In Cusco and many of the smaller towns we have visited a large number of dogs have been lying around on the streets in varying states of physical health. While there were plenty of dogs in Miraflores, many of them were either on leashes or had someone accompanying them and seemed to be in relatively good health meanwhile the dogs in other areas tend to be on their own and are more lethargic and sickly. As we talked about in class one day, the vast majority of these dogs are not strays but rather family dogs that are let out in the morning to roam, wander, and scavenge who then return home at night. They tend to mark territories on these blocks, not straying far from the same location and becoming hostile when other dogs (or people, for that matter) approach them.
This must be a culturally common thing - throughout my experiences in Latin America I have seen the streets scattered with dogs - but I have never heard of the cultural practice being to let city dogs roam freely for the entire day. While I can understand some of the practicalities behind this (social interaction, less of a need to provide pets with full days worth of food when they can gather it for themselves), there must be many problems with this system of pet ownership. The majority of the food these dogs are finding comes out of the trash, which cannot be good for their health and may lead to many contracting diseases that may be dangerous to their families, especially young children. As we have walked around the city, many dogs have a gaunt, sunken appearance with bloodshot eyes and as they wander, many have limps or side steps that are sure signs of neurological impairments - a definite result of the varying amounts of trash they consume throughout the day. Through some research, this seems to be a problem in many towns across the region. Overpopulation has led to a lack of economy to ensure the health of the canine population and to curb the issue of a growing dog population many people, particularly in smaller villages, take it into their own hands and kill puppies, primarily females. While I understand that this is a growing issue and there may not be many solutions, I wonder if there is a more humane solution to stop overpopulation while still ensuring the health and safety of the canine population currently.
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