As the director of veterinary field services for Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, I am often asked why someone should support our unique program, which provides veterinary care to animals and humane education to people in impoverished, rural communities in the United States and abroad.
The short answer is because improving animal welfare should not be limited to the immediate boundaries of any community. The long answer is more complicated, but here's a little background first:
HSVMA's mission is to improve the quality of life for animals and treat them in an humane and ethical fashion. We work with companion animals, livestock and horses and each animal's welfare is always our primary concern. All our services are provided free of charge.
The Humane Society of the United States is the only animal protection organization that has a program of this vision and scope, and I have been associated with a few. After many hard years of developing veterinary outreach programs, my efforts have been recognized with the University of Tennessee's Thomas Jefferson award, and the American Veterinary Medical Association's Animal Welfare award. Additionally, the Surgeon General of the United States acknowledged my work with dogs and cats on
American Indan reservations.
HSVMA treats about 30,000 animals a year—in remote communities where no other organizations go and where no animal services exist. We pride ourselves in providing the maximum quality of care for the lowest amount of money. To maximize community involvement and to keep costs down, our volunteers stay in whatever facilities are available, and eat what the local residents donate. This often means camping in community centers, in tents or in corn cribs. Our volunteers understand that they are "there for the animals." Long hours and rustic conditions are to be expected.
Despite our large number of patients, we treat all animals as individuals who deserve our undivided time, attention and care. Our clinics employ state-of-the-art anesthesia and monitoring equipment, optimal suture and surgery supplies, and accepted techniques for managing pain and anxiety in our patients. These supplies are more expensive and more difficult to transport so our volunteers willingly sacrifice their own comfort for that of the animals they serve.
If all HSVMA did was alleviate pain and suffering in thousands of individual animals, it would be a great program—and by far the broadest "hands-on" animal-aid project of any humane organization. However, we also seek change that will benefit animals for a long time to come. To improve the welfare of all animals in the communities we visit, HSVMA and The HSUS provide culturally relevant education for the people who bring their animals to our clinics.
Because our free clinics draw huge crowds, our education teams have excellent opportunities to talk to adults and children about humane animal care. Whether demonstrating horse training in Guatemala or the importance of neutering pets on an American Indian reservation, our workers make a real difference in attitudes wherever they go.
HSVMA's educational mission does not end there. The majority of our volunteers are veterinary students, and one of our primary missions is to improve the skills of these future veterinarians. Under the direct supervision of skilled veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians, students do physical examinations, administer medications and help with anesthesia and surgery. They have the opportunity to work with dozens of animals every day, with a higher teacher-to-student ratio than that found at most veterinary schools.
Furthermore, students learn the satisfaction of helping animals in need, and they get to interact with people from different cultures. This fosters altruism as well as technical skill, producing a better generation of veterinarians for the future. After a two-week expedition, I am often told how the experience has changed their lives and their career goals. What's more, the veterinary clinics and practices that hire these students after graduation constantly thank us for their superior skills. This makes for better care for your animals, too.
HSVMA currently has more volunteers signed up than we have clinics in which they can work. We also receive requests for aid every day from American Indian reservations, from towns in the hills of Appalachia, farming communities in Central America, islands in Micronesia, street dog projects in Turkey, animal shelters in India, donkey sanctuaries in the Middle East and other groups from all over the world. As cost effective as HSVMA is, we still have a need for more resources to expand our clinics into the needy areas of the world.
Won't you help us expand our mission of quality veterinary care and education to make life better for animals all over the world?
Donate to Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association.
Eric Davis, DVM
Director of HSVMA Field Services
Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association
