Illegal animal hunters in Puriscal

I realize I haven’t been blogging as frequently lately. Over the past month or so we have gone through what I think is our worst Costa Rican experience to date involving one of the national banks. Banking rules have recently changed and like everything else here, you learn about the changes when circumstances arise. My advice to people living here or wanting to move is to get to know the bank manager and if you have questions about how to do anything ask only the manager, not the tellers. All has been resolved and life continues.

We had a lot of excitement over the past few days involving more hunters. I think the word is out that hunting is not allowed on our property. During the past few weeks the hunters have been back but now they walk on the neighbor’s property and just along the top of our property line. The dogs go below, into our property. The dogs are going into areas where people cannot walk so I am unsure if the hunters are actually getting any animals.

Friday morning the hunters were back, dogs howling and hooting on our neighbor’s property. Mario heard the commotion and asked if I wanted him to call MINAE. Of course I did! He called and gave a detailed description on the easiest and fastest way to reach the hunters. An hour or so goes by and no one showed up to stop the hunters. The dogs were howling and hooting closer and closer to where we live. Next, the hunters began making sounds to call the dogs back. I had the feeling something went wrong and they had lost control of their dogs.

During most of this I was inside washing a large harvest of green beans from my garden. I heard Mario calling me and go outside to find him with one of the hunting dogs in his arms. I couldn’t believe it! The dog somehow climbed up an incredibly steep ravine and exited next to my garden. I took Roxy’s leash and put it around the dog’s neck. Luckily, John was home. We decided the best thing to do was to take the dog to the MINAE office. I had heard they have facilities for contraband animals.

I stayed home while Mario and John took the dog away. Not too soon afterwards, three hunters walked down our road and saw me. I said the usual hello and how are you. They were looking for the dog. I explained there is only one dog here and then proceeded to tell them that our property is private and hunting is not allowed. They got the message but really wanted to continue looking for the dog. I said they could walk up and down the public road but not on our property.

Meanwhile, John and Mario were getting the run-around at the MINAE office. They sent them to the police station in the next town. That office sent them to the police station in Puriscal. There, they were told, that actually the MINAE office they first went to are the ones that handle these situations in our area. They returned again to MINAE and this time they agreed to take the dog, which was all I had hoped for.

John and Mario came back after being gone for a few hours and the hunters came yet again looking for their dog. Mario explained to us that this type of small female dog is very valuable to the hunters. She is the one that will actually go into the tunnels and caves and make the small animals evacuate. She also looked like she had recently given birth. I felt so sorry for the dog. She was extremely thin and friendly. She had no problems being lead into the car. I hope she has a better life where ever she ends up.