Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Steven Eaton | GUAYAMA, Puerto Rico – Retired Army Capt. Carmen Cintron walks the grounds of the...... read more read more
Subscribe
In the hills of Guayama, a municipality in southern Puerto Rico there sits a parcel of land that houses a lot of love for an often over looked population in Puerto Rico.
Canita Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy is an animal sanctuary that is home to more than 690 dogs, who have been rescued in Puerto Rico.
Carmen Cintron, a retired Army captain and veteran of the gulf war, is the founder and primary care taker of the sanctuary.
Cintron’s work with the dogs of Puerto Rico started in 1997, seven years before she opened Canita.
“When I came to Puerto Rico after I retired from the military, my husband and I’s first intention was to live the life of a tourist,” Cintron explained. “We saw the situation, the need, that there are so many dogs on the street that are abused, that were hurt, that were left to die on the street.”
“It became very very very important to me to be able to do something, they don’t have a voice but I do and I became their voice,” She continued.
When the sanctuary opened in 2004, Cintron knew it would not be an easy task, but relying on her time in the military, she knew it was possible.
“When I went to OCS in the military I learned I could do anything I would put my mind on,” said Cintron.
“This was a monumental task everybody told me, so many animals this is crazy. We might be crazy, but we can do it,” she continued.
Canita sits on more than 33 acres of land, but only seven are developed and Cintron is running out of room.
“I wish I had the money to develop all 33 acres and have thousands of dogs and cats and horses, we have the place, we have the land but what we don’t have is the resources,” she said.
Although Canita is running low on space, there is no shortage of compassion.
"I’m not taking any more dogs, I can’t, I have too many, but if I see someone that is in great need, I know that it is not going to survive on the street I’ll take it in."
Canita’s main mission is to save every animal in need. Before Maria they were focusing on a new mission to educate the people of Puerto Rico about the importance and benefits of treating animals with love and respect.
“I’m trying to get into education, I do believe when a child is small and growing up, we get those values into the child, they will become a better citizen, because it grows up with those values and that love for the animals,” Cintron said.
Since Maria, the goals and needs of Canita have changed. Shifting from education and expansion to recovery and rebuilding.
“We lost about 80 percent of our sanctuary that was destroyed, we have to spend time and effort trying to rebuild what we used to have, either make it better or the same that it used to be.”
The sanctuary has received a lot of help from Puerto Rican residents, Puerto Ricans who live in the states and organizations like the humane societies of Puerto Rico, the United States, and Canada, PETA and other local groups.
“I have received a lot of help, we have a great need of many things right now, but the help that I have received is over whelming.”
The response from Puerto Ricans is making an impact on Canita and Cintron.
“The people from other towns in Puerto Rico they have actually responded in an overwhelming way, they brought food, they came to help with debris and help us with the animals,” said Cintron
“I was able to see the good side of the people here in Puerto Rico,” she added.
Although her kennels are filled, Cintron is still helping the dogs of Puerto Rico
“Right now, we are concentrating on the ones that are left behind. The ones that are left without food or water, law enforcement would bring them here, and I said well, I have no choice, I have to take them,” She explained.
When she comes across these dogs, she takes them in temporarily to get them cleaned, fed and help them with any medical issues they have before releasing them or finding them a new home.
What Canita needs now is construction materials and medicine for its furry occupants. Due to Hurricane Maria, most of the construction materials are being purchased as soon as they come in and used to rebuild other parts of the island. Cintron is also in need Flea and tick, as well as heart worm medicine for the dogs. Shipping delays and lack of power on the island makes supplies low and unreliable.
Running Canita is no easy task, and it’s not cheap either, Cintron takes her Army pension every month and puts it right into Canita, and sees no financial return.
“What I get out of this is the satisfaction. When I see those tails wagging all over the place when they're eating, when they see me when I call on them or even when I scream at them, believe me, there’s no money on the face of this earth that could pay me for that particular feeling,” she explained.
And why she does it?
“I did this out of love.”
For more information please visit the Canita Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/santuariocanita/
| Date Taken: | 11.11.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 11.11.2017 16:52 |
| Story ID: | 255001 |
| Location: | PR |
| Web Views: | 672 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, 33 Acres of Love: A Veterans Mission to Save Lives in Puerto Rico, by SFC Steven Eaton, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
