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| Alison on puppy poop patrol |
“She’s over there.” A young woman points
into an obscure corner of the large room, towards a tall blonde-haired woman
who is cleaning up puppy poop, a whole lot of puppy poop.
“Yep! That’s Alison.” I agree, walking towards her.
Alison grins at the dozen or so puppies as
they tumble around her feet. “Okay, now, no more poop!” She admonishes them with a lighthearted laugh.
Nice try, Alison. Feed a
puppy; it poops.
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| VIDAS clinic this week in Mexico |
Today is the sixth and final day of the free spay and
neuter clinic being held in the Alfredo V. Bonfil neighbourhood near Cancun. The VIDAS (Veterinarios
Internacionales Dedicados an Animales Sanos) organization is sponsoring the
surgery encouraging residents to bring in family pets or street strays. Hundreds of people responded, bringing in
dogs and cats. Fifteen veterinarians,
local and American, were on duty to operate on the animals.
The final total was over 1200 animals spayed
or neutered. Impressive.
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| Recovering strays and sick animals |
A long-time resident on Isla Mujeres, Alison Sawyer
Current began helping stray dogs over fourteen years ago. She and husband Jeff Current share their home
and yard with dozens of dogs as they convalesce from illnesses, or injuries.
The dedicated volunteers of Isla Animals organization
have succeeded in placing over 5000 dogs into happier homes in Mexico, Canada
and the USA. The organization has also sponsored
a number of spay and neuter clinics on Isla Mujeres working towards curbing the
overpopulation of cats and dogs on the island. It’s an endless job. Not a
thankless job, but endless.
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| Nelly Cortes and Trina Noakes |
Walking me around the VIDAS treatment area, Alison gave
me a quick biography on some of the folks who volunteer their time, year after
year for these events. I met so many
talented people; people like Nelly Cortes who owns a company in Cancun called
Storm Catchers specializing in hurricane shutters. She is adept at gathering up strays, and helping owners get to and from the clinics. Nelly and Jesika, founder of Animalistas rescue society in Cancun, make a formidable team, searching the neighbourhoods for more patients for the doctors.
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| Gillian Pultz - with messy toes |
Then there is Gillian Pultz who competently handles the
post-op recovery area, ensuring the dogs and cats are safe while they slowly
start to regain consciousness.
I watched
in amusement as Gillian quickly pulled a large dog’s head and shoulders over
the side of a table, while the dog vomited on her toes. She never flinched, just carried on ensuring
the dog was safe and breathing well.
Once the dog had stabilized she grinned ruefully, saying: “I have to
wash my feet. It’s a bit gross.”
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| Owners helping pets with recovery |
An important part of the surgery is the recovery
process that is very hands-on for the owners.
The owners lovingly pat and rub the animal, stimulating them back to consciousness
while the disoriented animals swivel their heads back and forth in confusion: Where am I?
What happened?
Alison with
her quick sense of humour likened it to being abducted by aliens and returned
to earth - after someone messed around with your reproductive organs.
I watched as Lisa Edwards and Vanessa Hill knelt on the
floor beside each recovering pet, patiently explaining to the owners how to
care for their animal post-surgery. Fluently bi-lingual they recited the
instructions as if it was the first time that day, not the hundredth time. Keep the animal quiet, calm, dry. Don’t wash them or the incisions, no
ointments, once they can walk on their own give them a small amount of food and
water, check the wound for signs of infection.
Over and over and over again.
Always smiling and empathetic.
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| Tony Ikonen - post op instructions |
As with every job, there is always someone who does the
heavy lifting. Tony Ikonen is the muscle
for the group; lifting and carrying the large dogs from the surgery tables, to
the cleanup area, and then to the recovery floor to be with their owners.
He also spent time with the owners explaining
the post-surgery care procedures, and reassuring them that help is only a phone
call away if any problems develop.
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| Gillian Pultz and Leasa Newlin cleaning up animals |
Next Alison introduced me to Leasa Newlin, with her
lovely French polish manicure. Alison
laughed as she recounted meeting Lisa a dozen or so years ago. “She arrived with these beautifully
well-manicured nails, and I thought to myself, she’ll only last a day or two at
most. And here she is all these years later
still helping and still falling in love with strays.” Today Leasa was assisting with deworming,
tick and flea removal, ear cleaning, removing matted hair and clipping nails. “This
is a full service clinic.” Alison says with a grin.
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| Doctor Lesli Groshong and her daughter |
The veterinaries are fast, experienced, and accustomed
to treating local diseases and specialized problems. Lisa McCarthy
returns year after year, managing what is referred to as The Super Hero
Team. In the operating area the doctors
were concentrating on their work, so the only one I was able to chat with was Doctor
Lesli Groshong, one of the original organizers of the free clinics. Lesli started in 1998 but by 2002 when she
was pregnant with her second child, her daughter, she was unable to be the main
coordinator. The veterinary college
students, under the guidance of Doctor Claudia Lewy, took over the management
of the events. Lesli has continued to
assist in every way possible. Her two pre-teen
children are immersed as well in her work, her passion, contributing wherever
they can.
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| Keeping track of the pets |
Between helping out and checking on the volunteers
Alison continued to chat with me about her personal passion, Isla Animals. Anytime that Alison and Jeff are involved
with the larger spay and neuter clinics in other mainland cities, it directly
benefits the animals of Isla Mujeres.
How? Most of the supplies for the
island clinics come from the leftovers from a bigger event, and every year her
list of helpful contacts increases.
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| Jeff! Go-for-more-puppies! |
She and Jeff have recently rented a small house in
Cancun close to the passenger ferries that travel between Isla and the
mainland.
The new location will help
relieve some of the pressure on their personal home on the island, giving them
time to refurbish and repaint. A
mainland facility will also give them easier access to more veterinary services
in Cancun without the back and forth shuffle on the passenger ferries.
In the meantime, Jeff is the main gopher-guy
for the organization: Jeff go-for-this,
Jeff go-for-that. And sometimes he’ll
arrive back at the treatment area with tasty reward for the group - Krispy
Kreme donuts – to be devoured between tasks.
My kind of man!
As a last comment, before I headed back to Isla
Mujeres, Alison said she has two rescue organizations in New York City that can
help out with adoptions. All she needs
are human escorts who are travelling to nearby locations. If you are able and willing, send a message
to Alison via the Isla Animals Org. FaceBook page.
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| Hard working doctors! |
Thanks to Alison and Jeff, for an insider’s peek into
their world. I know I missed mentioning
a number of hardworking doctors and volunteers, but I didn’t have a chance to
speak with everyone. You were all so
darn busy improving the lives of so many animals.
“Oops, better check the bottom of my shoes before I get
a ride with Jeff. I think I stepped in
puppy poop!”
Hasta Luego
Lynda & Lawrie
(All errors and omissions are mine. Please be gentle with me.)
