The Dogs of Aruba: What You Need to Know (and How You Can Help)

If you’ve spent any time in Aruba outside the resort strip, you’ve probably noticed them: friendly, lanky, sun-baked dogs trotting along the road, napping in the shade of a cunucu (countryside) house, or hanging out near the beach hoping someone will share their lunch. They’re not a random assortment of strays. They’re part of what makes Aruba, Aruba.

Here’s what to know about them, why there are so many, and how you can actually help while you’re there.

Disclosure: Some of the links below may be affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase.

What kind of dog is that?

The dogs you’re seeing are almost always Cunucu dogs (also called Arubian Cunucus), a “pariah” or landrace breed native to the island. They’re not recognized by any official kennel club, but locals and rescue groups know them well.

A few fun facts about the breed:

• The name comes from Papiamento. “Cunucu” means countryside, which is where these dogs have traditionally roamed and made their homes.
• They likely trace back to the 1500s. DNA research points to Portuguese Podengos (an Iberian hunting breed) as their ancestors, brought over during the colonial period and later mixed with local dogs kept by the indigenous Arawak people, who reportedly used them to hunt iguana in Aruba’s rocky interior.
• Physically, they tend to be lean, athletic sighthound types with narrow heads and long muzzles. They’re built for the heat and the terrain.
• Temperament-wise, Cunucus are known for being smart, easy to train, energetic, and unusually friendly (even the ones living entirely on the street will often walk right up to a tourist and hang out for the day). They can be a little “velcro” and don’t love being left alone for long stretches, but they’re famously good with people, including kids.

Why are there so many?

This is the part that catches a lot of visitors off guard. Estimates put the number of stray and semi-stray dogs and cats on the island somewhere between 20,000 and 40,000…. This is against a human population of only around 110,000. A few things drive this:

• Spay/neuter isn’t widespread. Without consistent, affordable sterilization programs, the population keeps reproducing faster than shelters and rescues can keep up with.
• Dogs are often treated as outdoor animals, not house pets. It’s common for dogs to be fed and loosely “owned” by a household without being spayed, neutered, vaccinated, or kept contained. They’re allowed to roam and breed freely.
• Resources are limited. Vet care, shelter space, and government funding for animal welfare haven’t historically kept pace with the scale of the problem.
• Enforcement is inconsistent. Abandonment and neglect often go unaddressed, and the island’s method of dealing with unwanted or “problem” dogs (a government-run intake facility that locals have nicknamed the “Kill Cage”) is a sore subject among animal lovers and one of the reasons local rescues work so hard to intervene before dogs end up there.

The upside is that a passionate rescue community has grown up around this problem, made up of both local Arubans and dedicated tourists-turned-advocates.

What You Can Actually Do

You don’t have to adopt a dog from Aruba to make a difference. Here’s what actually helps:

• Pack a little extra. Collars, leashes, flea and tick treatment, pee pads, and toys are lightweight, easy to throw in a suitcase, and always needed.
• Buy supplies on the island. Food, beds, and cleaning supplies (bleach, dish soap) can be picked up locally and dropped off directly with a rescue.
• Donate. Every organization below accepts monetary donations, and most have Amazon wishlists that ship straight to their US-based volunteers, who then bring the goods to Aruba, so you don’t even need to pack anything.
• Take a dog for a walk. Some rescues let visitors take an adoptable dog out for a beach walk wearing an “Adopt Me” vest. It’s good exercise and socialization for the dog, and a great way to get face time with potential adopters.
• Volunteer for a few hours. This is actually one of the most memorable things you can do on a beach vacation.
• Adopt a Cunucu Dog from Aruba. If you are looking for a new best friend, most Aruba rescues also can help you adopt a dog from Aruba.

Volunteer with the Cunucu Dogs While You’re in Aruba

Several organizations welcome short-term help from visitors, no long-term commitment needed. A few of the main ones:

• Luna Foundation: A no-kill dog sanctuary. Volunteers can help feed, clean, and play with the dogs daily between 10am – 12pm. Text ahead via WhatsApp (+31 6 39354442) to set up a time, and consider bringing dog food, bleach, or dish soap. They go through it fast.

• Sgt. Pepper’s Friends: Offers morning volunteer shifts (roughly 8:30 – 11am) for tasks like feeding, cleanup, vet runs, and even seeing rescues off at the airport. DM them on Instagram or email info@sgtpeppersfriends.com about a week ahead. Wear shoes and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.

• Aruba Animal Shelter: Sign up to feed animals, clean kennels, bathe dogs, or just spend time cuddling them.

• Animal Relief Foundation (ARF-Aruba): Run by former tourists turned advocates. A great option if you’d like to walk an adoptable dog on the beach in the hotel area.

• Animal Rights Aruba: A broader animal welfare and advocacy organization covering fauna, flora, and marine life alongside dogs and cats.

• New Life for Paws: Focused on rescue and long-term placement; also looking for foster, transport, and adoption volunteers.

• One Love Foundation: Primarily fundraising and awareness-focused, channeling support to the organizations above.

• Stimami Sterilisami: Puts 100% of donations toward the island’s spay/neuter efforts, which is really the long-term fix for the overpopulation problem.

If You Spot a Stray and Want to Help

Seeing a dog that looks homeless doesn’t always mean it is. Some “stray-looking” dogs are actually loosely owned. Before doing anything:

1. Take a few photos of the animal.
2. Check the Lost and Found Pets Aruba Facebook group to see if anyone is missing or claiming the dog.
3. If it truly appears to be homeless and needs medical attention, call a local vet ahead of time to see if they have space to board the animal during treatment.
4. If you can’t safely catch the dog yourself, Crijojo Trappers can assist for a fee.
5. Reach out to any of the organizations above if you need help with logistics.

Aruba is often called “One Happy Island”, and thanks to the people who show up for its dogs every single day, a lot of them get to be happy too.

How to Bring Home a Dog From Aruba

So you met a Cunucu dog on the beach (or fell in love with one on Instagram) and now you can’t stop thinking about adopting one. Good news: it happens all the time, and there’s a well-established network of rescues that specialize in exactly this. Here’s how the process actually works.

Start With a Rescue Organization, Not a Random Street Dog

It’s tempting to want to scoop up the sweet stray you met on your trip, but the smoothest (and safest, for both you and the dog) path is to go through one of Aruba’s established rescue organizations (many of which we’ve touched on above). They handle vetting, vaccinations, deworming, and the logistics of actually getting a dog off the island and into your home. A few of the main ones placing Aruban dogs into homes abroad:

• Sgt. Pepper’s Friends: One of the most active in placing “Aruban Specials” (their name for Cunucu dogs) into US homes.

• Animal Relief Foundation (ARF-Aruba): Posts adoptable dogs and cats on their Facebook page.

• Luna Foundation: A no-kill sanctuary that also places dogs with adopters in Aruba and the US.

• New Life for Paws: Rescues and rehomes street dogs, with adoption, foster, and transport options.

• Cunucu Dog Rescue: A US-based rescue (run out of New York) founded specifically to place Cunucu dogs into American homes.

• One Love Foundation: Doesn’t run its own adoptions but can point you toward partner rescues and funds spay/neuter work that keeps dogs healthier before they’re ever adopted out.

What the Dog Adoption Process Generally Looks Like

While every organization has its own version of this, the general path to bringing home an Aruba dog looks like:

1. Browse adoptable dogs. Most rescues post available dogs on Facebook or Instagram with photos, temperament notes, and approximate age/size.
2. Submit an application. Expect basic questions about your home, other pets, yard/fencing, and experience with dogs.
3. Get matched and approved. Some rescues do a phone or video call. A few may ask for a home check or vet reference, especially for dogs with specific needs.
4. Pay the adoption fee. This typically covers the dog’s spay/neuter, vaccinations, deworming, and sometimes a portion of transport costs.
5. Arrange transport. This is usually the biggest logistical question (see below).
6. Prepare for arrival. Many rescues will walk you through what to expect in the first few weeks (more on that under health below).

How Do Aruban Dogs Actually Get to You?

This is usually handled one of two ways:

• Volunteer flight escorts: Rescues often coordinate with tourists or volunteers who are already flying back to the US and are willing to bring a dog along in-cabin or as checked cargo, sometimes free of charge for the adopter and sometimes for a transport fee.

• You pick them up in Aruba: If you’re already vacationing on the island, some rescues will let you meet, finalize, and personally fly the dog home with you, which follows the same US-bound pet travel rules as flying home with any dog (microchip, rabies vaccine, and the CDC Dog Import Form; more below).

A logistics note: Several rescues, including Sgt. Pepper’s Friends, ask adopters to send the travel crate back to Aruba once the dog has settled in, since crates are hard to source on the island and get reused for the next rescue. You can typically send it via a container shipment from Florida, hand it off to someone heading to Aruba on vacation, or order one directly off the rescue’s Amazon wishlist.

What to Know about Bringing a Dog from Aruba into the US

Since August 2024, the CDC requires all dogs entering the United States (including returning US dogs) to have:

• A microchip
• A valid rabies vaccination (with proof, if the dog is coming from a country the CDC considers high-risk for rabies; Aruba is generally not on that list, which simplifies things)
• A completed CDC Dog Import Form, submitted online before travel. It’s free, valid for 6 months, and reusable for multiple trips as long as the dog hasn’t been in a high-risk country.
• The dog must appear healthy on arrival and be at least 6 months old.

Whoever is physically traveling with the dog is responsible for filing the CDC form, so if a rescue volunteer is flying the dog home, confirm ahead of time who’s handling that step.

What to Expect Health-Wise After Adopting a Dog from Aruba

Aruba’s climate and street conditions mean rescued dogs often arrive with a few things worth watching for:

• Ticks and tick-borne disease. Ehrlichia is common in Aruba, so a full veterinary exam (including a 4DX test for heartworm and tick-borne illness) soon after arrival is strongly recommended.
• Intestinal parasites. Stool tests for roundworm, tapeworm, and coccidia are standard follow-up care.
• Temperature adjustment. A dog born and raised somewhere that’s 85–95°F year-round may feel cold in weather you’d consider mild. A sweater and extra care for the first few months in a colder climate isn’t overkill.
• Stress-related illness. The combination of a new environment, a flight, and a big life change can suppress a dog’s immune system temporarily, so don’t be alarmed if symptoms of something like parvo (especially in puppies) or a tick-borne illness don’t show up until days or weeks after adoption. Most rescues will flag this directly and recommend a vet visit within the first week.

A Few Realistic Expectations

• Puppies are harder to bring home than they used to be. Because dogs must be 6 months old to enter the US, very young rescued puppies often have to wait it out in Aruba (fostered, if possible) until they’re old enough to fly (which is part of why fostering and local volunteering matter so much to these organizations).
• Costs add up beyond the adoption fee. Between vetting, transport, and possibly airline pet fees, budget more than just the sticker-price adoption donation.
• These dogs adapt well. Cunucus are famously adaptable. They’re used to city and beach environments, generally social with people and other dogs, and quick to bond once they’re somewhere stable.

Adopting a Cunucu means taking home a piece of the island, and, just as meaningfully, opening up a spot in Aruba’s overstretched shelter system for the next dog that needs it.