Salvadores De Animales Inc

SALDEA contributes to pet helpers and pet owners in the community. We donate food, medications, vet services, flea/tick products, and cat litter to local citizens who quietly give their time and energy to animal rescue. Many people in our community do what they can, despite limited circumstances, to help animals in need. Our corporate dollars extend to help those unsung heroes who save lives.

During COVID-19, SALDEA has partnered with Agencias Escoffery, SA, a local pet food distributor. We are donating pet food to families who have suffered economic disruption because of the pandemic.

SALDEA works with local volunteer caregivers who manage feral cat colonies in their neighborhoods. We follow internationally recognized best practices of trap/neuter/release, with socialization and adoption of friendly kittens. We provide logistical support with human traps, assist with sterilization, provide high quality food to the colony, and help the caregiver solve any specific problems that arise with their colony.

By helping to control the population of feral cats and by keeping them in good health, we help control the spread of disease, support public health, and protect Boquete's rich bird population. Because Boquete is an international eco-tourism destination, protection of the local bird population has economic implications, in addition to environmental sustainability and public health dimensions.

SALDEA's efforts to educate the community about humane treatment of cats and dogs is one of its most important functions, and one of the most cost effective. We utilize social media (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Mailchimp, and our website) to reach people across the country. Our message focuses on viewing animals as sentient beings worthy of care and respect and not as inanimate objects. We actively promote culture change in how animals are viewed and cared for.

Our website is an educational platform that shares information on the ecological and public health dimensions of feral cats and street dogs. Animals left to survive on the streets are vectors for diseases that impact the local community. The local population of birds, a source of economic value in this eco-tourism area, is negatively impacted by hungry feral cats. We emphasize the importance of sterilization, rescue, and adoption as many animals as possible, and to maintain feral cats in colonies where their needs are met. We inform the public that compassionate care for street animals conserves water resources, bird populations, reduces disease, and promotes economic success for the community.

Any person who wishes to adopt one of our animals must demonstrate awareness of proper pet maintenance, including how to maintain a safe physical environment, selection of a veterinarian, and correct nutrition. We do not adopt to anyone until they agree to adhere to our standards of animal care. We follow up with each adopter to answer questions, offer support, and continue the educational process.

We publish informational pamphlets about the care of FIV+ cats, and engage the public in conversations about the adoptability of FIV+ cats.

We engage in 1:1 conversations with the public at informational events and at public adoption events. We discuss animal care, veterinary care, standards for adoption, and pet nutrition. Although our public event schedule has been curtailed due to COVID-19, we still hold socially distanced events and engage the public in conversation over the phone, online, and in person.