Clinic wrap up report,
November 18th

The final total for the five days is 265 I believe although I still have to go back through the records to be sure. 

We are very pleased with this, and everything went very smoothly.  The vets and technicians really enjoyed the gala night Thursday (Sylvia performance at the Regency Theatre) and I think they appreciated being recognized.  I think it was good for those present who were not involved with the clinic to have a chance to meet them. 

The only thing which needed improving this time was getting enough animals in.  The vets and techs were so efficient they could easily have done more surgeries each day.  Already several of our amazing local volunteers have offered to help with this prior to the next clinic by literally going door to door and scheduling surgeries a week or two ahead of time. 

Lots of good news to report:

The missing dog from Wednesday was found on Friday!  His owner came down and walked to the beach (where there had been several sightings) - 20 minutes later he appeared with a very happy dog bounding along at his side.  We were overjoyed as well.  Other than being a bit hungry he was just fine. 

Little Laura Lee, (I have now been corrected and told her name is actually Luanne, which is what Joe Silvera named her), is now safe and sound in Boston at her new home with Dr. Deb Campbell.

Little no name half hairless potcake puppy who was at death's door when she came in Wed., is now safe and sound in Ithaca, NY with Dr. Bridget Barry, who will continue treating her and then find her the perfect home. 

HSGB teenage puppy Casuarina will be on her way to Portland, Oregon to her new home with veterinary assistant Sandy Calves as soon as GBX has a morning flight out of here this week.  We had her spayed at the clinic and Sandy fell in love with her.  I've already talked to Sandy tonight on the phone and she can't wait to get her home.  Erika and Ed will like to hear this I am sure, as this is the puppy their tour guide fished out of the Lucayan Waterway recently!

Tompkins County SPCA in Ithaca, NY, is taking four other of our dogs as soon as we can send them.  Bridget is the medical director of this shelter.  See their website at www.spcaonline.com/nokill.htm . 

BideAWee Home Association, where Dr. Robin is chief of veterinary medicine and V.P., is going to take 20-25 of our puppies as soon as we can send them.  www.bideawee.org

Dr. Karen Lovino has told me to let her know anytime we have an animal that requires advanced medical care, surgery, etc, and the clinic where she works will treat them, and then find them a forever home. 

Linda and Eric Carlson, of Jupiter, Florida, who came over for the weekend and the fundraiser are adopting our office pup, Smoochie!  They already have one potcake named Pepper, and two other rescue dogs.  After spending their entire Friday at the shelter caring for puppies, handing out treats and toys and even picking ticks off of puppies, they fell in love with little Smoochie and her famous grins. 

Vet tech Stephanie Neufeld of NYC, may adopt our shelter mama cat whose eye had to be removed Friday while she was being spayed, due to a pre-existing infection/congenital condition. 

And the seven pups who came in the first day of the clinic are finally going to LuvAPet in Florida tomorrow.  If GBX doesn't have a flight, Debbie Shields' husband Scott will fly over to get them in his plane. 

So we have lots of happy endings in addition to another very successful clinic! 

I will be writing thank yous all week, but for now, those of you who helped, please know that each and every one of you played an important part in this success and we are very grateful. 

Very soon I hope to be announcing plans for our next clinic, already tentatively scheduled for the third week in February! 

Heartfelt thanks again to everyone who contributed to this effort,
Bless you all,
Tip

Many local volunteers came out to lend a hand (Photo Robbin Whachell)

Nov. 14th, Wednesday (Day 3) 

Clinic update

61 animals sterilized today!   Including over 25 from West End that we were able to pick up in one trip, thanks to our new monster bus so kindly recently donated by Grand Bahama Nature Tours (Erika and Ed Gates).   It has been invaluable already.   We were able to move all our equipment and supplies to Pinders Point in one trip instead of an all day effort with multiple small vehicles.   And moving it back out will also be a breeze.

While we had a few fractious animals today, it was not the rodeo it was yesterday; everyone was happy about that.   We had lots more cats today.  

I'll have a complete breakdown at the end of the clinic as to cats, dogs, males, females etc for those of you interested in those statistics.

We also had more animals brought in by their owners which is heartening.   We feel the Grand Bahama community at large is starting to realize and appreciate the importance and benefits of sterilization.

Great news too, our little Laura Lee survived the night, and is actually starting to get a bit sassy!   She also seems to be very smart; she yips like crazy to get out of her crate to go to the bathroom.   And also when she wants to be cuddled, she is really enjoying that too.   She's not out of the woods yet but every day she hangs on and improves is a good sign.   Thanks to Nicola Bowe of Freeport Animal Care who is caring for her tonight.   Dr. Deb says if she is this good tomorrow, she can remove her catheter, so please say a little prayer tonight for this tiny puppy.

The only bad news is that we need everyone coming out tomorrow to keep their eyes peeled for a large, tall brown and white male bulldog/mastiff mix, who escaped tonight as we were transferring crates to the bus for transport home.   It was a complete accident and we searched and searched until it got too dark and the other animals had to be gotten home.   We have several of our folks in Pinders Point keeping an eye out tonight and we hope to find him at the clinic in the morning.   He is friendly but a bit shy.   If you think you see him on your way in please call my cell immediately 727-2477 and try to keep your eyes on him til one of us can get there.

Thanks to all of you who once again made today so successful and helped it run so smoothly.

Tip

(Photo: Tohni Blower)

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Monday,  November 12^th Report of Spay/Neuter Clinic by Tip Burrows

51 animals sterilized!

7 gorgeous 5 week old puppies surrendered to HSGB; they are going to LuvAPet in Royal Palm Beach Thursday, who have been on "standby" for this very eventuality.  Had we not been           doing this clinic in Pinders Point, we likely would never have seen them and who knows what would have happened to them.

1 puppy we're hoping to have surrendered, Laura Lee is currently in foster care as she only weighs 1 lb and needed some extra TLC and medicine which she is now getting.

Reverend Ambrose, the priest at the Church of the Good Shepherd, came in this morning and did a blessing of the animals for us; she also blessed and prayed for all us humans who are caring for them, it was wonderful and very moving.  She and Ann Penn, the church secretary, have been great. 

We have fine-tuned both the medical and logistical aspects since January, and made some small but critical changes that seem to have made a huge difference already.  Our numbers should increase daily all week. 

We also have the luxury of having lots more steady, local volunteers who were amazing today.  That is not to say we can't use more help, however!  The more help we have the faster and smoother it goes. 

There is just no way to adequately describe the dedication of these vets, techs and local volunteers, and the tender care these animals are receiving, nor the massive undertaking that it is. 

I want to recognize Ellen Kohn of our partner, The Kohn Foundation in Denver, Colorado.  Ellen and I and Robin have spent the last three months in almost constant communication regarding this clinic and especially our inventory.  Ellen was able to somehow make sense of the dozens of emails and inventory lists which culminated in her seamless ordering of $13,000 worth of drugs, supplies and equipment (having spent more countless hours procuring the best prices).  This clinic project would not be happening without Ellen's constant support in so many ways.

Photo: Tohni Blower