COSTA RICA | THE ONLY PET NO KILL NATION IN THE AMERICAS

NO KILL NATION 

Whenever people hear about Costa Rica being the only No Kill Nation in the Americas, they act surprised…  How is it possible that a developing nation might be more progressive than 1st world countries..?!   Well, this tiny Central American nation happens to have some of the most advanced laws when it comes to protecting animals.  The breakthrough in Costa Rica came in 2003, when the law that prohibits euthanasia as a method of pet population control was passed.

In comparison, the United States of America lags far behind. Despite the millions of dollars that are spent on a yearly basis by government agencies and rescue groups combined, mass killings of unwanted dogs and cats still occur on a weekly basis across the nation.

Recipe for Success

So, how does a country like Costa Rica manage overpopulation of companion animals, without resorting to violence and with virtually zero investment on behalf of the government?

Here is the recipe for success:

• Hundreds of communities have been trained in how to organize low cost mass spay & neuter clinics in their neighborhoods.
• Animal organizations offer regularly scheduled spay & neuter clinics in low income areas.
• Private practice veterinarians open their doors to offer low cost spay & neuter services.
• ANPA (the National Association for the Protection of Animals) has pioneered the concept of spay & neuter as the most fundamental step towards building a future free of animal suffering.

Following this strategy, Costa Rica has achieved 30.3% of spayed/neutered dogs*, a fairly high percentage compared to many other Latin American countries that barely reach 5% while continuing to mass kill street animals.The No Kill Nation model is the one that SNIP aims to replicate in other developing nations. We need a lot of “No Kill Patrons” to help us reach our goal.   Become a SNIP supporter, donate today and help us build a future free from animal suffering!

* Source: WSPA: Status of the dog population in homes of the Great Metropolitan Area. November 2011