Coamo mayor calls for islandwide emergency declaration over stray animal crisis
By THE STAR STAFF
In the wake of a disturbing discovery of dead dogs and cats stuffed inside plastic bags in Ponce, Coamo Mayor Juan Carlos García Padilla called on the Puerto Rico government this week to declare a state of emergency over the island’s growing stray animal crisis and establish a $10 million sterilization program across all 78 municipalities.
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths and the number of animals involved, but García Padilla said the incident underscores the urgent need for a coordinated government response to what he described as a long-standing public policy failure.
“Puerto Rico needs to stop looking the other way,” García Padilla said. “This problem will not be solved with expressions of outrage, isolated campaigns or superficial measures. We need serious public policy, recurring resources, oversight and shared responsibility among the central government, municipalities, veterinarians and animal welfare organizations.”
The mayor is proposing that $10 million be allocated from the Emergency Fund to finance a large-scale sterilization initiative for dogs and cats throughout Puerto Rico. Under his proposal, funding would be distributed among municipalities based on population figures from the U.S. Census.
Using that formula, Coamo, with roughly 36,000 residents, would receive some $112,500 to operate the program for one year.
García Padilla said the government has yet to implement a permanent islandwide sterilization and animal management program despite years of growing concern over the proliferation of stray dogs, cats and horses.
The mayor noted that he previously urged then-Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia and the Financial Oversight and Management Board in October 2024 to allocate $2 million to address the issue. He argued that little has changed since then and that the problem has continued to worsen.
As part of the proposed initiative, García Padilla said the government should establish agreements with veterinarians and animal clinics throughout Puerto Rico to create uniform pricing structures for sterilization services and encourage broad professional participation. The plan would also include standards based on an animal’s weight, size, age and health condition.
In addition to the sterilization program, the mayor proposed a one-year moratorium on the commercial sale of dogs and cats in Puerto Rico, arguing that such a measure would help curb breeding for profit while encouraging pet adoption.
He also called for a one-year suspension of dog and cat imports for commercial purposes, while maintaining exceptions needed to protect animal welfare and address specific circumstances.
García Padilla said the stray animal problem extends beyond animal welfare concerns, affecting public health, public safety and quality of life in communities across the island.
“We cannot continue waiting for more tragedies to occur before reacting,” he said. “Half measures are no longer enough. Puerto Rico needs to address this emergency with the seriousness and urgency it deserves.”
