The Cayman Islands Humane Society is currently facing a difficult situation.  While it makes every effort to find shelter animals a good home, it is struggling to cope with the volume of rescued and surrendered animals taken in at the shelter and is now operating well beyond capacity.

The directors, staff and volunteers are working hard at finding solutions, last week they announced a 50 per cent discount on adoption fees in an attempt to promote public adoptions; however, despite this and several recent transfers of both puppies and dogs overseas, the shelter remains beyond maximum capacity.   Two weeks ago, 10 dogs were transferred to Pets Alive in New York and within two days a further six had been taken in at the shelter, with one abandoned dog found tied to a post outside the shelter.  The only option is to decline any further acceptances of animals to the shelter until the current situation can be remedied.

It is recognised that a crowded shelter not only adversely affects the staff and volunteers but the animals as well, resulting in stress and aggression.  This leads to injuries and expensive unnecessary vet bills from already stretched shelter funds.  For this reason, it is imperative that the actions taken by everyone will create some breathing space and allow for effective management of the shelter facilities.

The decision to temporarily decline any further admissions to the shelter has not been taken lightly by the CIHS, recognising that this can overload other animal groups on the Island or diverting more dogs to the Department of Agriculture.  To help put animals out of their misery is an extreme option, but may be the only option in cases where dogs and cats have become unadoptable and their quality of life in the shelter is affected, or they are affecting other animals quality of life and depriving potentially adoptable animals the opportunity to find homes owing to lack of space.

The CIHS continues to offer the discounted half price adoption fee for any of their animals.  Volunteers that have an interest in animals through regular visits are urged by the CIHS to consider adopting their animal of interest or to encourage their friends to do so, not limiting this to the Cayman Islands as adoptions and transfers abroad are possible.

The CIHS requests that all of the other animal interest groups in the Cayman Islands consider providing assistance in anyway by alleviating the pressure on the shelter and is most grateful to those that have already assisted in past transfers and have already helped with animal adoptions.

It is noted that all members of the CIHS sign up to be governed by the CIHS Memorandum and Articles of Association; the Memorandum includes the following clauses:

(iv) To take whatever legal measures it sees fit for the control of animal population including humane destruction of sick and unwanted animals and

(v) To take whatever legal measures it sees fit for the prevention of cruelty to animals.

The directors encourage the public to take advantage of the CIHS Spay and Neuter Clinic.

To help remedy this situation, the CIHS invites all to come and visit the animals in the shelter and adopt.  Anyone who is able to assist in any way is kindly asked call the shelter on 949 1461