carol's Sharebook 

Puerto Rico is planning another of their infamous "removals", this time of the cat colonies of Old San Juan. With animal rights organizations like Save a Gato dramatically decreasing the number of strays in the area, and vastly improving the lives and health of the strays that exist, the stray cat problem has diminished in the past few years. Even the most notorious colony area is down to less than 100 cats.

Instead of being grateful for the volunteer efforts of the citizens of this very community-based city, the State Veterinarian, Carlos Gilot, names these organizations "part of the problem" in the June 4th, 2008 edition of the San Juan Star, announcing it is his decision that the "removal" of these cats is legitimate due to the risk of public health problems, such as fleas, ticks, fungi and itch mites.

Unfortunately our government has managed to overlook the severe drug problem of our city, where Hepatitis is in epidemic proportions and people living on the street are severely stricken with severe infections and gang green, and instead decided to blame their problems on a few cats that keep the city free of rats and other animals that cause actual health risks.