PARAMARIBO – Residents from the Waakhuizenstraat recently expressed renewed concern regarding the number of dogs that people dump in their neighborhood is growing drastically.

They pointed out that “the situation is only getting worse.” “The dogs roam the streets in search of food and shelter and make a mess wherever they go. They are dumping more dogs in the neighbourhood. The problem is getting worse. I give them food whenever I can because I pity them but I can’t keep this up,” said a local resident. The stray dogs rip trash bags open and leave a huge mess behind on the streets. The residents often have to clean the mess. Needless to say that the stray dogs also poop and piss throughout the entire neighborhood which is why the neighborhood has become snelly and unhygienic. “Shortly after you put the trash bags outside, the dogs rip them open and they leave everything scattered all over the street. You have to pick everything up and put it in other trash bags. The dogs also poop everywhere. It is a real problem,” said another resident. Although the residents complained about the mess and the growing stray dog population, they made it clear that the animals are not responsible for the situation. “The dogs thst are dumped here by people have no other choice than to start looking for food and shelter. Some of the residents give the dogs food and water but explained that it is an uphill battle because the number of stray dogs keeps growing on a daily basis. The residents explained that the stray dogs must be neutered to keep their population from growing. The stray dogs also pose a threat to traffic because they could cause traffic accidents when they suddenly cross the street. The residents once again urged the government and animal welfare organizations to take immediate action.