Posted on 08/04/2004 6:21:57 AM PDT by rrstar96
(English-language translation)
Walter Chávez, Administrator of the National Park Service in San Juan, agreed in principle to a program that would save the lives of stray cats living around San Juan Gate and the base of the [Spanish-era] walls along Old San Juan, but has not yet signed the agreement that would allow for the program to begin.
The “Save-a-Gato” Foundation is willing to begin the program “tomorrow”, according to Carol Varela, spokesperson for the group, but they need the federal official’s approval in writing. The agency was going to pay for the cats’ extermination until defenders of animals from several organizations mobilized public opinion in favor of “Operation Trap, Sterilize, and Release”.
As Varela explained, the members of “Save-a-Gato” have been feeding the cats for some time now, but when they found out that the federal government was planning to exterminate them, they proceeded to try to save them through the above-mentioned Operation, which, as it has been executed in other places, manages to stabilize the [cat] population (since they do not reproduce) and keep the social life of the colony intact, in addition to controlling the rat population in Old San Juan.
The Animal Control Solutions company already has the necessary humane traps, and the [animal] shelters in the Municipality of San Juan and the Guaynabo Humane Society are ready to perform the sterilizations and other veterinary services, since [the cats] will be given vaccines against rabies and other diseases. Afterwards, the cats will be returned to their environment in good health.
“We will make a little cut on the ears, to identify those [cats] that have already been captured, and [apply] an identification tattoo,” Varela explained. The young kittens, as well as the tame adults, if there are any, will be offered for adoption. [The foundation] plans to hold an adoption fair on August 12-14 at Plaza Carolina [Mall]. This will also help reduce the [cat] population.
The “Save-a-Gato” Foundation is supervising the capture activities in order to ensure that the animals are always treated in a humane manner.
[The organization] already has 3,000 signatures in petitions to save the cats, but the high degree of publicity that they have received for their cause has had an undesirable effect from people who bring food for the cats. Varela stressed that the cats are being given a scientifically-balanced regular diet, and to give them any other type of food may cause intestinal problems, as well as litter the area with old food that may cause problems with the Park Service. People who wish to help may go to Plaza Carolina [Mall] and offer a home, or visit the Internet at http://www.saveagato.com and sign the petition.
Does "casa gato" mean what it means in English?
"Does 'casa gato' mean what it means in English?" Not at all!
To update the readers, the Save-a-Gato website describes the cats in Old San Juan more accurately as feral cats. So, they are not just a bunch of felines drifting throughout the streets of the city, but a colony which has made the San Juan Gate area its home. Check it out!
http://www.saveagato.com
As compared to the new Chinese restaraunt in San Juan.."Cometa Gato"!
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