Members of the Bahamas Vets Association met last night to discuss a mass spay and neuter project that could affect up to 2,000 stray animals in the Bahamas.
Project Potcake would be organised in conjunction with Animal Balance, an American non-profit group that would send its own vets to perform the operations, free of charge.
According to animal rights activists, the project can only start pending confirmation from the Ministry of Agriculture which will probably rely heavily on consultation from the Vets Association.
Members of the association acknowledged a stray problem to The Tribune, but revealed that they still have some have “reservations” about Project Potcake.
Association president, Peter Bizzell, spoke prior to last night’s meeting and said association members will make a “fresh assessment” of the stray problem, how Project Potcake could possibly help, and how the project would fit in with current spay and neuter programmes.
Basil Sands, an association member, had sentiments similar to Dr Bizzell’s.
“I’m for a mass spay – neutering but I have some reservations,” he said. “On the islands, we have some unemployed or underemployed vets and to bring in foreign vets, I don’t think it’s politically expedient. We have Bahamian vets that are unemployed who could do the same thing.”
Speaking with The Tribune last week, Lissa McCombe, Bahamas Humane Society board member, said she is “very excited” about the possibility that Project Potcake could start in the Bahamas.
“It’s going to be 20 vets coming in for four days and they are paying their own way here. The only thing we need to do is raise money for supplies,” she said.
“It’s going to make an immediate and significant difference in the amount of unwanted animals, therefore making the burden on the Humane Society and other animal groups a lot lighter.
“There’s only two groups that have to sign off on it, the Minister of Agriculture – who has been very positive – and the Vets Association. The project really hangs in the balance of whether the Vets Association votes for or against it.”
