Oh my Dog!: Saving sloths by helping dogs
Dog attacks are now the second leading cause of sloth deaths in Costa Rica. Rescue centers receive 2 to 3 wild animals per week that have been injured by our pets!
Dogs now threaten over 180 different species of wild animals and at least 11 are now extinct because of our canine companions.
Sloths are particularly vulnerable to dog attacks as they cannot jump or run, and they often resort to crawling on the ground to travel between trees in urban areas.
The dogs are not to blame – WE need to make changes to help them and the sloths!
Oh My Dog! is an initiative that aims to reduce the number of dog attacks on wildlife in the South Caribbean. We focus on 4 points of action:
1) Reducing the need for arboreal animals to travel on the ground.
We achieve this by planting trees in target areas and installing wildlife canopy bridges to connect habitat fragments as part of our ‘Connected Gardens Project’.
We work with private property owners whose dogs have been known to attack wildlife in the garden, as well as with the government of Costa Rica to make urban areas safer for sloths.
2) Reducing the number of dogs roaming around unsupervised.
We have partnered with local rescue organizations, Puerto Viejo Dogs and Clinica Veterinaria Drs Arroyo & Solano, to fund the sterilization of all stray and rescued dogs in the South Caribbean region of Costa Rica.
3) Organizing castration clinics in low-income areas.
We run large castration clinics every year in the South Caribbean, with an additional one in the high-risk area of Tortuguero National Park.
These clinics specifically target low-income and indigenous areas so that we are best able to help the people, and the dogs, most in need.
4) OMD! Academy: Community education to encourage responsible dog ownership.
We have developed a set of guidelines that community members can follow to reduce the chances of pet dogs attacking wildlife.
We also host free dog training courses throughout the year through the Oh My Dog Academy.