpose of creating conscience in the population regarding the need to collaborate with this aspect of environmental sanitation that contributes toward the health and improvement of the entire community. |
| 2) | Offering of workshops and speeches to elementary and high school students with the purpose of educating the new generations about the problem of stray animals and their impact on the environment. |
| 3) | Elaboration and execution by PADELA volunteers of a training programme for assistants and animal collectors. |
| C. Technical Aspects | |||||||||
| 1) | Collection of animals | ||||||||
| 2) | Evaluation of animals in the Animal Control Centre | ||||||||
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| Procedure | |
| 1 | After elaborating a programme for the collection of animals in various sectors of the city by week, a vehicle with different-sized cages and a team specialized in the capture of animals will collect the animals and take them to the Animal Control Centre. a) The personnel in charge of this task will be trained by our veterinary doctors. |
| 2) | A veterinary doctor will examine the animals and will evaluate their physical state in order to determine the course of action, according to their condition. |
| 3) | Each animal will be registered and identified with a collar or ring, with the PADELA name and a registration number. |
| 4) | Once the animals are taken to a good state, cured, vaccinated and sterilized or castrated, they will be incorporated to the Adoption Programme that PADELA has been developing for several years and is now being supported by our web page http://www.padelard.org/ a) They will remain in the Centre under the care of special personnel, with the appropriate exercise and being fed with dry food. Note: The Animal Control Centre is in its first stage and has a present capacity for 24 animals in treatment and 24 waiting for adoption. We foresee its extension according to the financial resources obtained. |
| 5) | The animals that are not in a condition to be recuperated will be put to sleep, using the techniques and equipments universally approved. These are extreme cases. |
| 6) | Those animals that are not adopted, but are in good health conditions, will be incorporated to the places where they were picked from, according to WSPA recommendations. |
| Presently, in addition to PADELA, the following institutions are contributing with this project: | |
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National District City Council, Dominican Republic |
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State Department of Public Health, Dominican Republic |
Additionally, as a result of the educational and conscious awareness campaigns, we can estimate an indirect effect of a 20% reduction of stray animals in a six (6) month period.
Contact us in this link: contacto@padelard.org