Sidebar #79 - Pets in Costa Rica and in the Peace Corps

Unsurprisingly, Tico families have household pets just like we do in the United States. And similarly, the most common pets I see in Costa Rica are dogs and cats. In my homestay, my host family has 3 dogs: Kira, Lana, and Fili. They are quite loud and cause a scene every time someone enters the property or there’s a car nearby; however, it has been a fun part of my service having dogs at home. Meanwhile, my girlfriend, Keily, has 3 cats: Benito, Kitty, and Yolanda, and a dog, Thor. It’s always fun to hang out with them too. So without having the responsibility of caring for pets on my own, I’ve been surrounded by pets throughout my service.

Peace Corps volunteers are permitted to have pets, and several volunteers in my cohort have formally or informally adopted pets at their sites. However, it is the responsibility of these volunteers, on their limited stipend, to care for these pets and to have a plan in place for the pets once service comes to a close. (One friend of mine is taking his dog back to the US while another is coordinating with a rescue cat shelter near his site for his adopted cat.)

Finally, I should note that stray dogs and cats are a major problem across Costa Rica like in many other countries around the world. Each day, whether I’m walking to one of the schools or going for a run I encounter dogs on the street. Because of this, one of the community service options students have in high school is actually engaging in campaigns for spaying and neutering cats and dogs.