This Tuesday, July 23, CASUD organized a major prevention and awareness campaign against animal migration on Bel-Air’s health trail in Le Tampon. The opportunity to remember good practices to avoid attracting stray dogs and prevent them from gathering in packs. The southern middle municipality announces that they are strengthening awareness of loose dogs and, if necessary, introducing sanctions.
Written by Gaëtan Dumuids – Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at 15.58.
The impressive number of 73,000 stray dogs in Reunion shows the scale of the challenge for local authorities and all Reunion residents. In addition to the human safety concerns that have been in the news in recent weeks, animal migration also poses a health problem related to the circulation of disease and attacks on farms.
To raise public awareness of this issue, CASUD organized a preventive operation this Tuesday at Bel-Air’s health trail in Le Tampon. The aim is to convey the message of the right actions, especially during this school holiday period, which is ideal for family outings or picnics. Therefore, users of tourist sites are asked not to leave food waste on the site so as not to attract dogs that form packs.
“Animal migration, in general and throughout Reunion, is a scourge. It is clear that the CASUD area is no exception. During the year, we take measures to try to reduce animal migration. During the holidays, we double these actions because there are more people, more picnickers, especially on public sites.”explains Jacquet Hoarau, president of CASUD.
Stray dogs are a big part of the problem
As for the actions carried out by the intermunicipal society, there is of course the sterilization campaign from January to September, free of charge for non-taxpayers. In 2023, 1,363 animals were sterilized at a cost of around 250,000 euros. To curb the problem of herds attacking herds, CASUD has teamed up with SEMRRE, the Société d’Economie Mixte Réunion Recyclage Environnement, to carry out rounds around farms. Cages for catching stray dogs that can’t lasso.
Of the 73,000 dogs roaming the island, 42,000 are strays, while 31,000 are strays, meaning they have owners. An important problem, as these animals can contribute to attacks on humans, to nuisance or more simply to impregnate stray animals, leading to their reproduction. Not to mention the dangers animals face, especially on the road.
“If owners have a dog, if they love their animals, they must keep their animals at home and not let them wander away because it creates a nuisance. So there is an educational action, an awareness-raising action, and later, if necessary, there must also be a repressive action. warns Jacquet Hoarau before adding it “If you go to the trouble of having a dog and you love it, you leave it in your garden.”
Stray cats threaten biodiversity
But stray dogs are far from the only problem. The one about cats is perhaps even more harmful. If stray cats create numerous neighborhood conflicts, which are a private matter, they also have a significant impact on the environment, which depends on public authorities.
“It is a health problem and an ecological problem, as cats are more difficult to control from a dispersal point of view and they are animals that attack biodiversity much more than dogs. Cats attack birds. We are trying to protect the bird species that we have in Reunion , and what attacks the birds is primarily the cats.”remembers Patrice Thien Ah Koon.
The mayor of Tampon also emphasizes that the problem of animal migration “can’t just be the public authorities’ business, it’s also every responsible person’s business. When you have an animal, the animal is a member of the family. It must be treated as it is. »
He indicates that the rehabilitation of the Tampon pound will soon be completed. It costs 2.5 million euros and reminds us that animal migration is a cost “which ultimately the whole population supports”. Patrice Thien Ah Koon ensures that this new pound takes into account animal welfare, “but unfortunately it is often an ending that is tragic for the animal. We are the first to be sad because you see dogs that have love in their eyes to give, but when we don’t find owners, society means we have to euthanize these dogs. »
