Last year, nearly 3,000 dogs and cats died from poisoning in Cape Verde.

About 3,000 dogs and cats died from poisoning in Cape Verde last year, the country’s association said Saturday, pointing out that most cases occurred on Sal and Boa Vista, the archipelago’s two most tourist islands.

“There are cases of poisoning of dogs and cats, and we receive the most reports from Sala and Boa Vista, as well as from other islands such as Sao Nicolau and the city of Praia (Santiago Island). This is happening all over the country in different dimensions and with different frequencies,” Maria Zsuzsanna Fortes, president of the Citizens’ Movement for Responsible Communities (MCCR), told Lusa.

According to the same source, in the past year alone, protection associations have counted nearly 3,000 animals killed by poisoning on the country’s streets as a result of crime that has increased in recent days, and have urged everyone to report such cases.

MCCR is a civil society movement that has undertaken a number of actions to support the ethical and sustainable management of the dog population and has been active in advocating for animal welfare and against cruelty in Cape Verde.

Maria Zsuzsanna Fortes has no doubt that there is an “organized and systematic activity” in the country to kill these animals on public roads, citing the same frequency and location of cases in Sal and Boa Vista.

“In Praia, for example, many packs of dogs have disappeared. Cidadela (a district of the capital) is deserted, and there are several other areas where they have disappeared. We have received complaints from owners as well as public guardians,” said the same person in charge. .

Regarding the poison used, the MCCR president said tests indicate a pesticide used in agriculture is “extremely strong” and can also kill humans.

“Because of this, its use is already banned in several countries,” said an association leader who used the interview with Lusa to ask police for help to prevent “a pesticide of this caliber from being sold freely into the country.”

In the case of Boa Vista, where local authorities also reported dogs being poisoned in November 2022, it is suspected that another type of poison is being used that is just as strong, said Maria Fortes, who lamented the “failure” of the association. dealt with complaints filed with the country’s police.

In Cape Verde, there are frequent deaths of dogs and cats due to poisoning on public roads, which has led to reactions and complaints from associations protecting these animals.

Animal welfare associations estimate there are about 20,000 stray dogs in the city of Praia alone, posing a public health problem.

In February 2002, the director of the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, Brigitte Olua, praised Praia for changes in the management of the dog population in Cape Verde, asked for the involvement of the authorities and expressed the opinion that this could improve the image of tourism in Cape Verde. archipelago.

But the president of the Citizens’ Movement for Responsible Communities said the latest cases would have a “very serious” impact on the country, which is a signatory to international agreements undertaking ethical management of its dog and cat populations.

“This news tells us that we are unable to fulfill these obligations,” lamented the president, who acknowledged there have been “some attacks” by stray dogs on tourist sites but opposed the extermination, defending castration and public adoption.