Dear Editor,
The island is too far to educate the inhabitants about providing adequate shelter for their adopted dogs. Animal rescuers can’t cope with the present overpopulation situation alone, government help is desperately needed! It is totally irresponsible to give female dogs for adoption to uncaring, uneducated people.
A total lack of education about a clean environment where trash can be seen almost everywhere. Owners who don’t clean their properties don’t have the capability to care for their pets. It’s an overwhelming situation seen every day almost everywhere in Sint Maarten. People walking through trash going to church with their Bibles in hand, walking on dirty, uneven, sloppy roads, full of trash in Cole Bay. If they praise the Lord, they must know that He would like people to live in a clean environment, and love and respect their pets.
Government does not show a bit of interest in supporting animal rescuers. The situation seen in Great Bay across where Great Bay Hotel used to be, the Mount William area, there is a pathetic environment. Many owners do not clean their properties and have the pride to rent. They should be fined! There is no law to enforce those irresponsible property owners. Poor unhealthy dogs are seen all over.
I have been desperately looking for a suitable apartment, to find out that landlords have the pride to rent apartments in terrible dirty condition, inside and outside, broken and dirty windows. It’s unacceptable. Nobody is supervising those landlords. In Madame Estate, intended to be a commercial Amsterdam Shopping Center, there are tons of trash on the back side. Constructors leaving a terrified trash scene behind.
Abandoned female dogs are almost everywhere. In Sucker Garden area, Dutch Quarter, Oyster Pond on the road of the night club green yellow building, and on the upper roads there are dozens of abandoned dogs. Some female dogs right now mating and probably there is a morbid joy for some people to see them. People adopt dogs just to guard their house, not interested in building a fence instead, leaving dogs on their own, just drop some food, the properties where some beautiful Flamboyant trees are witnessing the uncaring environment, but no money or time to care for their dogs.
In the French Quarter area at the end of Webster Road, animal rescuer “I love my Island dog” must be informed of the alarming situation on that road, mainly at the end of the road. Caretakers are overwhelmed with caring for animals and totally unable to help others. The French- and Dutch-side government assistance is urgently needed. Roaming horses, sick cows dangerously crossing busy traffic roads, and goats are part of the environment.
Cleaning companies are cleaning every week from Oyster Pond to Sucker Garden; they are breaking the rocks, because of cleaning and cutting the grass every week, there is not much to cut and because they can’t reach the properties with trash and carcasses of the thousands of abandoned cars.
Hope this note will help give some awareness of the alarming situation in Sint Maarten.
Name withheld
