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Street dog neutering at Ometepe

ViaNica.com | Nov 27, 2007

Further Reading

A brigade of veterinary students will visit the island of Ometepe at the beginning of December to help with a problem that is widespread throughout Nicaragua: street dogs. Dogs will be neutered by the students, in order to prevent further expansion of the street dog population.

Street dogs, lacking somebody to look after them, frequently carry diseases and worsen the hygienic situation in areas where they live, often in poorer neighborhoods.

The brigade from Oregon State University will visit Ometepe Island between Friday, December 9 and Tuesday, December 13 of this year. They will neuter male dogs and survey for some basic diseases pertinent to human and animal health. By neutering the male dogs the dog population will not expand as rapidly, and by repeating this event next year the problem of street dogs that spread diseases will hopefully commence to disappear.

Assistance needed

In order to also spay the female dogs (removing the ovaries in order to prevent breeding) there is assistance required from a local veterinarian. If somebody is able to assist for a few days at Ometepe, free lodging and food will be provided. Please contact Alvarado Molina from the Ometepe Foundation for details: 868-8973 or alvaronica@gmail.com.