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The organization Bienestar Animal Cuba (BAC-Habana) reported on its social media that it was the target of a media attack by the official program Con Filo, broadcasted by Televisión Cubana, following its complaints about the case of the abandoned dog during the evacuations in the province of Granma.
“Last night the Con Filo program, hosted by Gabriela, devoted an entire segment to attacking us publicly,” the group posted on Facebook. “In a manipulative tone, we were portrayed before the entire country, suggesting that we are part of the counter-revolution and that our actions serve interests unrelated to animal protection.”
why the program insisted that the animal “is fine” and “was evacuated,” without providing any evidence. “They continue to present not a single image, nor any proofs or evidence of the animal's survival,” the organization warned. “Everything relies on empty words, with no backing or evidence.”
The group, which has led the national campaign for the rescue of the so-called Cauto or Bayamo puppy, reiterated that their demands seek transparency and not publicity. “We emphasize that until the animal is shown, alive and in safe conditions, our doubts and demands will persist. We are not asking for publicity; we are asking for the truth.”
The case of the "puppy from Bayamo"
The case originates from a publication by the state-run CMKX Radio Bayamo, which shared images of the dog left behind during the evacuations due to Hurricane Melissa. The text, titled The Pain of Departure, sparked a wave of outrage on social media due to its poetic tone, which many viewed as a romanticization of animal abandonment.
En medio de esa polémica, BAC-Habana lanzó un llamado nacional para exigir fe de vida del animal y ofreció asumir todos los gastos de su rescate, atención veterinaria y traslado. “Este no es un post más. Es el grito de un perrito que se quedó solo, mirando al cielo por donde se fue su amigo”, escribió la organización en su perfil. La campaña, que pedía a los usuarios llenar las redes con la imagen del perro, se convirtió en un símbolo de empatía ciudadana during the evacuations in Granma.
The case sparked a wide national debate. Activist Manuel Viera questioned on Facebook the priorities of Cuban society, contrasting the outrage over the dog with the silence regarding political prisoners. His post divided opinions and was responded to by BAC-Habana, which urged him not to divide the movement and to maintain respect. The exchange reignited the debate on empathy and rights on the island, generating intense discussions on social media.
Shortly thereafter, former spy René González criticized the expressions of empathy for the dog and compared the social reaction to the media coverage of the Iraq war. His comments coincided with an official media offensive that sought to minimize public outrage. BAC-Habana responded that “we regret that figures with such influence prefer to distort a legitimate cause rather than acknowledge the importance of empathy” and emphasized that “our cause does not seek the spotlight; it seeks coherence. It does not aim to compete with human suffering, but rather to remind that compassion is not measured by species,” as explained by the organization following the former spy's statements.
The animal rights organization, for its part, insisted that the case is not about politics, but rather about sensitivity and social responsibility. “These attacks only reinforce our conviction that empathy should not be criminalized,” concluded BAC-Habana.
So far, the official media have not provided any evidence regarding the status or whereabouts of the dog from Bayamo.
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