Posted: Sunday, October 19, 2025. 9:23 pm CST.
By Breaking Belize News Staff (HP): President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, famous for his iron-fist campaign against gangs, has unveiled a new, surprising mission: a national plan to rescue the country’s countless stray cats and dogs.
Bukele, who has long shown affection for animals, including his own rescued dog, Cyan, announced the plan earlier this month, saying he wanted to make El Salvador a Latin American model for humane animal care.
“We want to change the reality of thousands of dogs and cats living on our streets, but without cruelty,” Bukele said. “We have the financial means, but we seek expert partners to make it happen.”
The plan builds on Bukele’s recent animal welfare achievements:
A 2021 law criminalizing animal abuse, carrying prison sentences of up to four years.
The 2022 opening of Chivo Pets Hospital, offering veterinary care at a symbolic cost of 25 cents.
Animal advocates in El Salvador welcomed the new announcement. At the Good Fortune Rescue Shelter in Zacamil, shelter worker Rafaela Pérez said the move was long overdue:
“The number of abandoned animals you see daily is only a small fraction of those that really exist. We must change the culture of abandonment.”
Still, questions remain about how the plan will be funded. El Salvador faces mounting debt and recently received a $1.4 billion IMF loan. Some speculate the project could draw from Bukele’s much-touted Bitcoin reserves or new foreign partnerships, such as with China.
For Belizeans, Bukele’s initiative offers a moment of reflection. Like El Salvador, Belize also faces a growing population of stray animals, especially in urban areas like Belize City and San Ignacio.
Should Belize adopt a National Animal Rescue Plan of its own, combining government leadership with community compassion?
With political will and public-private partnerships, Belize could easily become a regional model for humane animal welfare, proving that development includes empathy, not just economics.
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The post El Salvador launches rescue plan for stray animals, time for Belize to take action too? appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Sunday, October 19, 2025. 9:23 pm CST. By Breaking Belize News Staff (HP): President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, famous for his iron-fist campaign against
The post El Salvador launches rescue plan for stray animals, time for Belize to take action too? appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
