SIMPSON BAY:--- Did you know 1 dog pair can breed and result in 67,000 dogs over the course of 7 years?
In order to lessen the starvation, suffering, and misery of stray animals, 4 Leaf Rover, a non-profit group based in the USA and focused on providing free medical care for stray dogs and cats in the Caribbean, will be conducting a free spay and neuter campaign from March 27 to March 31 with the goal in mind to spay and neuter 300 dogs and cats for free. A temporary pop-up clinic located adjacent to St. Maarten Veterinary Clinic in Cay Hill will be constructed for this mission which has been led by Dr. Edward Lee, an American physician who attended AUC medical school from 1999-2001 and a homeowner of French St. Martin.
The four local veterinarians on the Dutch side Dr. Virginie de Ceuster of Animal Care Center, Dr. Glen Romney of Animal Hospital of St. Maarten, Dr. Garry Swanston of St. Maarten Veterinary Clinic, and Dr. Ruth Wright of The Island Vet, will be providing local support and equipment for this mission. In addition, several St. Maarten-based animal welfare activists and organizations such as Animal Welfare Foundation, Animal Defenders, and SXM PAWS along with local businesses such as AUC School of Medicine, Belair Beach Hotel (by offering free lodging for all 11 volunteers of 4 Leaf Rover) Domino's Pizza St. Maarten and St. Maarten Yacht Club Bar & Restaurant (which will offer free daily breakfast for the volunteers) will be also assisting in this mission. Volunteers will be finding, collecting, and bringing stray dogs and cats located on both the Dutch and French sides for spay and neuter surgeries. Free rewards will be offered to owners who bring their pets in for spay/neuter surgery such as free collars, leashes, shampoos, and pizza.
Hundreds of dogs and cats ended up homeless after Hurricane Irma swept through the island back in 2017. During the COVID pandemic, many pets were dumped by owners who could no longer afford to feed them. When dogs and cats are allowed to roam, the exponential rate of breeding of dogs and cats inevitably results in misery and starvation as well the lack of acute medical care for the animals. Animals that are not spayed and neutered are less likely to get into fights, become infected with contagious diseases, and roam while dangerously unattended and some get hit by vehicles. Moreover, sterilization also helps prevent deadly forms of cancer and diseases of the reproductive system. Spayed cats are less likely to get infected with the Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) which can cause cancer. In addition, Canine Transmissible Venereal Tumour, a deadly and painful disease, can be prevented in sterilized dogs.
In order to book spay and neuter surgeries for adopted pets, owners will need to send an email to Macy at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Owners will be asked to drop off their pets at either 630am or 1200pm for morning or afternoon surgery times.
To learn more about this free spay-neuter campaign, please go to: https://www.facebook.com/events/557454553065944/
