''How Much is that Doggy in the Window?'' STREET ANIMALS OF MINDELO

One laid back Sunday, I was sitting at a restaurant having buzio (conk?) with a big group of Cape Verdeans and Cape Verdeans living in Europe. It was a very interesting group, lots of languages being spoke (Creole of course was the primary one), and very interesting conversation about everything and anything.
I always enjoy being in a group like this because it is really interesting to see how people interact and how growing up in different cultures affects you, but still having this unifying identity. Well, the plate of buzio was making its third round around the table and was getting cold. The woman next to me (who grew up in theNetherlands), took the plate and was about to put it on the floor to give to the cat that she had been sneaking pieces of bread to, when a debate broke out.
-‘‘You can’t put that plate on the group’’

-‘’Why are you feeding a cat’’

-‘‘Well, at least put it in a napkin’’ etc.

I just found this whole thing so funny because it is something I notice a lot, the different ways we (‘'foreigners’’) treat animals. After all, I am sure that there are many people who see the way we treat animals as crazy. Why would you let a cat eat off a plate? One of my cats used to sit at the table, well on the table, when we had dinner. Is that not crazy? How we see a situation such as this, very much depends on the way that we were raised and where we grew up.

It has taken me a long time to come to terms with the way animals are often treated here, but I have also come to understand that it isn’t my place to judge. Dogs are for protection, they are not pets (although slowly that is changing). Cats, I have no idea what their function is… reproduce and beg for food?

If a dog doesn’t protect a home, aka a street dog, run in the street in gangs… fighting, relaxing, eating, and of course reproducing (very openly in the street)

In the United States, dogs don't run free in the streets, unless of course someone's dog ran away but it is usually picked up by animal services. Since I feel that street dogs, and cats, are such a big part of my daily life.... seeing them everyday, sometimes avoiding a street because I know that street has mean dogs etc. So I have decided to take some pictures of some of the dogs I see. Hope you enjoy!