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| People bring their horses to receive treatment at the clinic.© Jessica Higgins/HSI |
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By Alex Gittelson
While Peru is known for its exotic wildlife, beautiful scenery and friendly people, the country also depends on domesticated horses, donkeys, mules and goats for income and the long-term survival of the region. Transportation, food and many aspects of everyday life would not be possible without these animals.
Unfortunately, adequate care and food are difficult to come by, especially in rural areas such as Northern Peru. However, the efforts of Humane Society International (HSI), Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association (HSVMA, formerly known as Rural Area Veterinary Services) and Asociación Humanitaria San Francisco de Asís (AHSFA) have brought "hoofs-on" medical care, education and training a long way.
Providing Much-Needed Assistance
Based in Colán, near Piura, the team travels annually to several different communities to provide care for working equines all over Northern Peru for little cost. Each visit includes vaccinations, deworming, hoof care, dental care, castration, and treatment for wounds and saddle sores.
Hoof care is crucial because of the harsh Peruvian soil, and has become a major focus of HSVMA, which provides the actual medical care and coordinates the U.S. volunteers. Volunteers in 2008 included two veterinarians, six third-year veterinary students, and one equine veterinary technician. The program is great experience for veterinary students and HSI hopes to include even more Peruvian participants in the future. Local volunteers assist with all aspects of the clinic and receive instruction on proper techniques for horse handling, vaccinating and deworming.
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Humane education is an important component of the clinic.© Jessica Higgins/HSI |
Local Cooperation
AHSFA coordinates all animal welfare activities in the region. For the clinic in Colán, they organize all the Peruvian volunteers and workers and do all up-front work such as publicity for the clinics, organizing locations, working with the municipalities or other local entities, and arranging food and housing for volunteers. AHSFA also helps staff the clinic and, with the support of HSI, provides humane education lessons for everyone from personnel to local farmers to children looking to learn more about the animals who support their everyday lives.
Jessica Higgins, HSI Program Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean, says, "At the very least, we're bringing the concept of veterinary care to the area, so that, as good vet care becomes available locally, people will be more likely to seek it out."
Situations Sometimes Urgent
One hot afternoon, the team was put to the test. A young, sick and very pregnant goat was in need of an emergency C-section in order to save her life. The operation would have to take place in dusty field conditions and time was not on the caretakers' side. Unfortunately, the kid did not make it through the operation, but the efforts of volunteers were enough to save the doe from an early death.
A rapidly developing partnership between the community and AHSFA has many feeling optimistic about a situation that seemed dire only a few years ago. With more efforts planned to educate people and provide veterinary care to animals, the team is optimistic that animal welfare programs will become more entrenched and conditions will continue to improve.
