October 14, 2014

Be the Change for Animals: Save the Potcakes!

potcake bahama dog

"What's a potcake?" I've been asked many times since adopting Boca (okay, foster failing). According to Wikipedia:
The potcake dog is a mixed-breed dog type from the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas. Its name comes from the congealed rice and pea mixture that local residents traditionally fed dogs. Although appearance varies, potcake dogs generally have smooth coats, cocked ears, and long faces.
According to me, a potcake is a sweet, loyal and gentle companion that is eternally grateful for being rescued from starvation, disease and danger on the streets, and welcomed into a home. Boca's temperament is wonderfully mellow and affectionate, and according to most of the people that I've connected with on a Facebook group I founded, Potcake Passion, this is not unusual. Potcakes are reportedly easy to get along with, sociable and happy. This article from Victoria Stilwell's blog explains how village dogs in Central America can set an example for the modern domesticated dog, and I think there is definitely something to it.

Some people criticize the importation of dogs from other countries into the U.S., and ask why we aren't rescuing local dogs instead. For me, compassion has no geography. The rescue group that sponsored Boca's trip to Colorado is the same group I adopted Ruby from. Colorado Animal Welfare League runs a mobile spay-neuter operation that travels to rural areas of the state as well as bringing in dogs in need from other states and The Bahamas. They work directly with The Humane Society of Grand Bahamas, where Boca lived for about a year after being a stray in Freeport. Below is my interview with shelter director, Tip Burrows:

On a recent visit to Colorado, reconnecting with former shelter dog Polly
(photo credit Tip Burrows)
How did you first get involved in animal rescue in The Bahamas?
By rescuing my first potcake as a tiny bush puppy in 1993!  I started volunteering on a regular basis in 1999 with the HSGB which led to a full time job in 2003.  
Can you describe the particular plight of the potcakes in The Bahamas?
Potcakes are still viewed as nuisances and pests by too many Bahamians.  While education initiatives are under way, and slowly beginning to have an impact, there is still a high level of neglect and disdain for potcakes. 
Why is it important for the dogs to be transported off of the islands for adoption?  
There are not enough suitable homes for potcakes on most Bahamian islands.  Suitable being a secure fenced yard and shade and shelter in the yard​ ​and a minimum of care and attention. HSGB's local adoption rate is between 7 and 10% of our annual intake of over 1400 dogs and puppies.   
What do you remember about Boca's (aka Lydia's) rescue and her time at HSGB?  
Boca was seemingly living on the streets and had been brought to our ​attention by a concerned resident as she was very skinny.  We were able to catch her and quickly realized she had recently had puppies.  We searched and searched for her babies and finally Boca herself led us to them.  She had found an extremely secure place for them in a wooded area, in a hollowed out indentation  beneath a tree where she could get to them but the pups couldn't get out.  
Boca was a most attentive mama dog and was also very accepting of us handling her and her puppies.  She obviously had been someone's pet at one time. Sadly, her six puppies did not survive despite Boca's and our best efforts.  Boca was an easy dog to keep - she got along well with all other dogs and was very friendly to staff and visitors.  
How does the recent regulation of international importation of dogs affect potcake rescue and adoption? 
​It will make it much harder in that we will now be required to obtain import permits which could take several weeks, and the vaccination requirements are much more rigorous including vaccinating for some things we never see such as corona virus and leptospirosis.  It also will mean we cannot send litters of puppies to rescue until they are six months old.  It will be a real hardship to keep puppies that long (space and fund-wise), not to mention that fewer rescues will take older puppies.  Private adoptions will be exempt, but our Operation Puppylift wherein we send sometimes dozens of dogs and puppies to various rescues, will be greatly affected, as it will be much harder and more costly and complicated to comply with these regulations.  ​
What can one person do to help the potcakes? 
​Adopt.  Foster.  Donate.  Volunteer.  Share stories and pleas on social media.  There are so many ways even one person can make a tangible difference!  ​

I will close with this video portraying one of the HSGB's large "puppylift" operations getting potcakes off of the island to rescues and adoptive homes in the States. Having picked Boca up from the airport this May and been kept in the loop about all of the stages of her journey, I know what a well-coordinated labor of love this is, and I thank Tip from HSGB and Lisa from CAWL for bringing her into my life. I will never forget Boca's scared little shape huddled in her airline crate, and the immediate trust she put in me. I don't pretend there were not countless dogs right here in my backyard that needed homes, but Boca needed us, and we needed her. 






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17 comments:

  1. This is so beautifully stated. I know people often judge me for adopting (also a foster failure on one of them) both of my babies from the Bahamas even though I work in rescue here in Colorado - but Colorado has done an amazing job at getting animals homes. And the need is just greater in the Bahamas. How Tip has continued to manage to keep HSGB alive and get these precious babies homes is incredible. Truly an angel on earth.

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    1. I agree! I have adopted animals locally, out-of-state and out-of-country, and see no reason why we should place arbitrary limits on where the help should end.

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  2. I didn't know the term potcake, but I think it is wonderful there is a program that gets these dogs to people who will love them. I'm with you, compassion shouldn't have geographical boundaries!

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    1. It's a funny name. My obedience instructor called her a 'cupcake.'

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  3. I didn't know about potcakes, I'm glad I do now. I was really surprised to find out that people really get pissed about transporting and rescuing dogs from other countries. Saving a life is saving a life - I couldn't imagine judging someone on who they choose to save, the important part is saving the life, now where the life came from. It really got to me - somehow geographical location = worthiness and priority to some. I'm very grateful for the work that all animal rescue groups do and it sounds like working with the dogs in the Bahamas is greatly needed and it's wonderful that they're receiving help.

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    1. There are so many in need. I hope to travel to the Bahamas someday and put in a few days of volunteer work at the shelter Boca came from.

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  4. We talked a little about this on Twitter, but I say it again here: I think it's important to remember that most of the foreign countries served by American rescues DO NOT have resources to handle this locally. These are not prosperous, thriving, post-industrial nations that just elect not to take care of animals. (Ahem, USA.) "Charity begins at home" is a classic, centuries-old way to wash your hands of real problems that you would rather not face.

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    1. A friend visited Guatamala recently and was appalled and deeply affected by the state of the stray dogs there. I think aside from a few parts of the U.S. (crumbling Detroit being a prime example), most people really have no idea the conditions these dogs are coming from. Where I live, a stray dog is a big deal and gets a lot of attention, trying to round it up, find its owner, etc. In many parts of the world, strays are as commonplace and as taken for granted as pigeons.

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  5. I'd never heard of the term potcake but what a cutie! Great interview and I always enjoy learning about rescue efforts in other countries.

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    1. Thank you for visiting! I really wanted to spread the word about these great dogs.

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  6. We learn something new every day
    Snorts,
    Lily & Edward

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  7. Kudos to you for all your fostering and adoption efforts! The dogs need you - no matter where they are. And they need our compassion, understanding, and help.

    Boca is one lucky potcake! :)

    Thank you for blogging the change for animals,
    KimT
    btc4animals.com

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    1. I've got my hands full with two dogs now, but hope to be able to foster again in the future when I have a yard and/or don't work full time. In the meantime I am concentrating on advocacy and other short-term volunteer efforts, such as transport when needed. There are always ways to help, both big and small.

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  8. I just love this - "pot cake" and your story. Told with such passion and love - thanks for sharing. Best to Pot-cake from Harley and I...

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    1. I'm glad you enjoyed it! I knew nothing about potcakes before fostering/adopting Boca, and she has endeared me to them for life!

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  9. I had never heard of a potcake, what a cutie! <3

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