On Ambergris Caye, the animal welfare charity SAGA Humane Society is putting out a call for extra hands — and wheels. The organisation, which runs the only non-profit veterinary clinic on the Belizean island, needs volunteers for its Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) programme aimed at controlling San Pedro's growing population of stray and feral cats.
The ask is specific: people who can work flexible shifts, especially after 5PM, to set and monitor humane traps in neighbourhoods where unsterilized cats are plentiful. Volunteers would place traps, ferry captured cats to SAGA's clinic for sterilization, and return them to the spots where they were found. Transport is one of the programme's biggest bottlenecks — moving both traps and cats around the island takes vehicles and drivers.
Three communities have been flagged as priority zones: San Mateo, San Pedrito and the DFC area. There's a simple visual system at work, too. A cat with a tipped or snipped left ear has already been through the programme and is left alone, so traps can focus on new animals. SAGA also plans to microchip some cats, though the ear-tip stays the main form of identification.
Why the urgency? The shelter reports a rise in newborn and very young kittens arriving without their mothers — a sign that uncontrolled breeding is outpacing current efforts. Adult feral cats, meanwhile, are rarely good candidates for adoption since they can't easily be socialised. Returning them to familiar territory after surgery keeps breeding down without overloading the shelter, which is the logic behind TNR programmes worldwide.
Beyond volunteers, SAGA is asking for donations of humane cat traps, which are essential for capturing animals safely. Anyone who can help with trapping, driving or equipment can reach the organisation on 226-3266.
For travellers, this is a genuinely actionable one. San Pedro draws a steady flow of visitors, and many backpackers and long-stay guests look for ways to give something back during their trip. A few evenings helping with traps, or offering a lift to the clinic if you've rented a golf cart or vehicle, is a low-commitment way to support local animal welfare. Even if you'd rather not handle feral cats, donating traps or supplies is welcome. It's also a useful reminder for visitors to the island: if you spot a cat with a notched left ear, that animal has been cared for and sterilized, so there's no need to report it. Animal lovers planning a Belize trip with San Pedro on the itinerary now have one more reason to pencil in some volunteer time alongside the diving and beach days.
