Dog Chained All Day on a Terrace: Animal Abuse Reported in Vedado Neighborhood

In the bustling area between 19th Street and F and G Avenues in Havana's Vedado district, residents have raised alarms about a dog left chained all day on a terrace. The poor animal is left without shade, room to move, or even the comfort to lie down properly. The chain or rope binding the dog is so short that the animal remains motionless, exposed to both sun and rain.

A witness shared their account on the Facebook page of Bienestar Animal Cuba (BAC), an organization advocating for animal welfare in Havana. "From my window, I see the dog all day, with the chain tangled between its legs, standing still. There is no shade. No companionship. No life." This description highlights a persistent situation of abuse rather than an isolated incident.

The group of volunteers fighting for animal rights emphasized that such practices are not only cruel but also a direct violation of Cuba's Animal Welfare Decree-Law No. 31. Article 9, section d, explicitly prohibits keeping animals tied or immobilized permanently without ample space to move. The scene in Vedado clearly falls under this legal definition of animal cruelty.

The place in question is located just behind a beige-colored house, although the exact address and those responsible have not yet been identified. Activists are urgently calling on neighbors in the area to help stop this abuse. Any additional information could be crucial in rescuing the animal and ensuring the law is enforced.

This case highlights not only the culpability of the person keeping the dog in such conditions but also the dangerous silence that often surrounds these situations. The suffering of a living being cannot continue to go unnoticed or be normalized. This dog cannot speak, cannot free itself, and cannot ask for help. The question remains: who will act on its behalf?

In June, activists reported the plight of a dog beaten from a window in the Guanabacoa municipality of Havana, living chained on an eave exposed to sun, rain, and neglect. Thanks to animal activists' intervention, the dog was eventually rescued.

In another distressing incident at the end of April, animal rights activists condemned a shocking case of extreme cruelty where a puppy named "Coco" was beheaded in the Alta Habana neighborhood of Boyeros, Havana. Additionally, two men were arrested in Villa Clara following an attempt to traffic 10 parrot chicks intended for sale in Havana.

Although Cuba has had Animal Welfare Decree-Law 31 since April 2021, the systemic lack of resources and organizational issues within the national veterinary system continue to leave stray animals abandoned and unprotected in both urban and rural areas. Reports have also highlighted the poor conditions of animals in several of the country's zoos.

While denouncing impunity, neglect, and abuse, animal protectors demand an effective law to replace the current inefficient decree-law. On June 8th, BAC announced the launch of an international project aimed at ending the impunity of animal cruelty on the island, extending its repercussions beyond national borders. The plan includes creating legal dossiers on verified animal cruelty cases, which will be sent to consulates, prosecutor's offices, and immigration offices in the United States, the European Union, and other states with stringent regulations against animal cruelty.