FRIDAY, 22ND APRIL 2016 – PEDERNALES, ECUADOR
It took 90 seconds for this beautiful coastal town to be reduced to rubble. This was six days ago, since then 80% of residents have fled, 20 tons of human bodies have been shipped off and 3000 military called in to manage the relief effort.
The country was quick to respond with food aid and drinking water but sanitation remains poor: families are unable to wash, there are no toilets, the air is thick with dust and 100s of stray dogs run rampant through the town. It’s a breeding ground for disease and infection.
I’m here with the PAE (Protección Animal Ecuador) to assess the growing number of strays and clear away any dogs that died in the disaster. Over 30% of dogs are suffering from respiratory problems, others from injury, open wounds and diseases such as rabies.
We bring back niña, a dog that became ownerless in the disaster, she suffers from the skin disease mange. Her condition is so bad that chunks of skin have started to fall off and blood dribbles from gashes she has scratched into herself. Mange is highly contagious to humans and other dogs, putting the families that live here in danger. Niña is now undergoing treatment in the PAE Vet Clinic in Quito she will then move to a care centre and be put up for adoption.
James Price 