Dominicans' feelings toward cats and dogs

Alltimegreat

Member
Nov 16, 2012
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On my last visit to Santo Domingo on the way back to the hotel, my taxi driver ran over a cat on a neighborhood street while driving about 25mph. I looked out the back window after we passed over it and I could see the cat writhing in pain on the street. The taxi driver didn't seem to even acknowledge that anything had happened. About 15 minutes later I left the hotel on foot and walked back down that street toward the grocery store. There was that same cat again, still alive but twitching around on its side and bleeding, on the sidewalk directly in front of the entrance to a colmado shop. There were about 4 or 5 guys there out in front of the shop hanging out and talking to each other and not concerned one bit that there was a dying cat about 3 feet away from them. I'm not an animal rights activist by any means, but I was a bit surprised at the level of apathy.
 

drescape24

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Nov 2, 2011
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Their like that with people also, after they took anything of value and photos they watch or just move on. Empathy isnt widely exercised on the island, I don't completely know why. Maybe its the tigrue attitude, maybe a long time dr1 can expand.
 
Sep 4, 2012
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The DR is a society of where the most basic foundations aren't even in place for human beings to actually live as such, hence one of the reason/excuse to act the way they do in regards to animals and animal cruelty/mistreatment/disregard thereof.

Sad and long way from what we've experienced in most civilized countries. Third world countries develop, third world citizens.
 

bob saunders

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Jan 1, 2002
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dr1.com
Not all Dominicans fit in the same shoe, but fortunately too many do.
I know many that treat their pets very well, feeding them, making sure they have vet care, not running the streets,....etc. My mother in law feeds half a dozen street dogs and several stray cats on a regular basis, and if one of our own cats in off their feed she is very anxious to have the vet look at them.
 
Apr 13, 2011
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I saw a similar thing happen - a car ran over a dog, did not even slow down.
I asked about this type of thing (because I am used to braking for any animal so as not to hit them) - and the answer I got was: if the dog or cat is loose on the street, then it is assumed to be a stray, and they just do not care if it gets hit and they would never go back to check on a hit dog or cat for fear it might have some disease (again, the automatic assumption that it was a stray).
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
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While it's true that an average Dominican doesn't care too much about the life of an animal, it's beyond ridiculous to state that they think the same about human beings.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
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I hear ya'.

It's one of the most negative aspects of living here.

Gut wrenching, it is...
 

jaiallen

New member
Jul 9, 2010
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Not all Dominicans fit in the same shoe, but fortunately too many do.
I know many that treat their pets very well, feeding them, making sure they have vet care, not running the streets,....etc. My mother in law feeds half a dozen street dogs and several stray cats on a regular basis, and if one of our own cats in off their feed she is very anxious to have the vet look at them.
I agree. I think it's an individual thing. I know plenty who take care of their pets, yet I know some who torture any animal that crosses their path. I can't count the times I have seen drivers intentionally run over a cat or a dog in the road here, like it's some type of game, but again, I have seen many treasure their animals. I think more of the former exist here than the latter though. Could be worse, I lived in the Philippines once, and a stray dog or one who isn't locked in the house often becomes a meal.
 

Rafael Perez

New member
Oct 21, 2007
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Not all Dominicans acts that way towards animals, but things like that sickens me. I mean damn, I know that we humans have dominion almost over everything, but that kind of behavior towards animals is barbaric and makes me ashamed of being human. it wouldnt be a bad idea running over the very idiots that do that to animals to see how they like that!
 

pauleast

*** I love DR1 ***
Jan 29, 2012
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Well there is many indifferent U.S animal owners as well. There was just a report on FOX news that reported there are 50 thousand abandon dogs in the city of Detroit. People lost their homes to foreclosure and just walked away leaving their pets behind to fend for themselves. The U.S does have the infrastructure to deal with stray animals the D.R does not. Most large cities and towns euthanize dogs and cats by the thousands every year. That's right thousands.
And of course you have pin heads like Michael Vic who was fighting pit bulls on his property.
I hate to say it but the human thing for you to do to that cat, was to keep it from suffering any further.
 

malko

Campesino !! :)
Jan 12, 2013
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Well, I ve just learnt toby, my cat was dead.... run over by a car. Never thought I cared so much about him.
I would say they just have other preoccupations than pets, as in dogs or cats.
I do take care not 4o leave my dogs out because I ve seen how dominicans treat dogs in general.
BUT take a look of prices of dog/cat food, its cheaper to feed them salami and chicken. In the campo lots of folks are happy just to have chicken or salami on their plates, so they have trouble understanding why it should go to waste on an animal when they struggle to feed their kids (for lo4s of other reasons like brugal, dominos, easy woman and such).
People look at me strange when I walk my dogs on lease on the road, but there again they look at me strange whithout the dogs too, so.....
 

sirlurksalot

Member
Apr 2, 2002
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Depends on the size of the animal crossing the road...

I agree. I think it's an individual thing. I know plenty who take care of their pets, yet I know some who torture any animal that crosses their path. I can't count the times I have seen drivers intentionally run over a cat or a dog in the road here, like it's some type of game, but again, I have seen many treasure their animals. I think more of the former exist here than the latter though. Could be worse, I lived in the Philippines once, and a stray dog or one who isn't locked in the house often becomes a meal.

In the eighty or so miles from Santiago to my place on the north coast my taxi drivers have routinely run over mainly dogs crossing the road. If they are talking they do not miss a beat. No evasive action ever taken. One time it was a young pig. This caused the driver to speed up after hitting the pig lest the owner suddenly appear and place a high value on the departed porker. When donkeys, cows and horses cross the road then there is immediate evasive action, mainly out of concern for the taxi and the driver and to a somewhat lesser extent the passengers. It is best to have a grande in hand to soften the experience. Have been told more than once to give my ass to Jesus and enjoy the ride!
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
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Good thing the island is devoid of squirrels. :nervous:
 

GioMed

New member
Oct 6, 2011
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The OP did not expand on where or what he did for the dying cat, did he take the cat to a vet? did
he get any closer to see if there was something he could do? because he obviously walked in that
direction with some sort of intention, or does he just like blood?
Did the OP walk over to the cat and say, Ay gatico, ay gatico, ayy gatico (poor kittie, poor kittie, poor kittie)??

Reading this reminds me of a saying an uncle of mine says (redundant) every now and then.
Oh oh! si este pais no tuviera sus problemas, unos mas grande que otros- nos estuvieramos
comiendo aqui uno con otros. porque todo el mundo quisiera vivir aqui!
 

Kantana

New member
Mar 25, 2012
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And of course you have pin heads like Michael Vic who was fighting pit bulls on his property.
I hate to say it but the human thing for you to do to that cat, was to keep it from suffering any further.[/QUOTE]

Fighting pitbulls in the U.S= horrible crime, societal outrage, jail time.

Fighting chickens and cockrels in D.R.= great sporting and social event, societal elation and general happiness.

Well, just as the saying goes, "different strokes for different folks.:cheeky::cheeky::cheeky:

Ktn.............:beard:
 

pauleast

*** I love DR1 ***
Jan 29, 2012
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And of course you have pin heads like Michael Vic who was fighting pit bulls on his property.
I hate to say it but the human thing for you to do to that cat, was to keep it from suffering any further.

Fighting pitbulls in the U.S= horrible crime, societal outrage, jail time.

Fighting chickens and cockrels in D.R.= great sporting and social event, societal elation and general happiness.

Well, just as the saying goes, "different strokes for different folks.:cheeky::cheeky::cheeky:

Ktn.............:beard:[/QUOTE]

Very good point indeed, As I too attend the cock fights on the regular.