Strays at Fort James Beach | Marma J Foundation

Last Updated: Dec 15, 2019

The stray dog population is overwhelming in Antigua. Stray dogs roam free and are often very malnourished and dehydrated. This is the cause of a variety of factors, including the struggling economy. Sadly, owners who cannot afford to feed their families and a dog often abandon them. These dogs end up in any place where they try to survive. Without the ability to spay and/or neuter stray dogs, they reproduce and it becomes more challenging to ensure they are provided with the basic necessities.

Sadly, there are many who need our help. Thankfully, organizations like Paaws, Dogs and Cats of Antigua (DACOA), St. Mutts, and more focus on rescuing these dogs, providing shelter and care for them, and try to have each dog adopted by loving families.

Fort James Beach is where some strays have found a home. Every day, the Marma J Foundation visits Fort James Beach where they feed a group of gentle stray dogs and provide them with fresh drinking water. Meet some of the loving, furry friends we support here.

Fort James Strays

Ymir

Meet Ymir! Ymir is one of the many dogs who have found a home at Fort James Beach! Ymir is one of the first pups that we met as she loves to get to know beach-goers. She is very friendly, smart, and loves to play with her sister Christa. You can tell her apart from her sister because her ears stand up.

Ymir is trusting, loves affection, and is quite the dare-devil as she protects her friends by chasing after cars that pass the beach on the main road (this is a habit we want to stop as we do not want her to get into an accident).

Christa

Meet Christa! Can you tell her apart from Ymir? We can! While Ymir and Christa look very much alike, Christa’s ears are turned down.

This sweet pup is super playful, loving, and affectionate. Each time she sees her sister Ymir, Christa always runs up to her to play. She can’t get enough of playtime with her sister and other friends!

With lots of support, Christa was spayed on December 12, 2019.

Annie

Meet Annie! This sweet pup is one of the many strays that call Fort James Beach their home. Annie stands out from the others with opposing ears and a bent tail. While she may seem timid at first, Annie is loving and enjoys her pets.

Annie is excited when she sees her friends and the people she loves. When she is excited, she gallops towards you and spins around waiting to be pet.

With lots of support, Annie was given medical attention and spayed on December 12, 2019.

Armin

Say hello to Armin! This beautiful dog is very timid around people but enjoys being part of her group of furry friends. Armin lives at Fort James beach, and while it may take some convincing, she won’t turn down the food or water we bring for her.

It took time to gain Armin’s trust, but she finally gives us kisses and enjoys it when we pet her. Armin is now pregnant and will be giving birth to her litter soon. We hope to find Armin and her pups a furever home.

Eren

Meet Eren! Living at Fort James Beach, Eren is usually found with Armin and may also be a daddy soon!

Eren is very sweet and playful. When he sees his friends getting pets, his jealousy takes over and he tries to get in on the action. Eren has a lot of energy and loves to run around and play with people and his friends.

Mika

Say hello to Mikasa, or Mika for short! Mika is a puppy who lived at Fort James Beach. She LOVES to play with the other dogs and people too. She is very friendly, loving, and will make anything a toy.

Mika has taken us on a whirlwind of an adventure, and we are proud to say that she is our first success story.

Mika is now in foster care in Ottawa, Canada and is looking for a furever home.

Sasha

Say hello to Sasha. This pretty lady was usually found with Eren, Reiner, and Armin, and sometimes with the other dogs too!

Sasha was very sweet, but also very shy. She did not trust people very easily, and kept her distance but stuck around to see what was happening.

Soon after we suspected that Sasha was pregnant, we found that she had passed away near Fort James. We are sad to see Sasha go but hope she and her babies are in a better place.

Reiner

Say hello to Reiner. He is one handsome dog! Reiner is very protective of his girlfriends. He used to be found side-by-side with Sasha, but lately, he seems to be very protective of Christa.

Reiner does not like going into the ocean but seems to enjoy living at Fort James Beach.

Reiner has not been sighted at Fort James Beach since late November 2019. We hope that he found another great place to live and that he is thriving.

Cassie

Meet Cassie! When we first found Cassie, it was clear that she had been dropped off and abandoned at Fort James Beach.

Cassie was emaciated and very scared of people and other dogs. At first, it was hard to feed Cassie. After a lot of convincing, we have gained enough of her trust to give her food and water and even get close to her.

Cassie has also gotten to be more comfortable with the other strays at Fort James Beach and is settling into her new home. We hope to eventually build enough trust with her to take off her collar and pet her.

How You Can Help

A little kindness can go a long way. Like many, if you cannot care for a dog long-term, here are cost-friendly things that you can do to help:

Save your food scraps such as meat, bones, rice, and other dog-friendly foods that you can feed to stray dogs
Carry an extra container of freshwater
Show them love by petting and playing with them (do so only if you feel comfortable and safe)
Purchase a bag of dog food at your local grocery store

Resources

Check out this list of resources for organizations and community groups that support stray dog populations, animal rescue missions, foster care and adoption, animal services, and more.

To meet more of the beautiful dogs we care for at Fort James Beach, follow along with this blog! Interested in helping or supporting this cause? Please connect with us!