Mérida’s Stray Dog Crisis: A Call for Responsible Ownership

Mérida, Yucatán — The overpopulation of stray dogs in Mérida has become a pressing issue, with officials attributing the problem to cultural attitudes and a lack of education on responsible pet ownership. Gerardo Cáceres Esquivel, Deputy Director of Animal Welfare for the Mérida City Council, emphasized that more than 50,000 dogs currently live on the streets of the city.

Ecological and Public Health Concerns

The Cuxtal Ecological Reserve and neighborhoods such as Las Américas and Caucel are among the most affected areas. Activists warn that the consequences of this overpopulation include increased dog bites to humans and attacks on local wildlife, including iguanas, small mammals, and marsupials inhabiting nearby wooded areas.

Cáceres Esquivel explained that abandoned dogs and cats often seek refuge in forests, where they hunt rabbits, lizards, rodents, opossums, and other small animals for food. "It’s a cultural problem, an educational problem, more than just the dogs reproducing on the streets," he said. "It’s about people not taking responsibility for their pets properly. Sometimes they let them roam free or keep them in very narrow spaces, and the animals find ways to escape."

Calls for Responsible Ownership and Awareness

The official stated that the city plans to launch additional operational and educational programs to promote responsible pet ownership. He stressed that the issue goes beyond low-cost sterilization campaigns—owners must also understand the full responsibilities of caring for a companion animal.

"The overpopulation issue is very complex," Cáceres Esquivel added. "It’s not just about animals reproducing on the streets; it’s also about the lack of responsible ownership and education at the societal level."

The Mérida City Council aims to address the root causes of the problem through a combination of sterilization efforts and public awareness initiatives.