Articles and Stories
New ViDAS Online Store
Now you can wear your support for ViDAS for everyone to see! Check out our online store and shop for gifts or pick up something for yourself!
You can feel great about your purchases too, since all profits will go directly to ViDAS to fund our sterilization clinics. With every purchase you will be improving the lives of the dogs and cats of Mexico!
Thanks for your support of ViDAS! Click on the link below to go to the online store!
Bacalar Clinic recap
Our first clinic of 2010 was a wonderful success! We sterilized 433 animals (302 dogs and 131 cats), and treated 8 others for various illnesses.
Each clinic is inevitably unique and holds some surprise for us. This time it was the weather: we never thought we’d say “it’s cold in Mexico” but sure enough it was! Imagine a bunch of North Americans excited to escape the sub zero temps and bask in some southern Yucatan sun, only to get there and have to don every stitch of clothing we had brought to avoid hypothermia! We even had to set up space heaters in our recovery area to keep the animals warm. The cold kept all but the most brave potential ‘clients’ away for a couple of days; otherwise I’m sure our numbers would have been even higher.
Another beautiful surprise was the superbly talented and congenial team that came together this year. About half of the group was alumni who knew what they were in for! The remainder was new recruits, including a larger group than usual of CSU veterinary students. With that many new volunteers I wondered if they were fully prepared for the sweat, the grime, the bugs, and the 12 hours a day on their feet, day after day after day. Yes, they were. I always marvel at how readily newcomers pitch in and immediately get to work to get the job done, how they figure out what is needed and unselfishly blend in for the greater good. Lucky for me, this project seems to just self select for the right kind of people. I sincerely hope that all of this crew will return for future clinics!
I was concerned about what the animal population would look like since we had not been back to Bacalar in two years. Our friends there had told us that the stray population was beginning to creep back up again and, sadly, last fall there was a Canine Distemper outbreak that affected many dogs. Indeed, we saw more strays than usual, but I was surprised by the generally more healthy appearance of many of the animals. We saw less mange, emaciation and severe disease than we have seen in past years. We saw more young animals that had never yet reproduced. Our cat numbers are also very significant. In past years we had no more than a handful of cats because most didn’t survive the streets. But this year cats accounted for 1/3 of our procedures, and many of them were purported to be house cats! I believe the general improvement in the condition of animals is a direct result of the strong community education efforts made by our local partners in Bacalar. Dr. Jacqueline McGrath has spent countless hours speaking to students in the elementary and secondary schools in town, teaching the value of animals and the importance of humane treatment and proper care, not to mention the importance of sterilization. After 6 years of ViDAS clinics the combined impact is beginning to show in the animals. There will always be a need for sterilization services (there are no veterinarians in the area), but I am beginning to see the positive impact of our efforts there.
Over the years of my involvement with ViDAS I have encountered a multitude of animals that my melted my heart and it was no different this year. One day one of our local helpers (“Rojo”) brought in a stray, street dog that he had been watching for some time and was very concerned about. She was a typical “Mayan Jungle Dog”, as we call them: about 35 pounds, short brown coat, long legged and spindly. This little dog had obviously had many litters of pups. She also had the largest mammary tumor I have ever seen and was totally emaciated. A full exam and a listen to her chest with a stethoscope told me that the cancer had already spread into her lungs, and likely elsewhere. And yet she was the sweetest, most loving dog in the yard that day. She weakly wagged her tail at my attention and leaned into me gratefully when I gave her a light massage down her neck and back, doing what dogs best - living utterly in the moment. Because she was not owned and was clearly terminal and suffering, we agreed that she should be humanely euthanized. Someone had put a block of Tillamook cheese in the clinic fridge. We fed her about ½ of it and I’m sure she already thought she had gone to heaven! While Gillian held her I administered the injection to put her to sleep. It took a minute or so for the solution to circulate so I held her head in my hands and looked into her eyes and thanked her for being so brave. The last thing she did was to lick my hand as she died. It was not so much the act having to euthanize her that hurt me, but more the idea of what a horrible life she had had, and the way that she had nevertheless remained such a completely lovely dog, such a trusting spirit. This sweet, beautiful creature brought to mind the words of French poet Baudelaire:
"And many times I have thought that somewhere (who knows after all?) There may be a special paradise for the good dogs, the poor dogs, the dirty and lonely dogs, to reward so much courage, so much patience and labour."
This is why I keep coming back year after year.
As usual, our partners in Bacalar went beyond the call of duty to promote and support this clinic, and to take excellent care of the crew. The countless hours they contribute doing the important (though often boring or tedious) work of running intake and triaging clients and animals on the front end, cleaning instruments, fetching and delivering animals, providing TLC in the recovery area, etc., are absolutely invaluable.
They include: Ginny Bass, Jacqui McGrath and Jimmy Clarizio (“the light man”), Peggy and Scott Londahl and www.bacalarmosaico.com, Jim Bacon and Polly Gropen, Arturo Borego of Hostal Ximbali and Ecotucan, Jacqueline Baier (recovery guru!) of Active Nature, Mauricio and Hotel Rancho Encantado, Dave Jobst (Mr. Apendectomy!), our intake queens (Shana, Nita, Kathie, NaDene – you all rock!), Chepe, “Bacalar Bob”, “ Rojo” Ramos, Yamil Marrufo, Dolly y Siempre Fiel, Elaine Roach, Bob Meckling, Sean and Neil (whoa! That hill was steep!), George and Sandy, Jan and Kyle, Stan and Mary, Theresa, Jon, Eva, Luis Contreras, Suzy and Reiner (yummy breakfast fruit!), Emet, Jorge, Ivana, Gerardo, Colin and Kerianne, Rodrigo Pozo, Ulrich Mortera, Maria Isis, Sabina and Tonatiu of El Bandillo, Olga Galeana y Lavenderia La Bucanera, Lavanderia La Lolita, Clinica Animal Bahia y Dr. Patricio Rivero Medina, Hotel Laguna Bacalar, Cenote Azul, Restaurant Kasheel, Taco Cristian, Centro Holistico Gaia, Cruz & El Carboncito, Berera, La Escondida, Club de Vela, La Palapa, La Alcaldia, SESO, Infra del Sur. My most sincere apologies for anyone I have left out and for the last names missed – you are an amazing community, we love you all and we absolutely could not do this without you! A thousand thank-yous!
With deepest gratitude to all who contribute their time, energy and finances to keep this project alive.
Love and peace,
Dr. Lisa McCarthy
Click "MORE INFO" to see more pictures from this clinic!
SALE! Ginny's Ear Nest Earring rack sale benefitting ViDAS!
December 31, 2009
Ginny Bass has been making these beautiful earring holders for over 20 years. She has been a friend and supporter of ViDAS since our very beginnings, and has now generously offered to donate 25% of her holiday sale proceeds directly to ViDAS! Click the link below or click "more info" to view and purchase! These make lovely holiday gifts for the women in your life!
http://www.pehaltun.com/Vidas/
From Ginny: Some great things together, my earring holders on sale, and with your purchase a donation is made to Vidas. Something great for the Holidays, for you, and for me.
Purchase at never before discounted prices and 25% of the sale price will be donated to support the great works and efforts of the ViDAS Organization.
Please note: Offer is for USA delivery only.
ViDAS partners with ACC&D to support safe non surgical sterilization
Imagine: preventing unwanted litters with a single safe injection and without the risks of surgery.
ViDAS is proud to announce it's support for ACC&D, The Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs.
ACC&D's mission is: To expedite the successful introduction of methods to non-surgically sterilize dogs and cats and to support the distribution and promotion of these products to humanely control cat and dog populations worldwide.
Please visit their website (linked below) and show support for this very important mission.
While ACC&D works on development of a safe non-surgical sterilization technique, ViDAS will continue our work using the safest surgical techniques available.
Thank you, ACC&D, for all you do.
Sally Squintli
Laura & Dai shared this video about their dog, Sally, a VIDAS dog. Please watch and enjoy this success story. Click on the "more info" link to view the video.
Lizzie
It was our first day in Nicte Ha at a local school where we were busy converting children’s classrooms into a surgery suite, a supply depot and a recovery station. Outside under the merciful shade provided by the school’s overhanging roof we began the daily routine of admitting our patients; dogs and cats, skinny and dirty, riddled with parasites, some pregnant, some ill, some injured, some half-wild, but all loved by someone!
The first day of a VIDAS clinic is always “challenging”. We admit patients, providing physical exams and information for owners while we struggle to set up our stations, digging through boxes to find supplies that were inventoried and packed away months ago. Then we must organize ourselves and develop an efficient strategy that will hopefully carry us through the entire clinic. Into this rush and confusion wandered Lizzie.
With a box of supplies in her arms, one of our volunteers turned and was startled to see an unattended dog coming towards her. Now this wouldn’t normally be enough to startle any VIDAS volunteer. During our clinics, many street dogs wander over to see what all the excitement is about. But this dog was different. What this volunteer saw approaching her was a skinny, no skinny isn’t quite right, she was beyond skinny… she was truly a skeletal version of a Pit Bull with head down and lips dramatically curled way up showing lots of teeth!
Now you might be thinking “Oh no! A snarling Mexican Pit Bull!!! RUN!!!”. But really, this dog wasn’t snarling… it was SMILING?!!! Yes, this dog really was smiling. What was the give away? Well, it was subtle but it was the submissive posture: lips curled is generally bad, and wagging tail can go both ways, but this dog had a relaxed posture and gait, her head was down, and her ears were down, not back, and relaxed, her tail wag was one of those genuine full-body wags. She was smiling! I’ve never seen anything quite like it!
So that’s how Lizzie first smiled her way into our hearts! But I’m getting ahead of the story… when we met her, we first called her Mama. This dog had a litter of puppies somewhere. This was clear because, as skinny as she was, her teats were heavy with milk. Mama The Smiling Pit Bull turned out to be just the sweetest thing and we were all instantly smitten with her charming personality and that winning smile. I think she kinda’ liked us too!
Mama was known in the neighborhood and that same day we found her human family. Her real name was Lizzie. She was a purebred Pit Bull. She had been purchased in the US and she had been given as a present to little Juan, Aurelia and Katia by their uncle. The kids adored their dog, and so did we. But as wonderful a dog as she was, Lizzie was a bad mother. She had 5 puppies at home that she wasn’t interested in caring for. We spayed Lizzie so that she wouldn’t bring any more puppies into the world. We fitted her with brand new collar supplied by your donations and especially chosen for her, with the hopeful motto “Life is Good!” and she got a new leash that her family could use to tether her to their home so that she wouldn’t run off and hurt herself. Lizzie’s puppies, out of necessity, had already learned to eat solid food but they were not old enough to undergo anesthesia and surgery.
So if Lizzie has such a loving home why is Lizzie so skinny?
It’s hard to imagine this if you are accustomed to American pet dogs. Most of our dogs stay indoors or confined to a yard during the day. They walk on a leash and they are spayed/neutered young or they are bred only after they have matured. In the pueblos of Mexico the indoors meld with the outdoors. In fact, in most pueblo homes there are no doors so the dogs wander in and out at will. Leashes and collars are expensive and a determined dog can easily chew through a leash. Even if your dog is tied up many others aren’t and these wandering dogs will come to visit. Spaying and neutering is extremely expensive for the average Mexican and most pets are left intact and have free access to the outdoors and to each other. As a result these pets begin reproducing before they are anywhere near full grown, and they never stop. Nature rules them, they don’t have a choice. For the females this takes a serious toll on their young bodies. What little nutrition they are able to find is immediately channeled to feed their developing pups and later to produce milk for those pups at the expense of their own bodies.
Many young, skinny female dogs were spayed this year in Nicte Ha. We hope they will have a chance to put on weight and begin to have a more relaxed and safe life with their loving families, with less hormonally induced wanderlust and safe from venereal diseases like Transmissible Venereal Tumors which are easily spread and are rampant in many parts of Mexico.
As for Lizzie… we sent her home that first night after surgery. It took her just hours to chew through her new leash! She showed up on day two of VIDAS’ Nicte Ha clinic with a smile on her face and half of her leash still attached to her new “Life is Good!” collar! She was duly reprimanded by all of the volunteers, then hugged and treated to a breakfast fit for doggie kings. Lizzie came back every morning until Hurricane Emily forced us to leave Nicte Ha. Some of our volunteers bought a big bag of dog food and gave it to Lizzie’s family before we left. Little Juan and his sisters Aurelia and Katia were star students in our educational classes and I’m confident that Lizzie and her last litter of puppies are getting the best possible care from their devoted family. But I can’t help wondering if she still stops by in the morning smiling and looking for her American friends...
UPDATE: over the years, ViDAS has kept in contact with Lizzie's family. She has battled vaginal cancer (which was treated and cured, thanks to some personal donations from a few kind-hearted ViDAS volunteers) and continues to live a happy life with her now very grown up family! Lizzie visits us every year at our clinics and always greets us with the same smile and enthusiasm. Lizzie's family says that they have to watch her because ever since that first clinic, every time Lizzie sees or hears a 'gringa' (caucasian woman) voice in the neighborhood, she barrels out of the house to say hello!
Story by Dr. Grace (Celeste) Park
Please click the link below to see pictures of Lizzie through our eyes over the years.
Winky/Bart
August 13, 2009
Captain Red Bart, originally known as Little Winky, was one of a litter of 3 that arrived at the ViDAS clinic. A man had found them living outside his home and had said Winky had been attacked by a dog. Winky's eye was severely damaged and infected. The man was unsure what to do with the obviously injured and painful kitten. Luckily, Laura, founder of Coco's Cat Rescue was on hand and asked the man if he would mind Coco's taking the kitten and finding him a suitable home. He was very happy and handed him right over. He said he would take care of the other two kittens himself. They were not injured in the attack. ViDAS neutered the little guy and removed the damaged eye. One of the ViDAS vets fell in love with his spunky attitude and adopted him on the spot! He now lives in Colorado with Dr. Cindy and was renamed Bart. He has retained his spunkiness and causes all kinds of trouble in his new home!
From Dr. Cindy: Winky's name is now Bart, short for Captain Red Bart. He is growing like weed, and doesn't let the missing eye slow him down, as he happily swing off curtains and all else in our house. My 2 cats also like him, especially my younger cat, they play all the time. Regardless of his past, he doesn't have any feral behavior traits, he clearly knows he is supposed to be a pampered indoor cat, and expects us to appropriately provide for him! He is very friendly, and isn't the kind of cat who likes to hide, he wants to be with the people and other cats!
To see more pictures of Bart - click the "more info" link below.
Bella's Story
It was one of those days at the clinic that was sadder than most. The dog catcher had brought us three strays that he had picked up and wanted us to put them down. This is always the last resort and very emotional for all the of us. The dog catcher was a good man who was only doing his job. As a matter of fact we worked on one of the dogs and he adopted it; another a local woman agreed to adopt and only one very sick dog didn't survive. We didn't blame him.
Towards the end of the day he showed up with the smallest most precious puppy. He asked us to please help. Immediately we all fell in love with this tiny little girl who had arrived in the back of the big caged truck. We all put our heads together and tried to find a way to save this little girl's life. We all agreed that if we operated on her that day that she would be drowsy and maybe no one would want her – so the decision was made that we would find her a cute little collar, clean her up, get rid of the ticks that infested her body and head to Lol-Ha's Happy Hour. We all said a small prayer, crossed our fingers and agreed to meet for a drink later and see if someone in Akumal could help us find her a home.
I was the lucky one who got to cuddle her and carry her back to Akumal. I made my first stop Lol-Ha to see who was there. I ran in some good friends and begged them to watch the puppy while I ran back to my room to take a much needed shower and change. When I returned Diane, Bob and a few others had fallen in love with the puppy. They were now trying as hard as they could to think of someone who would adopt her. She just had a way – a certain sparkle in her eye.
Moments later Paul, the director at CEA, came to join us and as he came around the corner he saw the little baby and said “I've been thinking about getting a dog”...the rest is history. The crowd cheered and the deal was sealed. We took the puppy back to the clinic the next day to get spayed and vaccinated and Paul took off to Cancun on business and a side trip to the pet department.
CEA and VIDAS have always been close and supportive of each other's missions and efforts, now we really have a bond! Bella, as Paul named her, is doing great in Akumal and we all are delighted that we will be able to see her when we visit.
View more photo by clicking the link below
Interview with Meghann Berglund DVM, CVA
"I read on the College of Veterinary Medicine website that you have volunteered in Mexico to help with the animal overpopulation. How did you find out about this trip and what did you experience while you were there? What struck you the most during your time there?"
As I mentioned, I had some extraordinary classmates in veterinary school. Cristina Gutierrez and Ruth Parkin are two of my classmates and friends, and are both exceptional veterinarians and human beings. More than the president and vice-president of the organization (and sophomore veterinary students at the time), they are the heart and soul of VIDAS (Veterinarios Internacionales Dedicados a Animales Sanos, or International Veterinarians Dedicated to Animal Health).
They approached me my sophomore year of veterinary school and invited me to become a part of VIDAS. VIDAS (Spanish for "lives") is a non-profit international veterinary outreach organization made up of veterinarians, veterinary students, and other animal lovers. VIDAS sets up free clinics in some of the fastest growing and poorest areas in the world. We focus on safe sterilization, vaccination, and parasite control for pets, as well as education for the citizens of the community--most importantly their children-- about safe animal handling, zoonotic (animal to human) disease and general animal husbandry and health care.
I participated in my first clinic the summer of 2003, and was absolutely blown away not only by the need for veterinary services in the areas where our clinics were held, but also by the amazing people who answered the call to provide it. Seeing animals decimated by malnutrition and ravaged by disease was sobering but also inspiring. Our trips became so much more than "spay/neuter and vaccine clinics". We splinted broken legs, treated tick-borne illnesses, extracted diseased and painful teeth, repaired birth defects, and performed emergency gastrointestinal surgery. We removed ticks from dogs whose ears were so infested they were nearly deaf. We trimmed claws that had grown into the bottom of well-worn pads. We administered anti-parasitic drugs to puppies whose bodies were brimming with parasites that not only robbed them of nutrition but also threatened the health of the humans with whom they shared their shelter. We vaccinated against some of the most deadly and preventable diseases known to the animal population. We fed litters of starving kittens. We provided shelter and water for those exhausted by the Mexican heat. But most importantly, we taught the citizens of the communities we served to do the same. Comfort, nourish, love, and protect. These amazing people positively came alive when presented with the knowledge to provide better care for their pets.
In a nation where what little income a family produces may not even be able to feed their children, the heartfelt gratitude for what little assistance we could provide these families in caring for their pets was astounding. My most memorable VIDAS experience was meeting Lizzie, in the summer of 2005. When she came to us, she was weary and emaciated from year after year of raising puppies at the expense of her own body. Ovariohysterectomy surgery relieved her of the burden of further pregnancy, and ensured that no more of her puppies would have to fight for the right to survive. Her family took her home, along with a donated bag of puppy food to help her recover. The next year, they spent what might have been a day's pay to bring her in a taxi to our clinic for a reunion. She and her teenage puppies were fat and happy — but we discovered that she had developed a sexually transmitted cancer. When they learned earlier sterilization surgery could have prevented the tumor, Lizzie's family referred at least three others to our clinic for surgery for their pets. The bittersweet truth of international veterinary work is that there is always more to be done, but that the circle of knowledge continually expands and grows. Each time we return to Quintana Roo, we see a few more pets we recognize from previous years. Families who have attended our clinics with their own pets round up the pets of their neighbors, co-workers, and friends and bring them to us for treatment. Community members make us lunch, bring us water, and give us a place to stay. Children rush to our clinics each morning to set up recovery blankets, remove ticks, trim nails, or clean kennels. People in the community open their hearts, homes and businesses to assist us. We have incredible volunteers who return year after year-- many on their vacations-- and who recruit equally incredible new volunteers to join our crews. > Junior veterinary students tell sophomores, sophomores tell freshmen, and they all return each summer to our clinics and become crew surgeons once they graduate. It has been an amazing journey of service, friendship and compassion, and one of my proudest accomplishments.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Meghann L. Berglund, DVM, CVA
Friendship Hospital for Animals
Fort Collins, Colorado
An Inspirational Experience
You know things are right and are meant to be when everyone pitches in and works together in harmony. Unfortunately, as we all know, that is rarely the way life happens, but on this particular trip to Akumal it did, on this trip all the pieces fell together and it was truly magical and inspirational.
Allow me to back up just a moment and introduce myself. I am Lydia Pontius, a freelance producer and Web manager with my own company Just Imagine. I have been coming to the Maya Riviera since 1998 and I have the great pleasure of working with Centro Ecológico Akumal, CEA, and a new organization VIDAS, Veterinarios Internacionales Dedicados a Animales Sanos (International Veterinarians Dedicated to Animal Health). On my most recent trip I spent time working with both organizations. The trip started without a hitch, plane arrived on time, and I sailed through immigrations and customs – green light – off I go.
The compassion and outreach were not however limited to the animals from Chemuyil to Playa del Carmen but also touched the communities. Many young lives have been touched and inspired, I am sure, by their contact with these clinics. In the future, there is talk of using these clinics to also educate the locals with videos and other educational materials since many who came dropped off their pets, but refused to leave until their animals had recovered and they could take them home.
In closing, I would like to thank all the people I worked with for their hard work, dedication and for inspiring me and reminding me what the human spirit is capable of. These are the things we need to focus our energies and beliefs on. Together, with common goals, we really can make a difference!
The first week of my trip I witnessed determination and team work at its finest. VIDAS’ team of volunteers and veterinarians pitched in and set up intake areas, waiting rooms, surgery rooms and recovery rooms much like MASH units, in empty school rooms, hotel rooms, wherever they were needed. The veterinarians worked tirelessly trying do as many surgeries as possible and by the end of the 10 day clinics 306 spays and neuterings had been done on homeless and needy
5062
Animals safely
sterilized by ViDAS.
