Remote In-Field Sterilization Clinic
A historic first in BC!
By Gail
Moerkerken, President, Big Heart Rescue Society
Gabriola Sounder News: Monday, July 14 2008
Big Heart Rescue, a registered non-profit society that works with companion animals in remote First Nations communities is thrilled to announce that a coalition of humane animal welfare volunteers has just completed the first British Columbia Veterinary Medical Association sanctioned animal in-field sterilization clinic in BC!
The Big Heart team including President, Gail Moerkerken from Gabriola, Dr. Michael Paul from North Island Vet Clinic, Dr. Jim Snyder from Small Creatures Pet Clinic, the Raincoast Conservation Foundation, the Summerlee Foundation, the Rural Animal Vet Services from the USA and the World Society for the Protection of Animals worked incredibly hard to ensure this pilot project used only best practices when attending to the medical needs of animals in the remote under-served community of Oweekeno.
Big Heart Rescue, a registered non-profit society dedicated to working with companion animals in under-served, remote First Nations communities was a participant in this exciting endeavour.
Our organization had long dreamed of a pilot project of this nature and after many months of conference calls, meetings, organizing and logistics the team flew to Oweekeno on June 19th where we would begin to perform sterilization and wellness checks on the dogs and cats of this First Nations reserve.
We are proud to say that Dr. Paul and Dr. Snyder were able to sterilize 16 animals and provided wellness checks on 24 companions which included vaccinations, de-worming, de-fleaing, minor wound care and post operative support.
The partnerships of all organizations and individuals ensured we were able to conduct a grass roots high quality sterilization program with volunteers who provided the necessary surgical equipment to complete this project and with funding from the World Society for the Protection of Animals, the Summerlee Foundation, the Raincoast Conservation Foundation and Big Heart Rescue this was a huge success.
Collectively each volunteer was an integral part of the achievements in Oweekeno and without the countless hours of time and dedication spent working on behalf of this exciting project we never would have been as successful as we were.
Please contact Big Heart Rescue for more information about our Programs.
