Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 09/Nov 06:48

Sometimes cheaper to go than to stay

On November 13, one of the Venus Doggess Of Love NGO’s rescue dogs, Suki, will be flown direct from Tobago to Massachusetts, where she will spend the rest of her life. She will be the eighteenth of our rescues (including two cats) to go to a home in New England. Through dog-loving friends there, we have become linked with an animal-loving community of veterinarians, dog trainers, doggy-daycare-centre owners and general dog aficionados. Some people, on hearing of these migrating animals, are happy for them. Some wistfully comment that they too want to be “adopted” and flown abroad to live as the dogs do; others ask why we are “wasting” money sending animals abroad. This is not wasting money. When someone abroad adopts one of our rescues, they cover all related travel costs. On a few occasions, when local homes were not forthcoming, our friends from Massachusetts suggested that we send X or Y dog up to be fostered, and they were subsequently adopted to great homes. In foster situations, we raise the travel funds on our end, through donations from supporters and/or fundraisers. Our friends at the other end also contribute in cash and in kind. They make the long drive from Massachusetts to New York and stay overnight in a hotel close to JFK, to ensure they are there early to collect the canine traveller from the “red-eye” direct TAB-to-NY Caribbean Airlines flight, BW422. They do this without asking us to cover a cent of their expenses. [caption id="attachment_1189306" align="alignnone" width="1024"] From left, Jojo, Suki and Frankie at the Venus CAMP.- Elspeth Duncan[/caption] Thanks to them, many of our rescues (once dumped, unwanted, homeless) now live amazing lives in a huge New England “Tobago Dog” community. On November 2, I hosted a film screening at Mount Irvine Bay Resort in aid of Suki’s journey. We raised sufficient funds (and a bit more) to cover the cost of her travel-approved crate and pay her airfare (US$150 plus VAT). It may sound surprising that it works out cheaper for us to send Suki or any of our rescues abroad than it would be to leave them here in TT for the indefinite long term. It is unfortunately challenging to get dogs adopted locally these days. To send Suki to the US as a passenger’s checked baggage, all expenses included (vaccines, microchip, rabies shot, crate, ticket) we will pay in the region of $4,000-5,000 or less, for example, if a crate is donated. (NB: sending dogs as cargo costs more.) Since being rescued two years ago, Suki has been in our care, along with four other dogs that were rescued at the same time. They were dubbed “The Famous Five.” Last year two of the Famous Five – Muffin (now Willow) and BeeGee – were sent to live in Canada. They are adored by their new families and we get regular updates. Suki, Frankie and Jojo remained at the facility we had built for them – a spacious wooden shelter (the Venus CAMP – “Canine Angels Meeting Place”) with a sizeable fenced enclosure, on land someone kindly loaned us for this purpose (as they were not using the land at the time). In the past year, with Frankie, Jojo and Suki remaining unadopted, we spent approximately $2,000 a month (more if veterinary fees are included) on their collective upkeep, including food and someone tending to them daily. This is a lot, but much cheaper than placing them in a boarding facility for at least $1,200 per dog per month. Finding local foster or permanent homes is increasingly difficult. Considering that rescued dogs can remain unadopted for months, or, in some cases, years, cumulative costs skyrocket beyond the one-off $4,000-$5,000 it costs to send one to a good home in the US or Canada. As much as we love the “adopted abroad” experience for them, finding great local homes is more affordable and easier to get done. The land mentioned above has served its purpose. Unfortunately, however, that period has come to an end, as the owners now require it for their personal use. After Suki flies out on November 13, two rescues will remain – Frankie and Jojo, beautiful, neutered male siblings, about 1 1/2-two years old. We need to find loving, safe, homes for them urgently, so that we can demolish the camp and leave the land free for the owners. If anyone reading this is looking for a loyal canine companion or two and can provide a loving, safe, responsible home or homes – please get in touch asap!   The post Sometimes cheaper to go than to stay appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.