Wild Sanctuary Animal Care fears for the death of animals waiting in the Center in unhealthy conditions, without food and treatment
In the beginning of December, the Ministry of Economy determined to cut R$ 45 million from the budget of the Brazilian Institute of the Environment (Ibama). Part of the funds were to be allocated to the Wild Animal Sorting Center (Cetas), an agency that receives and sends animals rescued from mistreatment to be sheltered in protective entities or returned to nature. In the vast majority of cases, the animals arrive at the triage centre injured and sick, as a result of the violence of wild animal trafficking, abandonment or domestication.
With the cut of funds, around 500 animals that are in Seropédica, in the interior of the state, may die for lack of food and treatment. In a letter to Ibama, the Cetas management has already warned that the unit may be closed due to lack of resources.
According to the communications office of the Attorney General’s Office in Rio de Janeiro, the temporary suspension of the activities of the Seropédica Cetas was communicated to environmental and environmental police bodies on 7 December. The centre would have its activities stopped on December 15.
In 2021, the screening centre’s services were interrupted, which caused the death of 600 animals that were in the custody of the agency. Those that survived were found abandoned, without food, in dirty enclosures and without any kind of veterinary care.
At that time, the Wild Sanctuary received the surviving animals. Today, the entity is the only non-governmental institution in the state that is authorized by both Ibama and Inea (State Environmental Institute) to shelter wild species. The animals are sent after receiving initial care at the Triage Center.
Animal Care currently cares for hundreds of wild individuals, including birds and small primates. Most were considered by experts unable to return to nature due to physical and emotional sequels.
Disregard
For the founder of the entity, Simone Duque, the neglect of animals by government authorities is a chronic problem that needs to be urgently solved. “It is absurd that hundreds of animals die in a space that should be for the shelter and recovery of victims of trafficking and mistreatment. We have a great demand of animals sent by Inea (State Environmental Institute) that, beforehand, go through the Centre, where their health situation and the possibility of reintroducing them to nature are assessed. This tragic situation limits our possibilities of helping these species survive”.
Sanctuary wants to take in more animals
The founder of Animal Care intends to increase the capacity to receive wild animals that are rescued every day in illegal fairs or spontaneously sent to the Triage Center.
For this, the institution is planning a collective funding campaign for next year, through a crowdfunding platform (virtual coworking) on the Internet.
“We want to do more. But we live off the action of donors. These animals need us to survive and we intend to get support directly from the population for this. Companies can also help, either with financial resources or by supporting our projects.
Animal Care Communication
