Check out how things went in Grand Turk!
We performed 95 FREE spay and neuter surgeries and 108 FREE wellness exams (including vaccinations, heartworm and tick testing, and heartworm, flea, and tick prevention) in 5 days!
From Article: “The cat problem around here is really bad,” said Burkhart, a veterinarian and the founder of the Animal Medical Center of Ontario."
"Burkhart can’t take in stray cats and unwanted litters, so she decided to help another way. Her non-profit, 4 Leaf Rover, will be hosting an affordable spay and neuter clinic on Nov. 6 to help combat cat overpopulation at the Animal Medical Center on 2211 Village Mall Drive."
"She hopes to hold low cost spay and neuter clinics quarterly and eventually to purchase a mobile spay and neuter unit."
From Article: "When local vet Susan Burkhart announced that her practice would have a one-day affordable spay and neuter clinic on Nov. 6, she was fully booked in a matter of days. “Because we’ve had to turn away so many people, we’re already thinking ahead about how can we maybe do this quarterly?” said Burkhart, who recently began a non-profit of her own."
"The humane society is currently at capacity and cannot accept more cats. In the meantime, the shelter maintains a waitlist, offers pet food pantry assistance and refers callers to other organizations."
"Animal advocates across Richland County advise spay and neutering pet cats and if possible, strays, and keeping unsterilized animals indoors."
From Article: "The problem was like nothing I had ever seen. There were dogs everywhere. They slept on the beaches at night, they begged for food, they were injured, they were reproducing, there were puppies running in the road. It was so bad my vacation wasn't even enjoyable," Burkhart said. "I just drove around all day on the golf cart putting out food and treats and fresh water and trying to care for these animals."
"On the April trip, she surrounded herself with good people including two other veterinarians from Texas, three veterinarian nurses, and three others including Bishop who captured the animals and helped them before returning them to where they were found."
""We just told the local (Caribbean) people if you have a sick animal, just get it in here and we'll take care of it," Burkhart said."
From Article: "It just takes one person to start the ball rolling,” Burkhart says. “And so many people say, hey, I would love to do that, but just didn't know how to do it. If you have a way to help, or are even thinking about a way to help, just take the first step.”
“It really does take a village,” says Burkhart. “If we just work together—and our profession is pretty good at that—we could help a lot of animals before our time is up.”
“Figuring out how to care for these animals under these special circumstances has ignited my fire again, professionally,” says Burkhart."
See our veterinarian Susan Burkhart featured here in Clinician's Brief by clicking on the PDF to the right!
