News Updates - World Vets - to improve the quality of life of animals, people & the environments in which they live by providing veterinary...

Sea Lion Disentanglement Videos

Jul 01

Galapagos Rapid Response Stories

The videos below offer a glimpse into the lifesaving work carried out by the World Vets team alongside the Galápagos National Park Rapid Response Program on San Cristóbal Island. Working together 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, our teams respond to wildlife emergencies whenever they arise—day or night.

Operating under an official agreement with the Galápagos National Park, World Vets provides veterinary expertise and emergency response for injured and distressed wildlife throughout San Cristóbal. While the majority of our calls involve Galápagos sea lions, our team is trained and equipped to respond to all types of wildlife calls, including iguanas, giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, pelicans, and a wide variety of other birds. Together, World Vets and the Rapid Response Team have responded to more than 1,500 wildlife cases across the Galápagos Islands.

One of the most common threats facing sea lions is marine debris. Discarded fishing lines, ropes, fishhooks, plastic, clothing, and other human-made materials can become tightly wrapped around a sea lion’s neck, body, or flippers. Without intervention, these entanglements can cause severe injuries, infection, starvation, and even death.

Approximately 30% of the wildlife emergency calls received this year have involved entangled animals, underscoring the ongoing impact of marine pollution on the fragile Galápagos ecosystem.

These videos show several successful rescues in action as our team carefully frees sea lions from dangerous entanglements. The final video captures a different kind of emergency—a young sea lion trapped between rocks and unable to escape on its own. After assessing the situation, the World Vets team safely rescued the animal and returned it to freedom.

Each rescue represents a second chance for these remarkable animals and demonstrates the value of having a dedicated veterinary response team ready to act whenever wildlife is in need.

World Vets is grateful to the SeaWorld Conservation Fund and our other generous donors who make this important work possible.

544 Dogs and Cats Receive Care in Ecuador

Jun 30

World Vets has successfully completed another high-impact veterinary campaign in Ecuador, where our volunteer team provided 367 free spay and neuter surgeries for dogs and cats in Atuntaqui. Alongside sterilization services, pets also received medical consultations, flea and tick prevention, and other essential veterinary care to improve their health and well-being.

These services play a vital role in safeguarding the health and happiness of owned pets while also helping reduce suffering, neglect, and overpopulation among the local street dog and cat population. By preventing unwanted litters and providing accessible veterinary care, these campaigns create lasting benefits for both animals and the communities that care for them.

In addition to the surgical campaign, World Vets hosted a free community outreach clinic in Urcuquí, where volunteers provided health examinations, preventive care, and medical treatment for 177 pets whose families might otherwise have limited access to veterinary services.

This mission was made possible through our longstanding partnership with Foundation Bienestar Animal Imbabura (BAI) and Clínicas Veterinarias BAI, who have worked alongside World Vets for the past 17 years to improve animal welfare throughout the region. We also extend our heartfelt congratulations to BAI on the 9th anniversary of their Atuntaqui veterinary clinic—an important milestone and a testament to their continued dedication to animals and their community.

We are especially grateful to Lakefield Veterinary Group for partnering with World Vets on this Ecuador mission, helping make this campaign possible through their generous support.

Finally, thank you to every volunteer, donor, and supporter who generously contributed your time, expertise, and resources. Together, we continue to improve the lives of animals, strengthen local veterinary capacity, and build healthier, more compassionate communities throughout Ecuador.

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World Vets’ First Vet Campaign in Tropojë, Albania

Jun 24

Last week World Vets completed its first veterinary mission in the Tropojë region of Albania, near the town of Bajram Curri, addressing street dog and cat overpopulation through trap-neuter-release (TNR) and community-based sterilization efforts.

The World Vets volunteer team provided spay/neuter services and free health consultations for 183 local animals while working alongside approximately a dozen local veterinarians and veterinary students to support hands-on clinical participation, strengthen practical skills (even utilizing a banana as a model for suture practice), and build local capacity for ongoing TNR efforts. The mission emphasized humane population management, education, and long-term sustainability to reduce suffering among free-roaming animals.

World Vets partnered with the local organization Strays of Albania/Safe Paws, the Jahangiri Foundation, the Municipalities of Tirana and Tropojë, and the Agricultural University of Tirana/Faculty of Veterinary Medicine to implement the campaign. These partnerships were essential in supporting the delivery of veterinary services to the area. Special thanks go to PJ and Neda Jahangiri for their dedication and on-the-ground support in making this mission a success. World Vets is also deeply grateful to its hardworking volunteers and generous supporters whose contributions make this work possible!

World Vets has completed several campaigns in other places around Albania over the past 10 years. Our first mission in Tropojë marks an important step in expanding access to veterinary care in remote and underserved parts of the country and reflects World Vets’ ongoing commitment to improving animal welfare through direct service and community collaboration.

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World Vets, Celebrating 25 Years!

Jun 11

Twenty-five years ago, a veterinary outreach project in Mexico planted the seed for what would become World Vets. What began as a single effort to improve the lives of animals and the communities who care for them has grown into a global organization working across more than 50 countries and six continents. In 2006, World Vets officially became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, strengthening our ability to expand our impact and respond to the needs of animals around the world. As we celebrate this milestone anniversary, we honor the volunteers, supporters, partners, and communities who have been part of this journey. And while we are proud of all that has been accomplished over the past 25 years, we remain just as inspired by the possibilities ahead. Here’s to the next 25 years of compassion, collaboration, and creating a better future for animals and the people who care for them. Stay tuned as we share stories, memories, and milestones from the past 25 years – honoring where we started, celebrating the impact we’ve made together, and looking ahead to all that is still to come.

World Vets’ First Visit to Corozal, Belize: 300+ Surgeries Provided!

Apr 17

World Vets completed its first small animal campaign in Corozal, Belize this week and sterilized over 300 cats and dogs! World Vets is privileged to provide veterinary care and compassion to animals in need around the world, as we help reduce overpopulation and improve the health and wellbeing of animals in communities like this one.

This effort was made possible through strong collaboration with our local partner Corozal Animal Welfare Advocates (CAWA), local vet Dr. Alfric Charles, and the generous support of our host Sheila Ford. We are also deeply grateful to our dedicated and hard-working team of World Vets volunteers, the Belize Agricultural Health Authority, the local volunteers and students who came out to help, the community members who entrusted us with their animals’ care, and the international donors and supporters who help make this work a reality. Thank you!