Adopting a Rescue.

Chico 1
Chico 2
Chico 3

This is the story of Chico, a Cuban dog wandering like there are thousands in the islands.

Last April, while I was in Cuba, during a sterilization clinic offered free by Veterinarians Yohanky Ruiz Delgado and Gladis Corria Ochoa, two Italian tourists, who love animals, Barbara Vignoli and Mariaangela Baiardi, brought this abandoned dog to the clinic. He only had skin and bones and had lost a lot of hair due to LA.

Quickly, Yohanky has made the most urgent treatments and has given it to Karelia, one of its volunteers who welcome animals in recovery. Under the precious care of Yohanky and Karelia, who hosted her at home the week we were there to adopt her and who took care of all the official papers and brought him to the airport.

Chico Has recovered health and a more normal life. That is how we went to adopt it on 22 October. He is now with us to live many long years, I hope, surrounded by love and care. People will say there are animals to be adopted in Quebec and that is quite right. However, animals have a chance here. In Cuba, we have to fight tooth and nail to save stray animals from a certain death. There is no law, no legislation to protect animals. But fortunately, people like Yohanky and Gladis work hard and want to move things. More and more support groups are formed here and in Europe and provide valuable assistance to these two veterinarians in the heart. I thank the heart of Gladis and Karelia for allowing Chico to have a second chance in life and he's already making us love a hundred times. Here's a little photo montage from Chico... from April to now! - Nancy Belanger 3 November 2017

Carelie and Chico
Gladis, Yohanky and CarelieWith treatment from Yohanky and a loving foster home with Karelia, Chico begins to recover.
ChicoFinally Chico is well enough to travel to his new home in Canada with Nancy and Daniel now transformed into a healthy, happy dog.

Biggi and Christophe from Germany share with us
their story of love and determination.

It was in February on the streets of Havana where we found little Fidel Cohiba, just weeks old, very small, very scared, alone and close to dying. We decided we couldn't just leave him on the streets so looked for a vet who could help us.

Fortunately, we found ANIPLANT in Havana who helped us find a temporary home for Cohiba but we couldn't find a permanent solution for him so decided to take him with us on our Cuba trip.

 

As we travelled around the island we fell in love with Cohiba and decided we wanted to take this little Cuban kitten back home with us to Germany. We were worried about what would happen to Cohiba once our trip was over but we got to know Lucy and Sophia (thank you so much) and they helped us find a solution.

They put us in touch with Gladis in Varadero, she takes care of stray animals and helps tourists who want to adopt them. At the end of our journey we left our kitten at the refuge with Gladis where she does a fantastic job, Cohiba was well looked after and Cohiba loved Gladis!

Gladis and Cohiba

Gladis and Cohiba


To adopt Cohiba out of Cuba he needed a Rabies injection at 3 months old followed by a blood sample to check for the antibodies which must be done at a recognised European centre.

Sophia helped us by bringing a blood sample back to Europe when she returned from Cuba. Cohiba also needed a micro chip a vaccination card and a Cuban certificate to state that an animal is healthy just before departure. Gladis takes care of all other prerequisites so the animal can be adopted. She is very experienced without her help we wouldn't have known what to do.

When Cohiba was ready to join us in Germany a friend, Helena, helped to transport him from Cuba, for this we needed to provide a cat carrier for the flight. Pet carriers are unavailable to buy in Cuba so we needed to provide one to bring Cohiba home.

Now he has his new home, is as happy as we are and is really lovely. He wants to cuddle all the time! We are happy we adopted him!!! Gladis has gorgeous animals for adoption at her refuge and helps so much with the adoption #adoptdontshop!!!! Cuba will always be a very special place for us ♡

 

Gladis and Cohiba

Cohiba - home at last!


Gladis and Cohiba

If you need help or advice about adopting a Cuban stray please message Sophia:
https://www.facebook.com/AnimalrescuegroupUK/


Rescue stories like this one help to demonstrate what can be achieved
when people work together.

Precious before

Meet Precious, she was one of the strays filmed by friends of Yohanky as they made a video about the many street dogs in the Yohanky's neighbourhood.

The next day Yohanky tells us " Who would say that one day appeared out of nowhere near my house one of those stray animals that we made the video and applied external anti-parasitic products to" - it was Precious.

In the morning the first person to Yohanky's home was Cecilia an Animal Protector needing advice about one of the cats she cares for, she recognised Precious outside Yohanky's house as a street dog that she has fed on occasions.


Cecilia feeding Precious

Precious was scared and would not let Yohanky touch her but gently he persevered with bits of food and during the evening he was able to put a name tag around her neck for identification.

Although Precious was very nervous when Yohanky put a quilt down in his house for her she went in and spent the night in safety probably for the first time in her life and she didn't want to leave, she had decided that she never wanted to be on the streets again.


Placeholder image

Soon she was trusting Yohanky so he could give her treatment to bring her back to health and before long he was able to talk her for walks, she changed from a frightened, unhappy street animal into a dog with lots of energy and fun.

Placeholder image

Her coat began to grow back and she started to look like a different dog, when she was well enough she was sterilised so her life will not be one of a continual cycle of having puppies which would drain her energy and spoil her health.

Placeholder image

Placeholder image

The wonderful ending to her story is that a local family have decided they would like to adopt Precious!

Many different people have played a part in the rescue of Precious, you the supporters who donate treatments, equipment and medicines to the team, The Aniplant Project who help make it possible for animals to be sterilised, Animal protectors like Cecilia who show kindness to the street animals that most people would avoid.

The generous people who are willing to give a home to a rescued animal and Yohanky, Gladis and their team who use their skills to fix these broken animals and teach them to trust again.