The Day Blue Bay Fell Asleep

27 May 2020, Blue Bay

Mauritius was still in lockdown. The beaches were empty, and the Blue Bay dogs we had been feeding every day still included dogs that had never been sterilised, some of whom had never let anyone near them.

A police officer made it possible. We weren't allowed out, but he told us we could go ahead on a day he was on duty, and he came to help. With the roads silent and no cars around, it was the best chance we would ever get.

The day started early. From about 7 in the morning we went round giving the dogs sausages with calming tablets hidden inside, the kind the pharmacy sold back then to keep pets calm during fireworks. Some dogs needed a few before they would settle. Before long there were dogs asleep all along the street: Cookie curled up, Angel half asleep, Tully out cold with his head resting on the edge of the pavement.

One by one they were carried into a home garage that had become an operating room for the day. Our vet Isabelle worked through them while volunteers and neighbours held, carried and comforted, and a three-year-old watched from the doorway, taking in every detail. Everyone agreed she would grow up to be a vet.

Mama was the hardest. She was the wildest dog on the street, had had litter after litter, and nobody had ever managed to get close to her. The officer helped us catch her, and it took three of us to carry her.

The last boy was done at two in the afternoon. This is the message that went round the group afterwards:

We had 100% success. Every single stray in our area, plus the two new abandoned ones, are sterilised. We started feeding some of the dogs Calmivet around 7, and the last boy was done around 2. All exhausted. Our guest stood by the whole day, bringing us food, and even helped us. Thanks to everyone else and your donations to enable us to do this.

A few days later, on 1 June, we put posters up on the beach telling people these dogs were sterilised, cared for and looking for homes. That part of the story is here.