Over the last five years, a group of stray dogs routinely visited the facilities of Sam Ambrosio high school, where they were given water and food and bathed. The animals were part of daily life for many students, until one day, during a test, the students witnessed the poisoning of five of the animals at the school.
“Cabrito” was the only survivor of the tragedy. Accompanied by Ruben Valencia and Jason Arley, he walked through downtown Nicoya on Saturday, September 20, as the official pet for the first march against animal mistreatment in Nicoya.
The event was organized by the Pac Youth organization as part of their movement for societal change, which was started by kids and youths. Lis Rodriguez Paniagua, the march’s organizer, said, “I was motivated by the frustration I felt because of the murder of the dogs in front of so many youths and the suffering it caused.”
The first annual march brought together some 50 people, who came to oppose violence and animal mistreatment. Nicoya’s high school also marched with its banner, and although Cabrito and some San Ambrosio students were present, no teachers or representatives of the institution were seen.
“We were hoping that the high school where this happened would demonstrate to clear the institution’s name a bit and we ended up waiting for them with open hands,” commented Rodriguez.
Mariangel Guevara, a member of the Nicoya Pro-Animal Wellbeing group, was also there to give out information about their rescue and castration campaigns. “People think that violence is abandoning or hitting them; we also have to be responsible and break ideological barriers to form a new culture in which animal life, in all its splendor, is respected,” said Guevara.
The march began at 8:30 a.m. and was escorted by the Public Force. It left from the courthouse and proceeded towards the Colonial plaza, where there was food offered for animals that had been donated by veterinarians Jorge Jimenez (who also offered to be Cabrito’s doctor), Jeffrey Arrieta and Cristian Alfaro.
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