A dear reader named Ana recently sent us the following question:

What do you do if you have a dog or cat that you cannot care for any longer here in Costa Rica (due to sickness or family emergency). Is there an ASPCA-style organization here that will help with animal relocation?

Hello Ana, thank you for taking the time to write, and thanks for your concern. We have several organizations dedicated to animal control, rescue, adoption, and humane treatment. If you are unable to care for your pet for the reasons you stated in your question, or for any other reasons, our advice is that you contact one of the organizations we will discuss below. These organizations are managed and administered by animal lovers, and many of them have English-speaking staff members and hard-working volunteers.

Costa Rica has a pretty good track record before the international community when it comes to wildlife preservation and rescue efforts. In the past, we have written about the unique sloth sanctuary in Cahuita, Limon. Our government-sponsored Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INBIO) coordinates several wildlife rescue and protection efforts around the country. Such efforts are in line with our ecological-minded goals and commitment to sustainability that we have previously discussed here in The Costa Rica Star; but unfortunately, we are falling short of our goals when it comes to our relationship with domesticated animals.

Prior to the Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan‘s recent visit to our country, he delivered a scathing admonishment of puppy mills in Costa Rica, a highly lucrative and irresponsible practice that has sadly grown over the last few years as pet owners gravitate towards more towards fashion breeds, like the miniature dogs carried in the purses of celebrity icons such as Paris Hilton. And that’s just one of the problems; several animal rights organizations noticed an increase in the abuse and neglect of Tico pets, something that moved our legislators to pass laws increasing the rights of domesticated animals and issuing tough criminal penalties to abusers.

Then there’s the issue of stray dogs and cats, which is often misunderstood by overly concerned foreigners, particularly by ecotourists. The fact that many Ticos don’t attach a collar or leash to their dogs goes against the pet-keeping standards in Europe and the anglophone nations in North America. Many dogs are allowed to roam the neighborhood, where they often form packs; an expected behavior that can be explained by the gregarious nature of some canine species. These packs can appear fearsome to visitors who are not accustomed to allowing their dogs to socialize in their neighborhoods at home, but it’s a common sight in Costa Rica. Many stray dogs are fed and cared for by the community at large, some are unsuccessfully adopted by well-meaning families who later find out that zaguates (Tico mutts) aren’t too fond of leashes. The risk of neighborhood packs going feral is mostly exaggerated.

The difference between a free-roaming community zaguate and a stray dog that needs to be rescued should become apparent to pet owners. If a dog (or, less often, a cat) is visibly sick or rib-thin, then it may require humane assistance. If it seems to respond positively to human communication, then it is probably being cared for by the community and is simply enjoying the outdoors. By the way, the correct way to engage with free-roaming zaguates is to give them space. Zaguates typically respond to the following commands:

• Venga! – When said with enthusiasm, means “come here!”
• Bss, Bss, Bss – When said repeatedly and enthusiastically, also means “come here!”
• Shhhhh! – When said loud and sternly means “go away!”

The following organizations are run by really cool and humane humans who are proactively involved in improving the lives of animals in Costa Rica. Most of them are heavily reliant on social media to coordinate their efforts.

Asociación Costarricense de Rescate Animal ARA

A quick glance at the Facebook wall of Rescate Animal will give you a good idea of how busy and active they are. They provide street-level rescue, promote responsible adoption practices, coordinate temporary shelter efforts, and more. When Jaco-based Krystel Byers-Silverstein, a smoldering-hot Tica model who now manages the trendy Le Loft club in Jaco, lost a dog named Dinga in the vicinity of Playa Hermosa of Garabito, she quickly reported Dinga’s missing status to Rescate Animal. Dinga had already been rescued and placed into adoption by the beautiful Krystel, who is a passionate animal lover, and yet she became very concerned when Dinga disappeared from her new family. Krystel is a perfect example of the people who make Rescate Animal such a magnanimous organization. For those looking to adopt an adorable zaguate or a cute kitten, Rescate Animal is a great place to contact.

Telemaraton Canina

This media-savvy organization coordinates a telethon for the benefit of pets in need, particularly dogs. They are associated with a number of animal protection groups in Costa Rica, and they operate a telephone hotline to report abuse.

Stop Animal Suffering Yes! (SASY)

If you ever walk down the pedestrian boulevard of Avenida Central in downtown San Jose you’ll notice the stylish row of sculptures dedicated to our stray zaguates who roam the surroundings of the Mercado Central (where they are routinely fed by the grocers). The zaguate parade was coordinated by the suave Mayor Johnny Araya, an animal lover and charismatic politician who’s earned the nickname of Giulani Araya, due to his populist appeal that draws comparisons with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giulani. One of the sculptures is dedicated to SASY, a group that does tons of good work towards important efforts such as veterinary care, spaying and neutering, monitoring the stray dog population, and much more.

Tierras Enamoradas

This ecotourist resort is located in the midst of 109 hectares of cloud forest near San Ramon. Besides running the hotel in sustainable manner, the staff of Lands in Love cares for over 100 dogs and cats in their property. They have contacts in the animal rescue community that can help with ensuring that pets are well-cared for. This is also a cruelty-free hotel that offers vegetarian and vegan meals.

McKee Project

At McKee we approach animal welfare very differently from main stream rescue organizations: we believe that if communities are not involved in the solution, animals will never lead better lives.

Thus, we aim to change how people view and treat their animals, to improve veterinary skills, to create a new veterinarian/client relationship and to provide a framework for communities to sustainably and humanely lower the overpopulation of dogs and cats without building shelters or resorting to mass euthanasia.

As we all know the road to animal advocacy is long and arduous in developing nations: we aim to travel it starting a revolution in every community we visit, moving forward towards a better future for all the furry wanderers of this world.

A.H.P.P.A. Animal Shelter of Costa Rica

The Refugio is a legally registered non-profit organization, an animal shelter in Costa Rica under the name, “Asociacion Humanitaria Para la Proteccion de Animal” (AHPPA) and in English translates to, “Humanitarian Association for the Protection of Animals.” Residents of Costa Rica can make tax deductible donations to AHPPA via checks or deposits to local banks.

There are many other organizations dedicated to animal rights and welfare in Costa Rica. We welcome the input of our readers in this regard; if you know of a group that is worth mentioning here, please let us know in the comments section.