With support from Fondation Brigitte Bardot, World Vets sent its first team to San Andres Island in 2012 for a pilot project. Our team’s visit also made history as being the first foreign veterinary brigade to provide free veterinary services on the Island. Before our initial visit and campaign, it had only been Colombian veterinarians from the mainland that provided irregular veterinary relief.
What prompted our visit and subsequent large scale spay/neuter and preventive health campaign was the request and an invitation from the San Andres Island Department of Health. They had been urged into action as a result of the worsening plight of its small animal population, consisting of health issues as well as their overpopulation. Given San Andres Island is not very big, it became quite apparent that animal health is not only an animal welfare issue but a concern for public health and safety as well.
This year we scheduled two visits and subsequent veterinary campaigns to aid local efforts in controlling the island’s small animal population as well as tackling disease control and prevention. Read about one of our success stories from this project here.
We also have an upcoming volunteer opportunity as part of our San Andres Island field service project. Read more about it here and join us in San Andres Island this December!