![Playa Lucia en Yabucoa, Puerto Rico](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Playa_Lucia_en_Yabucoa%2C_Puerto_Rico.jpg)
Dead Dog Beach, also known as Sato Beach and officially named Playa Lucia, is a beach within the municipality of
Yabucoa
Yabucoa () is a town and municipality in Puerto Rico located in the eastern region, north of Maunabo; south of San Lorenzo, Las Piedras and Humacao; and east of Patillas. Yabucoa is spread over 9 barrios and Yabucoa Pueblo (the downtown area ...
in southeastern
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
. Its "Dead Dog Beach" (''La Playa de los Perros Muertos'') came because it was the dumping ground for stray animals, mainly dogs that the inhabitants of Yabucoa could no longer afford. Most dumped animals were not
spayed
Neutering, from the Latin ''neuter'' ('of neither sex'), is the removal of an animal's reproductive organ, either all of it or a considerably large part. The male-specific term is castration, while spaying is usually reserved for female animals. C ...
or
neutered
Neutering, from the Latin ''neuter'' ('of neither sex'), is the removal of an animal's reproductive organ, either all of it or a considerably large part. The male-specific term is castration, while spaying is usually reserved for female animals. C ...
.
Dead Dog Beach was known for having one of the highest concentrations of stray animals in Puerto Rico. It attracted
animal rights activists
The animal rights (AR) movement, sometimes called the animal liberation, animal personhood, or animal advocacy movement, is a social movement that seeks an end to the rigid moral and legal distinction drawn between human and non-human animals, ...
and groups hoping to make a difference. One example is The Sato Project, a large-scale
rescue
Rescue comprises responsive operations that usually involve the saving of life, or the urgent treatment of injuries after an accident or a dangerous situation.
Tools used might include search and rescue dogs, mounted search and rescue ho ...
project which focuses its efforts on Sato Beach in Yabucoa. Many individuals who come are so moved by these animals' living conditions that they extend their stay to help. Various rescue projects focus on the island's development. Many of these efforts were prompted by abuse of animals, even by local authorities, as in the Barceloneta Massacre in 2007.
As of 2014, a gate was put up to deny access to people who would dump dogs on the beach and
Sato Project regularly monitors the beach for strays.
Geography and climate
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
, mainly a 90-by-30 mile island located in the
Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
region, includes smaller islands off of its eastern coast. Its average temperatures range from 70-80 degrees
Fahrenheit
The Fahrenheit scale () is a temperature scale based on one proposed in 1724 by the physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736). It uses the degree Fahrenheit (symbol: °F) as the unit. Several accounts of how he originally defined his ...
. Its beaches stretch for hundreds of miles. Along the northern coasts, are cliffs and a region known as the
Karst
Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...
region. This region contains notable land features such as caves, caverns, waterfalls, underground rivers and rain forests. Puerto Rico has the largest and deepest trench in the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
, known as the
Puerto Rico Trench
The Puerto Rico Trench is located on the boundary between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The oceanic trench, the deepest in the Atlantic, is associated with a complex transition between the Lesser Antilles subduction zone to the sout ...
.
Notable rivers include the
Guayanes River extends for 17 miles, as well as the
Prieto,
Arenas,
Limones and
Ingenio Rivers.
Yabucoa is surrounded on three sides by the San Lorenzo Batholith and the Caribbean Sea. It is
humid
Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation, dew, or fog to be present.
Humidity depen ...
and mainly flat. Mountain ranges in this area include Santa Elena peak, Pandura, and the Cayey Range. Yabucoa valley consists mainly of farmland. It was originally a small mountain town.
[
]
History
The name Yubucoa means "place or site with waters", although some scholars believe it means "place of cassava".[ The area was founded in 1793 when Manuel Colón de Bonillas and his wife, Catalina Morales Pacheco, donated the settlement.][ ]Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
was a Spanish colony
The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its predece ...
until 1898, when it became a U.S. territory. Economic hardship dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries. Although briefly resolved, such hardships play a key role in the story of Dead Dog Beach. Yabucoa received popularity when in 1989 the WBO
The World Boxing Organization (WBO) is an organization which sanctions professional boxing bouts. It is recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) as one of the four major world championship groups, alongside the World Boxing ...
held a boxing championship there between Orlando Fernandez and Julio Gervacio
Julio Antonio Gervacio (born 1967) is a former boxer and world Super Bantamweight champion from the Dominican Republic.
As a child, he relocated to Puerto Rico. He always expressed pride in his national background; and he considered himself a Dom ...
. Fernandez' victory brought attention to the town and to Puerto Rico.
Before becoming known as "Dead Dog Beach," Playa Lucia was a popular beach. It consisted of a pool, cabana facilities and other recreational activities. It became a wasteland: the pool was covered in graffiti, and full of garbage. The facilities were abandoned and without proper maintenance turned into ruins. The only visitors who roamed the area were dogs and cats among piles of pet carcasses. As of 2014, a gate was put up to deny access to people who would dump dogs on the beach and Sato Project has been regularly monitoring the beach for strays.
Causes
![Palmas en Playa Lucia en Yabucoa, Puerto Rico](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Palmas_en_Playa_Lucia_en_Yabucoa%2C_Puerto_Rico.jpg)
Economy
The economy of Puerto Rico
The economy of Puerto Rico is classified as a high income economy by the World Bank and as the most competitive economy in Latin America by the World Economic Forum. The main drivers of Puerto Rico's economy are manufacturing, primarily pharmac ...
weakened under the weight of the 2017 hurricanes
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...
. Many individuals were forced to abandon their pets. Local shelter
Shelter is a small building giving temporary protection from bad weather or danger.
Shelter may also refer to:
Places
* Port Shelter, Hong Kong
* Shelter Bay (disambiguation), various locations
* Shelter Cove (disambiguation), various locatio ...
s filled and individuals left the island.
Culture
The practice of not spaying and neutering pets causes population to expand rapidly. A majority of Puerto Rican pet owners believe that sterilization is not "natural" and/or "kills their sex life". Other owners breed their animals as a source of income. Some individuals go so far as to argue that it is less humane to kill their pet's "sex lives" than to actually kill the pet.
Rescue projects
SATO Project
The Sato Project is an animal rescue project that operates across the territory while mainly focusing on Dead Dog Beach. Launched in 2011 by Chrissy Beckles and her husband Bobby Beckles, it is the official rescue group in Yabucoa. The Sato Project is composed of teams that work together to ship the dogs to the continental U.S. The Sato Project began a multi-phase campaign to facilitate and promote free spaying and neutering events in the area.
Other rescue operations
The Animal Rescue Foundation
Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) is a nonprofit organization founded by Elaine and Tony La Russa, based in Walnut Creek, California. ARF rescues dogs and cats from public shelters where they would otherwise be euthanized and adopts t ...
is an animal rescue project started in 1997 which primarily operates in Rincon. Its main focus is to rescue dogs and cats, provide spaying/neutering and adoption services, and to educate the community about pet safety.
Barks For Hope is a rescue foundation started by Leo Roubian in 2014. Its primary goal is to provide aid and adoption for abandoned animals throughout the island. The operation offers transportation and medical care, including rehabilitation and rides to be spayed and neutered.
Brevard Humane Society , Spay-A-Thon , ViDAS (Veterinarios Internacionales Dedicados a Animales Sanos)
The initiative, known as “Spay-A-Thon” for Puerto Rico, aims to provide high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter services to 20,000 animals in underserved communities across the Commonwealth by May 2019. With the support of Governor Ricardo Rosselló and First Lady Beatriz Rosselló, the Brevard Humane Society, located in Brevard County, Florida, was the only local animal welfare organization to participate in this historic endeavor.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, the most destructive storm on record in Puerto Rico, Dr. Zenaida Agriat-Rodriguez, veterinarian for Brevard Humane Society, joined ViDAS (Veterinarios Internacionales Dedicados a Animales Sanos) for a spay/neuter clinic in the territory’s second largest city, Ponce.
“We couldn’t be happier to help a community that was ravaged by a devastating hurricane which left thousands of animals homeless. This collaboration will undoubtedly make a real difference and impact on the welfare of Puerto Rico’s pets.” said Theresa Clifton, Executive Director of the Brevard Humane Society.
Individual rescue efforts
Stephen McGarva moved to Puerto Rico in 2005, and, while exploring his new home, came face-to-face with the animals' plight. McGarva began feeding the dogs and cleaning their wounds daily, in the hope to make them more adoptable. McGarva remained in the territory for several years to take care of the animals before returning the U.S. where by sharing his experiences, raised awareness of the animal crisis in Puerto Rico.
References
{{Reflist
Further reading
* Robin, Finn. "The Saviour of Dead Dog Beach Boxing Champ Rescues Puerto Rico's unwanted dogs." ''Hamilton Spectator'', The (ON) n.d.: Newspaper Source Plus. Web. October 18, 2016.
* Heather Long
"Puerto Rico, amid Economic Crisis, Has Become 'Dead Dog Island'"
''Las Vegas Review Journal'' (2016): n. pag. ''Las Vegas Review-Journal''. March 21, 2016. Web. October 27, 2016.
External links
Photos taken at Dead Dog Beach (2011-2013) by Sophie Gamand
Beaches of Puerto Rico
Yabucoa, Puerto Rico