In Brasil, dogs and cats are part of the family - when they're lucky to have one. We are estimated to have 80 million cats and dogs living here. The problem that makes me crazy is that one third of this amount, or more, does not eat well and enough, are badly treated, are hurt and suffer all sort of injuries and deseases.
Why does that happen? I would say that a few factors explains this horrible situation: part of people just don't care. It is sad, but unfortunatelly very true. They see animals like they see something worthless, without an inherent value. These people shall to be ruled, and authorities watching them, with reasonble punishment and finantial sanctions. That's a mandatory situation.
The other part of the problem is that the public setor just don't act. In Brazil, the cities, I mean, the municipalities, have this legal obligation of caring animals. It happens that the cities, except a few ones, make a poor, very poor, or just unexisting, job. No structure, no laws, no driven policies, no methodologies.
As a result, if you to go to the country-side cities, the smallers ones, the scenario is almost always terrific. Too many dogs and cats wandering in the steets, like zombies, squalids, starving, dirty.....it is sad - for those who care, I mean.
Brazilian NGOs dedicated to animal care try to mitigate the problem, and they do, at a certain extent. I really apreciate their outstanding dedication and I am sure they love animals as much as me. However, they don't work in the CAUSE (and therefore change the situation), they work to mitigate the SYMPTONS.
Working in the causes of the problem is harder as long as it demands more complexes solutions. For example, those low-rated cities need to aprove and implement local laws to avoid animal mistreatment (most of them dot not have a legal framework for animal well-being), and, thereafter, to ensure that the law is not being ignored. And then eventually punish. Alongside with it, cities need to develop effective and especific public policies dedicated to animal well-being.
Brazil has around 5,5 thousand municipalities. Much likely 95% or more of them need an urgent improve on the way they treat their dogs and cats. It sounds like an impossible mission, but is has to beggin somewhere, somehow. MAB, therefore, seems to be a naive initiative.
We are, anyhow, willing to try.
V.H.S.P., MAB Volunteer
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