Cancún’s Stray Animal Crisis: 200,000 Dogs & Cats

Cancún, Mexico — The city of Cancún is confronting a severe crisis with a stray dog and cat population reaching 200,000, concentrated primarily in its peripheral zones. The neighborhood of Villas Otoch leads this ranking, accounting for approximately 30,000 stray animals.

The subdivision is closely followed by Cuna Maya, Villas del Mar, Galaxias del Sol, Arco Norte, and Santa Cecilia. These colonies have become the epicenter of the stray animal population, according to accusations from animal protection groups.

These organizations state that female dogs go into heat twice a year and give birth to between five and 10 puppies per litter. Feline reproduction is even more prolific, with cats giving birth two to three times annually—up to five times in extreme cases—with one to four kittens per delivery.

In the last few weeks alone, the group "Adopta a un Amigo" (Adopt a Friend), represented by Karim Jacobs, reported receiving 18 female dogs that were on the verge of giving birth.

Faced with this crisis, the organization has launched three massive free sterilization campaigns with the goal of operating on 300 animals, prioritizing stray females. The first campaign begins this weekend in the most affected neighborhoods, made possible by the donation of time and expertise from Canadian veterinarians.

In private clinics, the procedure costs between 2,500 and more than 5,000 pesos, depending on the size of the animal—a cost that is an inaccessible luxury for animals without an owner to pay for them.

The two remaining campaigns will be carried out in December, focused on marginalized areas where overpopulation has become unsustainable. The president of "Adopta a un Amigo" insisted that while sterilization is key, adopting instead of buying is the fundamental solution.

Meanwhile, the most dog-populated neighborhoods of Cancún remain territory for homeless four-legged animals.

The Directorate of Animal Welfare of the Office of the Attorney for Environmental Protection (PPA) of Quintana Roo indicated that only one out of every 10 adopted animals remains with its family, while the other nine end up abandoned on the streets or in shelters. This situation is aggravated by a lack of knowledge about proper pet care and the responsibility that their adoption entails.

The massive presence of stray animals not only represents an animal welfare problem but also a risk to public health. The fecal matter from stray dogs can carry up to 143 gastrointestinal diseases, affecting the quality of life for residents.

Although Quintana Roo has an Animal Protection and Welfare Law, which considers pet abandonment a crime with sanctions including prison and fines, the reality is that its application is practically nonexistent. Civil society organizations accuse the authorities of not attending to the complaints filed, allowing more than 100 pets to be abandoned daily in the state.