After vacationing on Aruba, I have found the stray population to be exploding and the overall mentality of neglect and abuse to the animals regarded as "pets", to be disturbing. 

I have decided, along with the people who have signed this petition, that we will no longer spend our money vacationing in Aruban while watching animals left to starve, left to roam, be injured by cars, be treated with disrespect by people on the island and left to suffer.   Many are left to breed repeatedly and become sick, dehydrate and starve and are dumped because many Aruban people cannot afford to have their animals properly vaccinated and sterilized. The ones that can afford it, refuse to make it a priority because there is no incentive.

This must stop and the government must begin working with the Netherlands and other Caribbean islands to find solutions such as the following;

1) A successful, government funded spay and neuter program working with veterinarians and rescues on the island.   Even additional taxes on those of us vacationing would be a solution!

2) Fines for neglect, roaming animals and not having proof of vaccines and sterilization for pets. 

3) Fines for breeding animals and selling them.  There are so many to adopt already.

4) Educational packets to be distributed in all schools starting with kindergarten.

Many of these solutions can begin immediately and are of low-cost to the island.  We love Aruba but the population is multiplying at such a huge, daily rate, the rescues cannot keep up and action must start now.  This must be a priority as it is very important to all who love animals and increasingly hard to enjoy our vacations while seeing suffering on the island.  We are also prepared to help in any way we can.  Will you?

I refuse to allow this to continue and hope you will see this petition as a gesture to employ you to make this discussion and plight a focus of your priorities.  Until this becomes a subject worthy of investigating by the government, I will not be returning.