One of the field service projects that World Vets operated this summer took place in rural Tanzania. We had a small team provide mobile donkey welfare clinics in four distinct locations in and around the town of Arusha. Our team provided routine veterinary care along with treating wounds and abrasions to 700 donkeys. To learn more about our team's adventure and the veterinary cases seen, check out our videos on YouTube.   

We thank Fondation Brigitte Bardot, Vetericyn and our volunteers for making the veterinary services possible. We also thank our local partners at Animal Protection Society Arusha (ASPA) for all of their hard work and dedication.

In June, World Vets sent a veterinary team to Peru where they provided a community wide sterilization campaign for cats and dogs. This campaign turned into much more however, when one woman brought in a few guinea pigs that had a flea infestation. Following this consultation, murmurs could be heard "can they really see more than just cats and dogs?" Within the next few hours, more guinea pig and chicken health consultations were lined up. See pictures 

The sterilization campaign was the first of its kind in the outlying Cusco community. A community that also does not have its own vet, making our veterinary visit that much more needed. The campaign was made possible through the support of Fondation Brigitte Bardot, our dedicated volunteers, Peruvian organizations - Pataz Pro Animalista Cusco, Vida Digna, YanaPana Peru and the local municipality. 

This summer World Vets had a veterinary team travel to Santo Domingo located in the Dominican Republic. During their visit, they not only provided a large-scale spay/neuter campaign, but surgical instruction to veterinary students enrolled at UASD. At the end of their stay, a total number of 223 surgeries were performed. See pictures 

We'd like to thank Fondation Briggite Bardot for their generous support of this project as well as our local partners:  Casa de Orientación y Desarrollo Real (C.O.D.R.), Fundacion Protectora de los Animales Dra. Lois (FUPRADL) and Veterinary School of UASD. And of course our volunteers for making this campaign possible.

This summer World Vets has had a veterinary team on board the USNS Mercy as part of the 2012 Pacific Partnership mission. What we also had on board was 3,000 lbs. of veterinary supply and medicine donations.  The recipients of our donation shipment were Zen Cats and CARA Welfare, animal welfare charities based in the Philippines.

While the Philippines served as a host nation for the mission, we are very thankful of the US Navy for helping make this shipment possible. We are also thrilled at the opportunities that this partnership provides. In this incidence, the opportunity to provide additional aid for animal welfare efforts in the Philippines. See pictures 

Pacific Partnership is an annual U.S. Pacific Fleet humanitarian and civic assistance mission designed to work by, with and through host and partner nations, non-government organizations and international agencies to build partnerships and a collective ability to respond to natural disasters.

In March, World Vets shared the story of "Chancho" a Nicaraguan street puppy who was saved by one of our veterinary teams. He was suffering from a head injury and anemia so severe that he couldn't stand or hold up his head. The veterinary members weren't sure if he would survive the night. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the team, he pulled through. Chancho stole their hearts and ended up on a plane back to the US with veterinary student Tori Hall who would foster him until a forever home was found. Fortunately, he was adopted the next day.

Chancho just turned 6 months and is now enjoying a life he never knew existed. He's quite the adventurer and is shown in his "after photo" exploring the Minnesota Northwoods.  Chancho was adopted by World Vets CEO Dr. Cathy King and her husband Mike who now can't imagine life without this wonderful pup! He joins "big brother" Oscar who was adopted from the local shelter and is now his best buddy. 

Simply put, World Vets could not accomplish helping thousands of animals each year without the support of our dedicated, caring and competent volunteers.  Not only do our volunteers treat animals in need, they educate owners and community members of the importance of caring for all animals whether they are their beloved pets, working horses and donkeys or street animals.