HUMANE SOCIETY OF GRAND BAHAMA

PRESS RELEASE

16 DECEMBER 2006

Do you have an animal cage that can be used throughout the campaign? Please tag with your name and contact the Humane Society at 352-2477.
Your help can make a difference! 

The Humane Society of Grand Bahama, in partnership with The Kohn Foundation’s (TKF) Bahamian Animal Rescue Committee (B.A.R.C.) is pleased to announce its first major field spay and neuter clinic to be held January 15-20, 2007, in Eight Mile Rock. Thanks to the generosity of St. Stephen’s Anglican Church in Eight Mile Rock, the clinic will be held at their parish hall.   The goal is to sterilize at least 300 dogs and cats during the six days of surgeries.   The surgeries will be free to pet owners of Eight Mile Rock, and the clinic will include a major educational initiative.  

This clinic will be the first of many in the overall project, called BARC-ANEW (Bahamian Animal Rescue Committee - Animal Neutering Education & Welfare).  The project includes between 3 and 5 similar clinics in various locations on Grand Bahama over the next three years, with the goal of sterilizing as many owned animals as possible, and simultaneously providing educational opportunities and initiatives to promote responsible pet ownership and compassion for all animals.  

An impressive team has volunteered for this inaugural clinic.   HSGB Board Member and local veterinarian Dr. Owen Hanna is providing local support, consultation and assistance, to the five U.S. veterinarians, and nine experienced U.S. veterinary technicians and assistants, who have graciously agreed to donate a week of their time and expertise to help alleviate the serious pet over-population problem on Grand Bahama.  

The team leader for this first clinic is Dr. Robin Brennen, of New York City, whose input has also been invaluable to the overall project.   She is currently Vice-President, and Chief of Veterinary Services, of Bide-A-Wee Home Association, one of the largest animal welfare organizations in New York, which operates three shelters, two with veterinary clinics, in Manhattan, Wantagh and Westhampton.   She is also Acting Team Commander for FEMA’s VMAT (Veterinary Medical Assistance Team), which is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.   In that capacity she served as Director of Veterinary Medical Services for the Lamar Dixon Shelter in Gonzales, Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which took in over 7,000 animals.   She has organized and/or participated in numerous other field clinics, including the HSGB’s Distemper Vaccination Campaign in February 2006, and major wellness and spay/neuter clinics in the Cook Islands, and Central America.  

Dr. Leo Egar is a member of the HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) RAVS team (Rural Area Veterinary Services), who are graciously funding his trip and loaning  some of their equipment.   Dr. Egar spent several weeks running one of the disaster shelters in Mississippi following Hurricane Katrina, and was also a responder to the Asian tsunami disaster.   He has conducted numerous spay/neuter clinics for RAVS in the past several years and has a wealth of experience in diverse areas including human emergency services, animal disaster medicine, field immobilization and wildlife rehab.  

Dr. Bridget Barry, of New York, is the Medical Director of the Tompkins County SPCA in Ithaca, NY, and is a member of FEMA’s VMAT team.   She also participated in HSGB’s Distemper Vaccination Campaign along with Dr. Brennen.   She and her rescue group in New York took in over a dozen of our needy adult dogs in the past ten months, in many cases performing life-saving surgeries and treatments before finding them forever homes. One of our potcakes never made it to the adoption stage; she is now a permanent member of Bridget’s household.  

Funding for the inaugural clinic has been generously provided by an anonymous donor, who has been a kind benefactor of The HSGB and TKF since 2005.   The HSGB and TKF have garnered major international assistance to deal with the island’s animal problem in a humane and compassionate manner.   Fundraising for future clinics is ongoing, and it is hoped that the local community; individuals, businesses, and government, will continue to join in, and participate and contribute to this worthy endeavour.  

Sterilization and education programs are, in tandem with an effective animal control program, the only proven way to alleviate a serious over-population problem.   The HSGB and TKF are committed to making a real and lasting difference on Grand Bahama; with major local support, this island could truly become a model community for other islands and island nations.   Imagine an island with no roaming animals, with healthy, happy pets and a citizenry concerned about animal welfare.   Grand Bahama could promote itself as one of few animal friendly Caribbean islands; the positive impact on tourism alone could be tremendous and garner international recognition!  

Pets which are spayed and neutered are healthier, less inclined to roam or fight, and live longer, happier lives.   Pet owners who are responsible and spay and neuter their pets are helping to reduce the overall problem, and show a genuine concern for their pets and their neighbors.    Please take advantage of this project and help your pets and your community at the same time!  

NO appointment necessary - just stop in.

If you are not able to bring your pets to the clinic site at St. Stephen’s, we can make arrangements to pick them up and bring them home again.   Local volunteers are still needed to assist in many areas, please contact the HSGB for more details.   School administrators and teachers are welcome to contact HSGB and make arrangements for their students to visit the clinic for educational tours.   Any civic groups, individuals or government agencies who would like to schedule a tour are also most welcome.