On occasion, through the animal rescue NGO, I have offered to pay (in full or part) for the spaying/neutering of pets from low-income households.

Often the animals have had numerous litters and the home space is overrun with (usually) sickly, skinny tick-and-flea ridden puppies/kittens.

Some people, by accepting the offer, help to curb surges in animal overpopulation. Others, not knowing, trusting or believing in what spaying/neutering is, reject it when I explain.

Actual reasons given by people who rejected my offer have included:

“I don’t believe in that. God made animals to multiply.” (Anti-spayer)

“Let the animals have their fun.” (Zesser)

“I not sure. That sounding like animal cruelty.” (Spay hesitancy)

“I have a remedy for that: boil blue soap, add plenty sugar, make the dog drink it.” (Believer in home remedies)

“What you do comes back to you. If I do that, my daughter will not have children. And I want to be a grandmother.” (Conspiracy theorist)

Sometimes those who refused the spay/neuter offer, later wish they had accepted it.

Earlier this year, a man contacted me for help. His dog, which had had numerous litters after he had rejected my spay offer, had been poisoned. He wanted to know if I would take the pups.

Had he spayed his dog "way back when," my volunteer and I would not have been left with the "burden of care" of trying to save seven vulnerable lives. Much of our time over a few days was spent tending to the pups (feeding, cleaning, medicating, sourcing other foster caregivers). Sadly, all but one of the pups died, possibly as a result of having suckled from the nipples of their poisoned mother.

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The frustration and overwhelm that animal welfare essential workers (rescuers, volunteers, veterinarians) often feel must be an iota of what is experienced daily by those who fight for lives in the trenches of the covid19 "third world war."

This (somewhat) parallel situation struck me a few days ago when I called a Trini friend who, as of late last year, has been living and working in the US. Having not spoken with each other for some months, we had agreed to catch up during a rare window of time in her hectic work schedule.

“How are you?” I asked when she answered.

“Exhausted!” she sighed. “Covid!”

My friend is a registered nurse, working at bedsides on a medical surgical unit. Every time medical staff enter or leave a room they must put on or take off their PPE (personal protection equipment) which consists of a respirator/wrapper or an N95 mask, then a surgical mask, a face shield, a plastic gown and gloves, all of which are worn over scrubs.

That ritual alone is taxing, but far less so than dealing with human beings, many of whom do not recognise, see or believe the severity of the pandemic and the measures required to save lives and lessen its spread.

My friend is a down-to-earth, intelligent, no-nonsense professional. In the maelstrom of "fake" and "facts" surrounding this pandemic, she s