Loyal dogs walk thousands of miles to the US-Mexico border with their immigrant owners, only to be abandoned en masse upon arrival.
Migrants who make their way to the US either bring their pets with them or pick them up along the way without realizing the animals are subject to strict rules for entry at the border.
Pets are also not allowed into federal processing centers, causing many to dump their dogs there, leaving them to fend for themselves in dire conditions at the southern border.
The Post saw dozens of domestic breeds of dogs, now strays, roaming both sides of the border in Eagle Pass, Texas, this month.
Many were left behind like piles of clothes, backpacks, shoes and children’s toys dumped along the banks of the Rio Grande.
Some were injured. Many look scared and startled even if they just passed a bowl of water.
Most of them were starving and had to find food if they could.
An abandoned dog forages along the barbed wire border at James Keivom A stray dog rests under a National Guard vehicle in Shelby Park, Eagle Pass. James Keivom
Authorities, including members of the National Guard, feed and care for animals they find on the streets in the area.
But the problem is much bigger than any well-intentioned person or group can handle alone.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requires dogs to have a valid microchip and rabies vaccination certificate, among other strict criteria, before they enter the country, to protect the health of US citizens.
Dogs from countries considered to be at high risk for rabies – which include Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Belize, Bolivia and Peru, among others – or which have traveled though that country within the past six months are automatically disqualified. from entering the US, causing problems for many traveling from South and Central America.
Several animal rescue groups have launched missions to help local law enforcement reunite dogs with their immigrant owners – almost all of whom are long gone.
Abandoned dogs roam the streets along the US-Mexico border after being abandoned by their families. James Keivom of the Texas National Guard has been taking care of stray dogs while on duty at Shelby Park. James Keivom Homeless animals can be seen roaming in parks, hotels, on highways, roads and along rivers. James Keivom
Even if all other criteria are met or the dog and its owner are smuggled across the border illegally, they often do not have the paperwork or money for their pet to fly with them.
Most buses also do not allow pets to ride on grueling multi-day journeys to other parts of the country.
The number of dogs on the border is also increasing rapidly as new litters are born to abandoned ones.
Migrants often dump their pets at the border once they find an unauthorized animal at a processing center. James Keivom
A spokesperson for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) told The Post that if the owner does not transfer possession to friends or family, the agency “works with local officials from animal health services, such as local humane shelters, to see if there can be a placement for the animal.” while the owner is still in custody.”
However, the local shelter in Eagle Pass is filled with a large number of stray dogs along the border.
CBP did not respond to questions about how many animals the agency had rejected or what their fate was.
The scale of the problem is staggering with dozens of starving dogs easily spotted in one border town on any given day. James Keivom
The problem also exists inland and has been reported in Colony Ridge, a major destination for newly arrived immigrants located about 35 miles north of Houston. Several advocates last month told The Post the area has more than 1,000 neglected animals in dire need of rescue.
“It’s heartbreaking,” said John Rouke, a veteran who has engineered previous animal rescues around the southern border.
Independent rescuer Lisa Noble said there were hundreds of starving and emaciated dogs at any one time – “probably more” – living in the area.
Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) confirmed to The Post that it had received reports of migrants bringing animals “as diverse as guinea pigs and small dogs” to the US border.
“But we know that border processing facilities don’t allow that,” said PETA spokeswoman Catie Cryar.
“We have also heard of an informal network of people on the Mexican side who are looking after animals that have been turned away.
“Many animals are part of a beloved family and, just like children, cannot be separated from that family.”
The organization is calling on the Biden administration to allow animals into the US “if they are vaccinated or can be quarantined” so they can be reunited with their families, Cryar told The Post.
So many dogs are left alone at the border. Sad to see it. I have fed them. People who cross illegally bring them, but the Border Patrol does not allow pets. So they are behind. Eagle Pass Texas. pic.twitter.com/i94goRSwqT
— JLR© (@JLRINVESTIGATES) January 31, 2024
During the 2023 fiscal year ending Sept. 30, more than 2.47 million immigrant encounters were recorded along the Southwest border, according to US Customs and Border Protection.
A monthly record 302,034 people were found at the Mexican border in December, according to government agency statistics.
On Sunday, a long-awaited $118 billion bill was introduced in the Senate that combines new and stronger border measures with an aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other allies.
However, some House Republicans have called it a “non-starter.”
Meanwhile, thousands of migrants continue to pour into the border every day.
And as their wet and unwanted gear continues to pile up along the river banks and with broken fences, so do the dogs that came with them, now left in the wild and alone.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
