10/10/2026
Response from Senator Angel Bolques Jr. to our questions about animal welfare in the territory:
Dear Ms. Southworth,
Thank you for reaching out and, more importantly, for the work R.E.A.L. Cruzan Cats and other animal welfare organizations perform every day throughout our Virgin Islands.
I agree with the central point of your letter. Animal overpopulation cannot be solved by nonprofit organizations alone. It requires a sustained partnership among the Government of the Virgin Islands, veterinarians, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and residents.
I also believe prevention must be at the center of our strategy. The work being done through spay/neuter and Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return programs demonstrates why we should invest in reducing unwanted litters before they become a much larger and more expensive public problem. R.E.A.L. Cruzan Cats reports more than 2,000 cats TNVRed since 2022 and is now working to expand high-volume sterilization capacity on St. Croix. R.E.A.L. Cruzan Cats
1. Long-term solutions
In the 37th Legislature, I would support developing a comprehensive territorial animal population management strategy rather than continuing to approach this problem one appropriation at a time.
That strategy should include reliable access to affordable spay and nueter services, sustained TNVR programs for community cats, stronger public education on responsible pet ownership, improved animal registration and identification where appropriate, stronger enforcement against abandonment and cruelty, and partnerships that increase veterinary capacity throughout the Territory.
I would also support examining a dedicated or recurring funding mechanism for prevention programs so organizations are not forced to start each fiscal year wondering whether critical services can continue.
2. Funding and accountability
Appropriating money is only half of our responsibility. If the Legislature appropriates funding for an authorized purpose, we must also exercise oversight to determine why those funds are not being released in a timely manner.
I support stronger reporting requirements so the Legislature can see when nonprofit appropriations have been processed, obligated, and disbursed. Where delays occur, the responsible agency should be required to explain the reason and provide a timeline for resolution.
We also need to evaluate funding based on measurable results. Organizations providing sterilizations, vaccinations, rescue service, sheltering, adoption, and other documented services should be able to demonstrate their impact, and government should use that information when establishing future funding priorities.
3. Government responsibility
I believe government should become a stronger coordinator and partner, rather than expecting nonprofit organizations to shoulder what is ultimately a territory-wide public concern.
I would support bringing the Department of Agriculture, Department of Health where appropriate, animal-control authorities, veterinarians, shelters, rescue organizations, and TNVR organizations together to establish measurable territorial goals.
That means knowing how many animals are being sterilized, where the largest populations are located, where veterinary capacity is insufficient, what services taxpayers are supporting, and whether our interventions are actually reducing populations over time.
We cannot manage what we do not measure.
I would therefore like to explore establishing standardized territorial data collection and annual reporting on animal population management.
4. Information and collaboration
Yes, I am willing to meet with R.E.A.L. Cruzan Cats and representatives from animal welfare organizations across St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John, and Water Island.
Before developing legislation, I would specifically like information on current animal population estimates, annual spay/neuter and TNVR numbers, cost per procedure, veterinary capacity, government funding received versus appropriated, shelter intake and outcomes, geographic areas with the greatest concentrations, and recommendations from the organizations doing this work every day.
I would also like to understand what level of sustained investment would allow organizations to move from continually responding to the problem toward actually reducing animal overpopulation year after year.
I recognize the fiscal challenges facing the Virgin Islands. But fiscal responsibility also means investing wisely in prevention when prevention can reduce larger costs later.
This is not simply about cats and dogs. It is about public health, humane treatment of animals, responsible government, neighborhood quality of life, and how we care for the communities we share.
Thank you for beginning this conversation. I welcome the opportunity to sit down to discuss these ideas and determine what a sustainable, territory-wide solution should look like.
Angel Bolques Jr., Senator At Large
Ruff Start STX Humane Society of St. Thomas USVI St. Croix Animal Welfare Center Animal Care Center of St. John Bully Baby Rescue
