Home to around 5% of the world’s plant and animal species, Costa Rica is one of the planet’s most biodiverse countries. Unfortunately, many of its animals face threats from human activity. Animal welfare issues in Costa Rica include human-wildlife interactions (especially through tourism), street dog and cat welfare, animal fighting, cruelty and neglect, wildlife trafficking and disasters.
As a leader in environmental conservation, Costa Rica has taken significant steps to protect wild animals. It banned trophy hunting in 2012, and the country passed stronger regulations to combat wildlife trafficking and biodiversity loss in 2017. The same year, Costa Rica strengthened its animal cruelty laws, adding jail time for offenders and creating a national database to track animal welfare crimes.
There is still much to be done. Humane World for Animals is working hard to help. Through our street dog welfare programs, we’re improving the lives of both free-roaming and owned dogs and cats in rural areas of the country. We’re partnering with local groups to support better standards for farmed animals. And we’re equipping law enforcement to tackle wildlife trafficking and animal cruelty through our training programs.
We’re there for animals who are suffering in Costa Rica today.
And we’re confronting the root causes of that suffering for a kinder tomorrow.
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Jean Chung
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