Canoa, Ecuador
Travelling Animal Doctors started work in Canoa, a small town on the mainland of Ecuador in 2013. In these initial stages, the veterinarians were approached to help in the noticeable problem of street dogs and cats. The first time around, Travelling Animal Doctors was able to set up a small clinic, on short notice to spay and neuter 16 dogs and cats over three days. In this time, the team also started open discussions with members of the town about spay/neutering as well as general animal care. There was a lot of initial resistance to sterilisation due to many evident myths, seemingly passed down through generations. Travelling Animal Doctors were able to present true information and correct many of these misconceptions, then so prevalent in the community. After building a rapport with the community, Travelling Animal Doctors were asked to return to the town and stay for longer, with the ability to do more spay/neuter surgeries.
Plans were set in action for the team to return in October, 2015. A much larger team was gathered, of seven veterinarians and two veterinary assistants and, hence, alongside GreenPaws Foundation, Travelling Animal Doctors returned to Canoa as promised. The team stayed for three weeks, with a full clinic up and running for two weeks. With the bigger team, more supplies and a longer time period, the team were now able to spay/neuter around 150 dogs and cats and treat over 300 more. Each person chose for themselves to bring forward their animal for treatment and/or surgery – a clear demonstration of the impact of the educational discussions and the trusting relationship Travelling Animal Doctors had built with the community. There was beginning a true change in thinking and understanding This evident educational change was furthered, as this time the team went into schools to give talks to the students on how to look after your pets and the need for sterilisation.
Not only were the team well welcomed in the town, their arrival anxiously anticipated, during their stay they were approached by members of three other communities who had heard word of the wonderful work Travelling Animal Doctors were doing in Canoa. In a culture traditionally against sterilisation, word had still managed to spread of the positive impact of the campaigns, enough to bring these three more communities forward to request help. This is a true representation of the difference that education and involving the community in the solution can have.
Travelling Animal Doctors started work in Canoa, a small town on the mainland of Ecuador in 2013. In these initial stages, the veterinarians were approached to help in the noticeable problem of street dogs and cats. The first time around, Travelling Animal Doctors was able to set up a small clinic, on short notice to spay and neuter 16 dogs and cats over three days. In this time, the team also started open discussions with members of the town about spay/neutering as well as general animal care. There was a lot of initial resistance to sterilisation due to many evident myths, seemingly passed down through generations. Travelling Animal Doctors were able to present true information and correct many of these misconceptions, then so prevalent in the community. After building a rapport with the community, Travelling Animal Doctors were asked to return to the town and stay for longer, with the ability to do more spay/neuter surgeries.
Plans were set in action for the team to return in October, 2015. A much larger team was gathered, of seven veterinarians and two veterinary assistants and, hence, alongside GreenPaws Foundation, Travelling Animal Doctors returned to Canoa as promised. The team stayed for three weeks, with a full clinic up and running for two weeks. With the bigger team, more supplies and a longer time period, the team were now able to spay/neuter around 150 dogs and cats and treat over 300 more. Each person chose for themselves to bring forward their animal for treatment and/or surgery – a clear demonstration of the impact of the educational discussions and the trusting relationship Travelling Animal Doctors had built with the community. There was beginning a true change in thinking and understanding This evident educational change was furthered, as this time the team went into schools to give talks to the students on how to look after your pets and the need for sterilisation.
Not only were the team well welcomed in the town, their arrival anxiously anticipated, during their stay they were approached by members of three other communities who had heard word of the wonderful work Travelling Animal Doctors were doing in Canoa. In a culture traditionally against sterilisation, word had still managed to spread of the positive impact of the campaigns, enough to bring these three more communities forward to request help. This is a true representation of the difference that education and involving the community in the solution can have.
Travelling Animal Doctors returned to Canoa on an emergency basis after the town was devastated by the earthquake on 16 April 2016. The team arrived with a large amount of food and medical supplies for both animals and people. With a strong relationship with the community after the two sterilization campaigns and ongoing communication with the town, word spread fast that Travelling Animal Doctors were back in town and requests came in quickly for them to visit and attend specific cases. By the end of the two weeks, the team had treated a variety of veterinary cases, as well as constructed many houses for families, delivered food, water and living supplies for both animals and people in need, and made first connections since the earthquake with remote towns.
