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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In Cuba
An animal at my resort is injured or sick. Can you help?
Please contact us with details and photos, including the city you’re in, the name of your resort, how long you’ll be there before flying home, and whether you plan to adopt the animal. Let us know if you’ve already been in touch with any other rescue groups.
Provide as much information as you can about the animal: the nature of its injuries, how it’s behaving, where you saw it, and whether it allowed you to approach.
We will always do our best to help, but please understand our shelter is about 1.5 hours away from Cayo Coco. In some cases, arranging care may require taxi transport, and the person requesting help may need to cover this fare.
How do I adopt a cat or dog I fell in love with at my resort?
Thank you for wanting to give a resort animal a second chance at life! The first step is to contact us so we can make arrangements to bring the animal to our shelter. Once there, it will be assessed and treated to the best of our ability.
To adopt, you’ll need to complete our Adoption Application. If approved and once the animal is healthy enough to travel, we can arrange a flight volunteer through our network of tourists.
We handle the vaccinations and paperwork necessary to enter Canada, booking the flight, and transporting the animal to the airport. All you have to do is meet the flight volunteer at the airport to welcome your new furry family member!
Can you help rescue an animal outside of Cayo Coco, like in Varadero, Holguín, or Havana?
Our rescue is focused on the Morón/Ciego/Cayo Coco area, a region that has had very little awareness and no outside help compared to larger centres such as Varadero and Havana.
This is why our founder, Paula, chose to dedicate her efforts here.
That said, we can connect you with trusted rescuers across Cuba.
Please contact us and we’ll do our best to help!
Can I visit your shelter? Where in Cuba is it located?
Cayo Coco Animal Rescue’s shelter is located just outside of Morón, Cuba—about a 1.5-hour drive from the resorts in Cayo Coco.
We love visitors! Please let us know in advance when you plan to visit so Yadira can be ready to expect you.
The shelter is a farm property located on Circuito Norte. It doesn’t have a street number, but taxi drivers can use the GPS coordinates below:
GPS: Latitude: 22.106114
Longitude: -78.658045
Does your rescue spay and neuter the resort animals?
Yes! Whenever we can, Cayo Coco Animal Rescue runs TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release) campaigns in partnership with the resorts to help stop the cycle of unwanted breeding.
In 2024, we sterilized 115 resort cats and 1 dog.
In 2025, we’ve sterilized over 150 resort cats so far.
You can tell an animal has been sterilized if the tip of its ear has been clipped.
These campaigns are the only way to reduce suffering by controlling feral cat populations, but they’re only possible with the cooperation of resort management.
Check our list of animal-friendly resorts. If you don’t see your favourite resort there, we urge you to speak with resort management and encourage them to participate.
As a guest, your influence is much stronger than ours!
I’m travelling to Cuba soon. How can I help?
Thank you for wanting to support the shelter and our animals while on vacation! There are lots of ways to help:
- Bring donations: If you’re flying from Toronto Pearson, you can bring a case filled with needed supplies (at no cost to you). The suitcase will be unlocked so you can inspect it before you fly.
- Pack your own donations: Check out our Donate Supplies page or Amazon Wishlist for ideas. We can help get the items from your resort to the shelter.
- Become a flight angel: Flying with Air Canada or Air Transat? You can help escort an adopted cat or dog to its forever home in Canada.
- Volunteer at the shelter: Our Morón shelter is about 1.5 hours from the resorts in Cayo Coco. Meet Yadira and Tico, see how the shelter operates, help feed or bathe the dogs, or deliver your donations in person!
- Help with TNR campaigns at resorts: If we’re planning a sterilization (TNR) project at your resort, we always need extra hands to hang signs, monitor the cats, and carry traps and supplies.
What’s a Flight Angel and how do I become one?
A flight angel or flight parent escorts a rescue dog from Cuba to Canada, helping them safely reach their new home. If you’re traveling to Cuba soon—or you just want to learn more—please check out our Volunteer page for details.
Please note: we cover all fees related to the dog’s journey, but flight parents are responsible for their own travel costs. Only certain airlines—Air Canada, Air Transat, and WestJet—allow animals to fly.
