Sun, sand, drinks, and … puppies? As Liz Lemon would say, "I want to go to there." If you asked me to describe my dream vacation, I would say it would be to a tropical island filled with puppies. Amazingly enough, a place like that actually exists! What??? Seriously??? Yes! It’s called Providenciales and it’s located in Turks and Caicos. What’s the deal with the puppies? Well, they’re called potcakes. They’re mixed-breed dogs found on several Caribbean islands. The name comes from the congealed pea and rice mixture that local residents traditionally eat. The overcooked rice that caked at the bottom of the pot would be fed to the dogs. Many residents of Turks and Caicos were originally from nearby islands and brought their dogs with them when they relocated. It’s also likely that early Spanish settlers may have also introduced their own dogs. In addition, many different breeds were imported in the 20th century which interbred with the local dogs. Because of this constant importation, the potcake dog’s appearance varies from island to island. The ones on Turks and Caicos appear to be a mix of Labrador retriever, German Shepherd, and English Fox Terrier. As generations have passed, potcakes have evolved into a breed which is extremely smart, loyal, and loving. Some are independent-minded and could tend to wander if not properly supervised. Unlike many dog breeds, the potcake’s stomach is incredibly hardy, meaning they’re able to eat many foods that would be upsetting to most dogs. In general potcakes are food- and toy-orientated, which helps with training and rewarding good behavior. They tend to be quick learners and are moderately active, but can also be couch dwellers. If healthy, they grow to be around 45–50 pounds and stand to be around 24 inches at the withers. Despite an ambitious spay-and-neuter program on the island, the number of stray potcake dogs is on the rise. There is no animal shelter in the Turks and Caicos so in 2005 Potcake Place, a registered not-for-profit charity, was created and began rescuing the puppies because the island is largely dependent on tourism and officials consider the dogs to be nuisances, leading police to shoot or poison them. Unpaid volunteers house and care for the pups in their own homes and pay for expenses out of their own pockets until permanent accommodations can be found. There are a number of ways you can help Potcake Place. If you’ve already planned a trip to the island, consider becoming a short-term volunteer with the program. The potcake puppies are all at different stages of development, but participating in their Socialization Walk program helps to ensure that each one gets crucial socialization time, experiences new sights and smells, and meets lots of people. Imagine it: you and an adorable puppy, walking on Grace Bay beach together! I don’t think you need to spend much time wondering why it’s been voted the #1 best beach in the Caribbean. You must be over 18 years of age to walk a puppy, and the daily outings take place between the hours of 10 a.m.–12:45 p.m., except on Sundays. Visit their website for more details. If you do happen to be planning a trip to the island and have the space in your luggage or carry-on bag, the organization can use essential items like puppy pee pads, fuzzy toys, metal bowls for food and water, disposable surgical gloves (sizes M–XL), waterproof aprons for bathing the puppies (note to self: get one of these for home use!), Nexgard flea medication, Drontal Plus dewormer, old towels, and laundry pods. Not planning a trip there? No worries. You can still help by making a donation in honor of an event or in memory of someone special through PayPal. Or you can choose a specific purpose for your donation by visiting their site and selecting one or more services to provide to a puppy in their care. Your generous donation of a few dollars can take care of simple things like worming, vaccinations, de-flea baths, food, and spay/neuter procedures. Got an addiction to, say, t-shirts? You can support Potcake Place by snagging a limited edition t-shirt online right now. All funds raised by the sale go directly to helping the rescued puppies. And, finally, you can support these vulnerable dogs—as well as those in your own community—by raising awareness of the problem. Make sure you talk about the importance of spaying, neutering, and overall dog care. Next time, we’ll take a virtual trip to a no-kill shelter in the mountains of Costa Rica: Territory de Zaguates, or Land of the Strays. Until next time, WOOF! Associated song: Island in the Sun by Weezer
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