Dierenasiel Bonaire | Animal Shelter Bonaire

Pioneer vet back

Marlies — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:34:30 +0000

Six years after Canadian veterinarian Dr. Cheryl Yuill participated in the Bonaire Animal Shelter’s first free sterilization program in 2004, she returned to Bonaire.
Accompanied by Canadian veterinarian Dr. Mary Lovie who owns a house on Bonaire and who started the whole campaign up at the time, she visited the Shelter. “I’m glad to see so much has changed,”

Left to right: Dr. Mary Lovie, Dr. Cheryl Yuill, Shelter employee Kenneth Piar and Shelter manager Marlies Tiepel

Dr. Yuill says. “There are far fewer stray dogs on the street and the public awareness has become so much better. Several people have come up to me when they heard I was part of the first sterilization program to tell me very proudly that their dog was sterilized! I am also very impressed with the little house the Shelter has built outside their gate for people to put their unwanted animals or animals they’ve found. It’s nicer than the one we have at the shelter I work with in Canada. There we get about 2,500 cats and 1,000 dogs a year that people cannot take care of anymore. Many of those animals are adopted out, but it’s not a no-kill shelter; we also euthanize animals.

In Canada I own and work at the Blue Cross Animal Hospital, in Kitchener, Ontario, and it was my colleague, Dr. Mary Lovie, who took the initiative for the sterilization campaign in 2004.

“I came to Bonaire in 2000 to dive,” Dr. Mary Lovie says, “and in my spare time I looked up the Animal Shelter and I had a conversation with Jurrie, who was the manager in those days, about all the strays downtown and was anything done about them. I offered my services to Jurrie and he took me to Hans and Etty Lambeek, the veterinarian couple who were then running the animal clinic at Kaminda Lagun. They were very interested when they heard I’d organized similar sterilization projects in other parts of the world. So, we had several meetings in the following years and in 2004 we hit it off: the two Dutch vets, three American vets and Cheryl and me from Canada. We all brought our own instruments and all the other supplies, and Hans and Etty brought the drugs. From October 14th till October 31st we sterilized 302 animals and it continued after we left.

In conclusion: We’re very happy to see the island has picked up on our program, and it’s heartwarming to see the benefits. We’re highly impressed with the new sterilization campaign the Animal Shelter started last year in May. They’ve sterilized almost 500 animals. It’s been very good progress. Amazing!”

Greta Kooistra, Bonaire Reporter, March 19- April 9, 2010

Sylvie, the cat

Marlies — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:32:35 +0000

Here’s a story with a happy ending. “Sylvie” the cat was found on the street on New Year’s Eve. She was lost, terrified and miserable. She was brought into the Bonaire Animal Shelter by a Good Samaritan and put in a separate cage as she was too scared to even be with other animals. But over the weeks with the love and attention of the Shelter staff and volunteers, little by little she became tame and relaxed and could be put in the Cat Cage. Now she’s a very affectionate and friendly cat who has become a favorite with the staff. What a transformation!

Sylvie is about nine months old; she’s been checked out by the vet and given her shots and tests and is ready to go to a good home. However, Sylvie should be adopted as an “only cat” as she still prefers not being around other cats. The NAƒ 75 cat adoption fee covers all this – a healthy and social cat – plus sterilization. You may see Sylvie at the Bonaire Animal Shelter on the Lagoen Road, open Monday through Saturday,9 am to 1 pm and 3 to 5 pm. Tel. 717-4989.

Laura DeSalvo, Bonaire Reporter, March 19- April 9, 2010

Dog hair song

Marlies — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:26:36 +0000

On the music blog The smell of Music I found this great song.

Shelter needs donations to keep sterilization program going

Marlies — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:11:33 +0000

The Shelter’s Sterilization Program, “Bonny Superdog,” is still going full speed, but to keep up with the demand they desperately need donations to keep the program going. If you can help – any amount is more than welcome – you may do it in several ways. Cash donations are always appreciated.

Look for the dog house donation boxxes in many shops and businesses or at the Shelter. SupportBonaire provides a way for Americans to donate to their favorite causes and claim charitable deductions on their American income tax. Support Bonaire website now accepts credit card donations for the Shelter. Or you may donate via the bank: Animal Shelter Bonaire, RBTT Bank Antilles, Bonaire Branch, Account # 23.10.139. BIC: RBTTANCU SWIFT: ABNANL2A

Young Querien and her sister Queenie

Marlies — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:05:49 +0000

Young “Quirien” was brought into the Bonaire Animal Shelter along with her sister “Queenie.” The people who brought them in just had too many dogs to take care of.

“Quirien” is so proud and a darling. She’s alert – just look at those standing up ears – and loves to show off the snow white fur on her chest. She’s friendly but not to someone who shouldn’t be in her yard. This girl will be a fine watch dog. It was good luck for Quirien and Queenie to be brought in because at the Shelter if the dog is in good health and is social with people they will be put up for adoption. Both dogs have been checked out by the vet, had their shots, worming and tests and are ready to go. When they are a little older they will be sterilized. All this for the dog adoption fee of NAƒ 105.

You may meet her and the other adoptees at the Shelter on the Lagoen Road, open Monday through Saturday, 9 am to 1 pm and 3 to 5pm. Tel. 717-4989.

Laura da Salvo, Bonaire Reporter, March 5-19, 2010

Animal Shelter Bonaire on Youtube

Marlies — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:56:53 +0000

The Animal Shelter Bonaire on Youtube.

Art for Animal Shelter Bonaire

Marlies — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:48:37 +0000

Sika Mik made beautiful pieces of art out of driftwood and coral. The art was sold in the Kontiki restaurant. Sika donated the revenues of this sale to the Animalshelter Bonaire.

Thank you very much Sika Mik!

Valerie’s Airport Shop sponsors Animal Shelter Bonaire

Marlies — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:46:04 +0000

The Animal Shelter Bonaire welcomes the Valerie’s Airport Shop as a new sponsor.

Thanks very much Valerie’s Airport Shop!

Roly poly, happy puppy Jeroen

Marlies — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:02:02 +0000

One picture can be worth a thousand words!

He’s a roly poly, happy puppy now, but little “Jeroen” had a very sad beginning to his life. He was almost run over by a car when he was just five weeks old, but a good Samaritan found him and brought him into the Bonaire Animal Shelter.

Because he was so young and frail he had to go home to live with Shelter Director Marlies who had to feed him by hand. But now at seven weeks he’s one of the cutest puppies we’ve ever seen. Who would not agree? He’s like a wooly little bear with a wonderful disposition and attitude towards life. He’s been checked out by the vet, wormed, had his shots and will be sterilized when he’s old enough. The dog adoption fee of NAƒ 105 covers all of this and you may always be assured to getting a healthy and well adjusted and social animal from the Shelter.

Dierenasiel Bonaire introduceert ‘diervriendelijk afstandshok’

Marlies — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:52:48 +0000

Het dierenasiel Bonaire heeft deze week een ‘diervriendelijk afstandshok’ in gebruik genomen. Dit hok staat buiten de tweede poort van het dierenasiel en geeft de bevolking van het eiland de mogelijkheid om hier anoniem en buiten openingstijden om, een hond of kat in te herbergen. Dit kunnen huisdieren zijn die de mensen afstaan en waar ze niet langer meer voor kunnen zorgen. Maar ook kunnen het ‘gevonden’ dieren of loslopende honden of katten zijn die mensen langs de weg vinden.

Dierenleed voorkomen
De reden dat het asiel dit hok heeft gebouwd is dat normaliter mensen hun dier -buiten openingstijden- ook bij het asiel achterlieten, maar dan op een dieronvriendelijke manier. Ze werden vastgebonden aan de poort, in de volle zon en zonder water. Het kwam ook geregeld voor dat de dieren over het hek gegooid werden en zich hierdoor bezeerden. Of dat ze voor de poort in een kartonnen doos werden gezet, de doos vervolgens kapot beten en de drukke weg op renden. Natuurlijk met de kans aangereden te worden.

Diervriendelijk
Het hok is een veel vriendelijkere manier om de dieren in te herbergen. Zo staat in deze kooi altijd een bak met vers water, de wind kan er goed doorheen blazen, het hok staat in de schaduw en bij regen zitten de diertjes lekker droog. En twee keer per dag, zelfs op zondag, wordt gechecked of er een dier in het hok geplaatst is. De dieren zitten dus nooit lang in het hok.

Wat gebeurt er met de afstandsdieren?
De dieren die het asiel in dit hok aantreft, krijgen dezelfde behandeling als de andere honden en katten die worden afgestaan. Als het asiel vermoedt dat het dier van huis is weggelopen, dan gaan de asielmedewerkers actief op zoek naar de eigenaar. Indien niet het geval is en de hond of kat is gezond, dan probeert het asiel vanzelfsprekend een nieuwe eigenaar voor het dier te vinden.

Eerste hond in hok terug bij eigenaar
De eerste hond die het asiel in het hok aantrof was een schattig dier. De viervoeter droeg gelukkig een penning aan zijn halsband. Zo konden de medewerkers van het asiel de eigenaar van het dier gemakkelijk traceren. De eigenaar was dolblij om zijn hond weer terug te zien!

Het dierenasiel Bonaire wil de sponsor Valerie’s Airport Shop en de vrijwilligers bedanken die het hok hebben gebouwd.