The Dominican Republic: A humane, logical and sustainable strategy to combat the overpopulation of cats and dogs worldwide.

“I live my life asking, how can I save the maximum amount of animals in my lifetime?”

Emma Clifford is doing just that. Don’t let the long wavy hair and soft English voice fool you. When Clifford, founder and director of Animal Balance, learned of the lethal situation facing thousands of dogs and cats living among the other rare species on The Galapagos Islands she jumped into action. In 2003, the tall, lean, vegan organized a plan of action, traveled halfway around the world and tackled the multiple layers of male-dominated bureaucracy with the tenacity of a bulldog!

Clifford and her organization believes that high volume, community based sterilization campaigns combined with rabies vaccination is the only humane, logical and sustainable strategy to combat the over population of cats and dogs and prevent the spread of rabies.

The Galapagos

In 2004, Animal Balance volunteer veterinarians, animal technicians and assistants, started its first animal sterilization project in The Galapagos. The clinic teams worked tirelessly and in one amazing feat 490 animals were sterilized on three islands in six days! By 2007, 96% of all dogs and cats living on the four islands of critical habitat were not going to be adding to the pet population thanks to Animal Balance.

Animal Balance believes in using the latest technology and employs only humane methods to solve these problems. Their strategy is to work collaboratively with the community, government, non-profits and pharmaceutical companies to provide the tools and training necessary for the programs to be sustainable.

But the story doesn’t end there. Animal Balance, now a group of over 450 volunteers, caught the eye of other countries with high numbers of street dogs on the verge of death to control their population. The organization now works in areas where there is either a threat to biodiversity, human health, or the community is too impoverished to sterilize their escalating cat and dog populations.

 Connecting with locals

In 2007 Emma and her crew found themselves in Cabrera, a small fishing village untouched by tourism in the Dominican Republic. With no funding for any animal services, dead animals everywhere and weary locals, Animal Balance thought this battle might be a losing one. But that thought was short-lived when Emma was quickly embraced by Dr. Nelson Medina, the local vet. With open arms this grateful man declared, “I’ve been waiting for you for so long!” Emma knew Animal Balance was right where they belonged.

Since then the locals have welcomed Animal Balance and now help with the Esterilsol injections. Some are taught how to perform the procedure and travel into the high mountain campos. Villagers now travel miles on foot with their beloved dogs to the MASH-style clinics. They use wheelbarrows to carry home their groggy pets.

Making progress

What keeps her motivated?  Clifford said, “The animals and seeing a new person in the village thanking us.” When asked about the most fun she has while working on a campaign, Clifford responded, “It’s so fun to see the surprised look on my international volunteers when they see the grateful villagers approaching us to pay us for our work. With arms loaded with their most precious resources of vegetables, fruits and coffee. This is when the volunteers realize Love Thy Neighbor still has meaning in some places in the world.” Plus animals are now looked at as part of the family and are being welcomed into homes as pets. Emma has even been given the honorable name, white girl who loves dogs more than people.

But the work of Animal Balance is far from done. Emma is currently back in the United States to reorganize and expand the base of Animal Balance volunteers while she coordinates future campaigns. The organization is also working in Santo Domingo, Samoan Islands and next will be taking its passion for prevention to Cuba.

Clifford is also staying connected with the continued progress in The Galapagos Islands. Animal Balance is working to bring in vaccines to further aid the dogs and cats. Vaccines are considered live imports- currently banned in The Galapagos. Sadly, as more people living on the islands want pure bred animals, pets are being drugged and quietly smuggled to the islands aboard cargo ships. And further disheartening are the puppy mills popping up in the highlands. Humane education programs are being introduced in an effort to end this with Emma’s campaign to adopt and educate.

At this time Emma is asking for veterinarians, vet techs and volunteers to join the campaign. If you are interested in learning more about Animal Balance and how to become part of this great group, please contact Emma Clifford.

• For more information on Animal Balance, click here.
• Email Emma Clifford, Founder and Director at clifford@animalbalance.org 
• Snail Mail:  Animal Balance
  c/o Animal Fund
  Fort Mason Building, Quarters 35
  San Francisco, CA,  94123   USA

Photos courtesy of Animal Balance

first photo: Emma Clifford

second photo: Dog who lives at the port in a Dominican fishing village. He and his friends are sterilized and taken care of by local fishermen.