sterilization

Wed
13 ^th

Shake The North

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[The end of the trip and the entirety of our equipment packed away, leaving nothing more than an empty firehouse with a few disused sets of equipment on the wall where hours ago had been 50+ dogs, three surgery tables, two prep tables, a recovery area, a pharmacy, a makeshift reception table, and a crowd of people.]

In 2015, I went on a trip with the Canadian Animal Assistance Team to two small communities in northern British Columbia (Fort St. James and Hazelton). With 11 team members during the first round and 12 during the second, we sterilized and vaccinated two hundred and eighty two animals, along with performing an additional one hundred and forty one vaccination/wellness exams. The time will always stay in my mind as an example not only of the amazing camaraderie in the volunteering veterinary community, but also the incredible generosity of the communities which hosted, housed, and fed us along with bringing us their animals. To see so many people come together from so many different walks of life and unite in the common goal of improving animal welfare was inspiring. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” Our last day in Hazelton made that clear for me.

Sat
21 ^st

The First Three Days (And Three Hours)

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[A birds-eye view of our recovery corner showcasing the classic Africanis dog; form, function, and tanned!]

In the spring of 2017 I spent six weeks in Botswana volunteering as part of a joint project between the Canadian Animal Assistance Team and the Maun Animal Welfare Society. It was an incredible experience that touched me deeply and it is not an exaggeration to say that I think of it every day, counting down the days until I can return (and hopefully one day on a more permanent basis). MAWS does an unbelievable job of offering sterilization and veterinary services not only to their home city of Maun, but also to uncountable villages up and down the Panhandle. Their resources are few but they have truly learned how to make the best of whatever they have! Working their definitely made me a better technician, able to problem-solve (and often by the seat of my pants), MacGuyver equipment, and monitor and maintain anesthetic on complex surgeries with nothing but my stethoscope and a syringe of thiopental.

“The First Three Days (And Three Hours)” is pretty self-explanatory, detailing my first experiences at the MAWS clinic and the lessons I had to learn quickly!

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