A Day of Care in Places That Can’t Be Ignored

Sterilisation, feeding, and steady presence in one of the south’s most challenging areas

This day reflects the reality of how our work unfolds across the south — moving between urgent medical care and ongoing support in areas under constant pressure.

A female street dog from Mahebourg was safely collected and transported to PAWS Mauritius Union Vale, where she underwent sterilisation and received the medical care she needed. Careful handling and calm transport helped minimise stress and ensured the procedure could go ahead safely.

While the surgery was underway, our team continued on to Le Bouchon, one of the areas where the number of stray dogs remains consistently high. At any given time, dozens of dogs can be found there, living around open land, sugar cane fields, and nearby roads. Despite ongoing sterilisation and feeding, new dogs are regularly abandoned in this area — often because people know animals there still have a chance of surviving, as food is provided and the dogs are familiar with human presence.

Feeding in Le Bouchon is not simply about providing food. It allows us to monitor individual dogs, assess injuries or illness, identify newcomers, and prioritise animals for future sterilisation. Without this regular presence, dogs quickly disappear into fields or onto roads, where the risks of injury, starvation, and further breeding increase dramatically.

We would like to thank PAWS Union Vale for sponsoring the treatment of this dog, and PAWS Care UK for their continued support, which makes it possible for us to respond both to individual cases and to the wider, ongoing needs in areas like Le Bouchon.

This work is not resolved in a single day. Even when progress is made, new challenges appear through continued dumping and limited access to affordable sterilisation. What makes a difference is consistency — returning to the same places, caring for the same animals, and responding when new ones appear.

Le Bouchon is one of many reminders that lasting change comes from long-term presence, not one-off interventions.