Adopt don’t shop: Adopt a dog from the animal shelter in Statia (St. Eustatius, Caribbean Netherlands). There are regular posts on the Facebook page of the St. Eustatius Animal Welfare Foundation (SEAWF) to connect you to the animals and the work around the shelter. However, we want to take the opportunity to present the current dogs that are up for adoption in one spot. We, Yoeri and Nicola at Devocean Pictures, are volunteers at the animal shelter in Statia and invite you to adopt a Caribbean dog.
The adoption fee of $70 includes deworming, two vaccinations, a microchip, and spay/neuter. For dogs going to Europe, there is an additional $20 for a rabies shot.
Provide a forever home for two dogs for only $100 (plus rabies).
You must have a securely fenced yard.
Contact: SEAWF via 318-1102 (phone or Whatsapp) or contact-us@seawf.com
In certain cases, there is support for off-island adoptions, including travel to Europe or North America (discretion of SEAWF).
SEAWF SPAY / NEUTER POLICY: Please note that ALL animals adopted from SEAWF must be spayed or neutered when they are 5 to 6 months old. Unfortunately, there are far too many unwanted dogs, cats, puppies and kittens on Statia, and we always have animals at the shelter for which we cannot find homes. Therefore, we insist that all animals adopted from us are sterilised. It does not harm the animal – we would never do anything to compromise the welfare of any animal.
St. Eustatius Animal Welfare Foundation at Facebook
If you can’t adopt an animal, volunteering is the perfect solution to express your love and devotion to animals. Contact us if you want to join the club on Statia or come by the shelter and take a look at all the dogs and cats bringing us love and affection on a daily basis. If you don’t live in Statia, look for an animal rescue centre or shelter in your neighbourhood.

Why adopt a shelter dog from Statia?
Our main message is the campaign slogan „adopt, don’t shop“. There are so many dogs around the world – shelter or rescue dogs – that are in desperate need of a loving forever home. Therefore it doesn’t make sense to purchase a dog from a breeder or puppy mill.
Puppy mills are large-scale dog breeding operations that prioritize making a profit over the care of the dogs.
Every time an animal is adopted, a space opens up in the shelter or the rescue. So when you adopt a cat or dog, not only are you saving that animal’s life, but you are also opening up a space for another animal’s life to be saved.
Green Matters: Why adopt, don’t shop
Do good and talk about it! Check if you have an animal shelter or animal rescue close by, take a look, and fall in love. We don’t want to push these Caribbean sweethearts on you, but … They are well taken care of, mentally as well as physically. Volunteers at the Statia’s animal shelter walk them every day, and every once in a while even take them to the beach or a day out in a garden to roll in the grass and play. The dogs are used to walking with many different volunteers from 4 to more than 80 years old. Apart from the run for puppies and their mother, dogs can socialise in small groups in two major outdoor kennels with shelter from rain and sun.
The animal shelter in Statia: Adopt this Caribbean dog
PLEASE: For all those living on Statia, get in contact with Animal Welfare and get your animals spayed and neutered. There is a sponsored programme for families with low income or many animals. In general, the price is just covering the costs of these operations.
Chip: A happy puppy – just bigger




Chip has spent more than 2 years in the animal shelter now – the longest time of all our lovely furry friends at SEAWF at the moment. Why? We really don’t know. Even though he is behaving like a big puppy on the one hand, he listens well on the other.
He has seen many dogs come and go. His mother, Maya, was adopted earlier in 2023. Open your heart and let Chippie brighten your life.
He loves to run and play – with humans, other dogs, or on his own. All he needs is some space really. Oh, and he enjoys cuddles and butt scratches tremendously. When Chippie is happy to see you, he will swing his whole butt from left to right, wagging the tail alone just won’t do it.



Penny: Your perfect travel companion





Penny is already 8 months old and only weighs 6 kg. In a lightweight travel box, she can even fly in the cabin with you. Penny is super playful and cuddly. As you can see, especially in the videos further down, she is very upbeat, curious, and ready to befriend every dog she encounters.
Penny loves to stay close to her humans, too. Our heart melts every time we open the puppy run and she spurts out to hug us and give kisses. Her eyes are just full of love and joy. If we had the possibility to support two dogs in the long run, we would adopt her right away. She would worm her way into Smokey’s heart, too (How we foster failed and adopted a shelter dog).
Indi: Happy-go-lucky and bouncy





Isn’t she just gorgeous? Indi is a young and loving mother. It looks like she got her first litter very young. Instead of love and support, she got kicked out of her home with her 6 little ones. Whenever she got out of the puppy run for a walk, she bounced with joy. She is eager to catch chickens.
Four of her six puppies were adopted. By now, she lives with Jessy and Jack in one of the bigger runs. She gets along with other dogs that used to share the space with her (Hella and Laika) or are still there (Anubis). The volunteers are all very surprised she hasn’t been adopted yet as she has such a kind heart and a beautiful face. But there is nothing that gets this bouncy lady down. Indi is ready to rock your life.
Jack: Doggy teenage mutant ninja





Do you look for action, play, and fun in a dog? Look no further. Jack is your perfect match: Brown eyes, reddish-brown fur with tiger stripes, and lots of energy and love to share. He grabs what is available. With some time and training, he is the kind of dog for playing fetch and going on a run with you.
4 out of 6 brothers and sisters found their forever homes. They got dumped at the Road to English Quarter with their mother Indi. Jack doesn’t want to be left behind another time … The puppies are probably born at the end of July 2022.
Anu (Anubis): A black goddess



Anu was found roaming the street with her four puppies. After spending a week or so together with her little ones in the puppy run, she moved in with Indi, Jessy, and Jack. Anubis is elegant in her looks, enthusiastic about making friends, eager to get cuddles, and easy to integrate with other dogs.
However, her main focus is on human companions. She wants to stay close. She wants to please. She wants to be guided and learn. This is your chance to train yourself a goddess! If Anubis sounds too royal for you or you don’t like ancient Egypt, just call her Anu instead.
Athena: The soul sister
She gets along with the other dogs in her kennel, but she wouldn’t mind being the one and only. After her puppies left, she took great care of Athena and Zeus. Used to living in a home, she is easy to go for walks, listens well, and will give everything to protect her new family.







Athena came together with her brother Bobby (formerly known as Zeus) to the animal shelter when they were appr. two months old. They are most likely born in February 2022. As brother and sister, they love each other. However, life got them separated. Zeus found his forever home and a new name in the Netherlands where he leads a happy life.
Athena loves all our volunteers at the shelter and all the other dogs – even the ones that are clearly not interested in her affection and playfulness. Athena is happy to just run around and play, with coconut husks or water bowls. In October, Athena saw the ocean for the first time and was the first dog out of the party of five to swim around.
Jessy: Curly long-hair girl – adopted (needs escort to Europe)
Are you travelling to Amsterdam or Paris from Sint Maarten / Saint Martin between the 2nd and 21st of October? Then you can do an early Christmas present and take this sweet shelter dog to her new home. All expenses paid. Jessy has an offer of adoption in the UK and we will meet her and you at arrivals. Jessy will travel in the hold (in the special animal area) so she won’t take up your room, no expense to you, just a whole load of puppy love and knowing you’ve done a wonderful job. Thank you! Jessy will be eternally grateful.






Look at her! Is there something wrong with this lovely girl? 4 out of 6 brothers and sisters found their forever homes. They were dumped at the Road to English Quarter with their mother Indi and don’t want to be left behind another time … The puppies are probably born at the end of July 2022.
Jessy is a sweetheart! She is quiet around the shelter and needs time to get used to new people and situations. Loud noises and hectic movements startle her easily. As long as she has a safe place to hide, she will recover and approach you in the time she needs. Even though she still enjoys hanging out with her family, she is ready for her very first and forever home.
Peanut: A bundle of love and joy – adopted





This little girl (4-5 months old) was found tied up in a residential area of the island. Already tremendously interested in interactions with humans, she has quickly warmed up to all our volunteers and is up for neverending cuddle sessions. Be ready to get a hug or two.
As she is young, she has lots of energy. According to our vet, she won’t grow much anymore. Therefore, Peanut is considered a small breed. The girl just moved in with some of the older dogs and gets along with them splendidly.
Suki: Sporty spice – adopted



Suki missed out on the photoshoots at our house as she was temporarily adopted. Unfortunately, she is quite the runner and jumper and managed to escape from a securely fenced garden multiple times. One day, I was biking up Rosemary Lane when a dog happily joined me. As this is a relatively busy street, the owner was afraid of losing Suki. Maya got lucky instead.
Hence, our sporty spice went back to the shelter. She is keeping her spirits up. Highly energetic and loveable, she is waiting for the right home for her. If you have a big garden and a high fence, if you love not only to walk but jog or run with your dog, Suki is your girl.
Nala: Observant and playful – adopted




Meet beautiful Nala! Together with her sister Suki, she came to the shelter in June 2021. When they arrived they were approximately three months old. Nala, a brindle/shepherd mix, still believes in miracles. And you can make her dream come true: Providing her with her very own forever home!
Nala is a gentle soul with a lot of positive energy inside her athletic body. On her day out in the garden, she enjoyed playing and running with the younger dogs as well as exploring the surroundings on her own. Once she found her favourite spot under the bamboo, she kept going back to her resting place, ideally together with Hella and Laika. She is affectionate and integrates easily with other dogs.
Maya: A lovely leader – adopted



This is Maya, the mother of Chip. They got dropped at the animal shelter anonymously in 2021. Even though she gets along with all her kennel mates, in particular her son, she is eagerly looking for a new home. She loves to run and even more to get cuddles. In return, she will keep your yard free of chicken, goats, sheep, or whatever else tries to come in and eat your plants.
Not a fan of blind dates? Just come down to the shelter to meet her. After we had Maya and Chip at our house for a day out, she is totally in love and puts quite the afford into being the first one at the fence to greet us when we arrive for our weekly shift at the shelter.
Smokey: A love bug in recovery – adopted





This adorable lady is named Smokey. In the first three pictures is enjoying the late afternoon sun on one of her days out on our porch. She has a heart of gold, a calm character, and more love to give than her wide chest can hold. If you take her into your home she wants to stay by your side as much as possible and happily greet any human visitor. She was at least two years old when the last two pictures were taken, and recovering from some injuries (read all about this beautiful love bug in our blog entry „Take a Minute in Statia 003: Smokey in Wonderland„).
Laika: A sister from another mother – adopted





Even though approximately three months younger, Laika is already almost as big as Athena. Together with Laika’s sister Hella, the three form the teenage gang of the shelter in one of the kennels. Laika is inquisitive and playful, passionate, but never aggressive. Big bonus, she isn’t chewing up any random household items anymore.
During one of her visits to our house, she was the first and only dog out of the gang enjoying a bath. On our first visit to the ocean, she followed Athena’s lead and started to swim. She looks up to older dogs and copies their behaviour, such as Smokey, the natural leader in their kennel, temporarily healing her wounds in our foster home. Give her a home and a good example and she’ll be the best company you can imagine.
Hella: Bundle of joy and cuddles – adopted





Hella is the smallest pup out of a nest of five dogs found in Zeelandia in mid-July 2022 without their mother. The only boy went almost straight on to his forever home on Statia. Personally, we don’t understand why Hella hasn’t been picked first. She is clearly the most affectionate. When the others were playing and fighting, all she wanted was your attention and love.
She is still like that: A bundle of joy and cuddles. She is brave too and loves to try new things like licking ice cubes or swimming in the sea to cool off. Like Laika, she is copying the behaviour of Smokey and enjoys rolling around in the grass tremendously now. When they are visiting, we train all of them not to bark at anybody passing or anything they hear in the distance. Take her and turn her into your perfect companion asap.
Daisy: Loyal and loving fighter (on hold for Canada)



Daisy is looking for you! Strong, kind, attentive, and social. Daisy was dumped with her puppies at the Terminal. Completely exhausted, she cared relentlessly until all her puppies found their forever homes. After being spayed, the wound was infected with flesh-eating bacteria which almost killed her. But Daisy fought her way back to life just as she fought for her young ones to survive.
Last words
More pictures and videos of the happy bundle of dogs (and cats) living peacefully together at the animal shelter in Statia will be frequently added to our own social media accounts to get more and more people to adopt a Caribbean dog (Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube). Volunteers are always welcome to spread and receive lots of unconditional love in return. Free therapy session: Highly recommended!
Lastly, dogs teach us valuable life lessons like
* Enjoy the moment.
* Don’t look back in anger.
* Love unconditionally.
* Take a nap whenever you need it.
* Family isn’t defined by blood.
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