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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
A press conference at the Humane Society of Grand Bahama. From L to R, Ana-Alicia Carroll, HSGB Board Member and former employee; Nancie Pollard, HSGB Board Member; Joseph Darville, HSGB President; Tip Burrows, Executive Director; Lisa Lockhart, Operations Manager; surrounded by HSGB volunteers.
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Freeport, The Bahamas - The Humane Society of Grand Bahama (HSGB) is one of the oldest non profit organizations on this island, founded in 1968. As the human population of Grand Bahama has grown, we have also grown, from a small charity that helped a few animals in need, to the largest animal shelter in the Bahamas. Last year we took in almost 1500 unwanted, abandoned, abused or neglected animals from the Grand Bahama community.
We have done our best to alleviate animal suffering, nuisance animals, stray and roaming animals on this island and we are proud of what we have accomplished. At just the time we should be working even harder to achieve a lasting difference, we find ourselves in the untenable situation of being unable to continue operating. This would ultimately mean an increase in the number of starving, neglected dogs and cats roaming the island, which would not be pleasant for residents, visitors, or potential investors.
The Grand Bahama Port Authority funds us to a certain extent in exchange for us providing animal control services within the bonded area of Freeport. Over the last several years they have reduced their contributions for our services to the point where we can no longer provide the same level of service. The Bahamas Government has never provided one penny towards the work we do and they provide no animal services on Grand Bahama. In most developed nations, animal control is considered a responsibility of government.
We cannot pay all our bills. We cannot pay our staff. Since the first of the year we have laid off three staff, and more layoffs are imminent. We must drastically reduce the number of animals we care for.
Complicating this further is the recent (July 2014) Bahamas Dept. of Agriculture’s requirement to issue a health certificate endorsement for any dog we send abroad, and the new restriction that these dogs must be at least six months old. The HSGB paid the Bahamas Government over $1500 from August to December for these endorsements. We were told this would be a temporary measure lasting about three months due to the Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) outbreak in Nassau. We were informed on Monday, January 26th, that the restrictions and costs remain in place even though Grand Bahama has not registered one single suspected or known CDV case.
Starting today, January 28th, we are closing our shelter to intake for one month. This will allow us to continue to reduce our shelter population without 100 plus animals coming in simultaneously. We will evaluate our resources and options, to devise and implement a plan going forward in which we can hopefully still provide some level of service.
Pet over population is a community problem – we need the community to help us solve it. How can you help? Please write or call your elected officials and urge them to support Government financial assistance for the HSGB, and to enact the Animal Protection and Control Act of 2010, so long overdue, and consider import restrictions for breeding dogs. We also need more of the community to support us – donate, volunteer, adopt, and attend our fundraisers. Be responsible pet owners, spay and neuter your pets, and commit to them for life.
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