CubaPLUS Magazine

In recent years, and just when it is most necessary, Cuban society has seen the growth of voluntary and tenacious work in the protection and rescue of animals that increasingly involves people and organizations, after long years of hard-fought institutional work, but not comprehensive enough of the task.

To be fair and accurate, we must begin by talking about the enormous management of the Association for the Protection of Animals and Plants (Aniplant), with more than 30 years of work and achievements in the country, headed by Nora García Pérez, a name of prestige in business, one of the most fervent promoters of the Animal Welfare Decree Law, approved for the first time in Cuba in February 2021. Quite an event.

And at least, since there is no space here for more, to recognize the tens of thousands of actions, large and small, that the so-called Aniplant has carried out throughout its time in favor of survival -the right to life- and to safety of the so-called domestic, pet or street animals, all living beings on Earth with this condition, together with their right to life, health, food, care, including vaccination and deworming and humane, free treatment of violence or cruelty.

 Although these are issues that are listed as sewing, we all know that they are very difficult conditions to achieve more in the midst of the current difficulties of daily life. But Aniplant and other institutional organizations that have always supported it are not alone in this humanitarian endeavor. It is obvious that although many still do not appreciate it, society has grown morally and new independent institutions, actors or volunteers have emerged at the community level and sometimes even at a national or provincial level that work with love and zeal in favor of the so-called rescue of the disadvantaged and homeless animals.

Acts of denunciations and concern about abandonment and mistreatment grow and solidarity networks that protect dogs and cats increase, mainly in neighborhoods, although in Cuba, the spectrum of animals related to humans, in towns and cities is very varied. Among the new well-known work organizations is CeDa, Cubans in Defense of Animals, based in many communities in Havana, as a non-profit sociocultural project.

Its members are committed to trying to reduce the stray population of dogs and cats and transmit to the population, especially infants and young people, the values of a kind and non-violent treatment towards them, whether or not they are their pets. CeDA is also giving priority to the rescue of stray animals, the promotion of responsible adoption of rescued animals, the sterilization of females and males, and deworming.

Another organization with similar purposes, called De la calle, spreads its affiliations throughout various parts of the country, encouraged by volunteering, humanist values and the desire to form values and principles in current generations.In no way are the main problems related to abandonment, cruel treatment or the crisis of values around the issue resolved. But there is a beautiful light lighting the way and already, in fact, we live in a more conscious and humanitarian environment, in a progressive current that wants to turn up the wick. This fills us with hope and drives us to keep moving forward.