As many of you know, there is little to no health care available for animals here on the Rock. One morning a week when they have the medicine, and that is a big when, the Department of Agriculture offers spaying and neutering for companion animals (dogs and cats) for $25.00. Certainly a great price, but often you get what you pay for. For a perfect example, check out Phil Murphy's post on the issue here. And even though spaying/neutering is occasionally available, it is certainly not utilized to the degree that it needs to be in order to have any impact on the dog problem here on our island. What's more, there is almost nothing that can be done for your pet if it gets injured. As a member of the American Samoa Humane Society, we are doing everything possible to bring affordable animal health care, clinical care, and animal welfare education to American Samoa. One giant step in that direction was an assessment visit by Animal Balance to both American and Western Samoa. During this visit, we were able to conduct a free mini-clinic at which over 30 dogs and cats were spayed, neutered and treated for various ailments and injuries. Animal Balance founder Emma Clifford along with volunteer vets, Dr. Byron Maas and Dr. Larry Richmond, were on hand to perform surgeries, provide needed care, and dispense invaluable advice to concerned pet owners. To read a bit about it, see the SamoaNews article here. Animals were brought into the clinic for all sorts of reasons. Bonnie, pictured above, had an eye infection that needed to be looked at. She also ended up getting spayed. Below, Dr. Byron Maas assesses the problem.
Then he explains how to treat the problem:
This puppy, Daisy, was attacked by some other dogs and brought in for treatment:
Dr. Maas assessing Daisy's injuries:
Dr. Maas examines Jack to see if his hip pin needs to be removed. Jack is doing well and won't need surgery today:
Ratu was attacked by another dog and needed stitches on the shoulder:
These two pit bulls, Dottie & Diamond, both came in to get spayed:
Dr. Larry Richmond removes a tumor and neuters Kane all in one surgery:
The list of patients kept growing. At the end of the day 33 animals were seen at the clinic. A very successful day:
Gently helping the dogs wake up after anesthesia:
Both of my puppies got spayed at this clinic. Here I am with my Suka after she got spayed. Meli is still in the operating room:
Emma Clifford, the founder of Animal Balance, helps the animals in the recovery room after surgery. Their ears were cleaned, nails clipped, and they were treated for ticks and fleas:
These Rotti pups were 9 days old and came in to get checked out. Aside from a flea/mite problem, all were healthy. Mom got spayed today too:
Snowbell had to be put to sleep. Unfortunately she had a tumor that was one third of her body mass:
At the end of the day just before the last patient was seen, the power in the clinic went out. Instead of giving up, Kona's neuter was moved out into the prep room where there was plenty of light to shave him by hand and perform the surgery. Good as new:
We are currently in the process of fundraising to help bring Animal Balance back to the Rock for a 2 week island-wide clinic in March 2010. We hope to have 25 volunteer vets return to help provide spays/neuters, animal care and welfare education in both Western and American Samoa. To read about the Animal Balance Samoa Campaign, go here for general information and here for the Feasibility Study Report. For more information or to help, please contact the American Samoa Humane Society here.
