Residents of Cayetano Germosen Avenue near the No. 4 steps leading up to the Mirador Sur Park in Santo Domingo have come out in protest following the announcement of the construction of an animal shelter in their neighborhood. The president of the Jardines del Sur neighborhood association, Jose Sena said that the location was inappropriate. He expressed concern that such a center might be a source of unpleasant smells, especially if not properly designed and maintained. He said that the local community had not been consulted before Mayor Roberto Salcedo made the announcement.
Local resident Indira Navarro said that the project had taken the community by surprise. “Last Tuesday, 8 March they raised a sign, and they broke ground just two days later,” she said. She wondered out loud: “If the public hospitals don’t have enough medicines for poor people, will there be enough funds to maintain adequate care for the animals?” She expressed support for the construction of a stray animal center but said it should be located elsewhere.
