Canadian Animal Assistance Team

HEADING TO MULEGE, MEXICO!

2012-01-21T08:04:00.000-06:00

We are very excited to be sending a team down to Mulege, Mexico next week. The team of six members will be assisting the PAW (Patrons of Animal Welfare) organization there with a sterilization and vaccination clinic as well as starting a humane education program. We will keep you posted on the daily work once we are there!

Baker Lake, Nunavut - Day 7, 8 & 9.

2011-09-11T23:09:00.000-05:00

Day 7 - This was our full day off! Why this day? Because Shane was willing to be our personal chauffeur and take us for a trip up the mine road! Sounds exciting, eh? But it really is - people have been telling us that the best chance we have of seeing wildlife - like caribou or muskox - is up the mine road! The whole team is pretty excited about the possibility of seeing some live wildlife.

Baker Lake, Nunavut - Day 5 & 6

2011-09-08T22:38:00.001-05:00

Day 5 - One thing we all learned pretty quickly up here is that "Baker Lake-time" isn't really the same as time would be at home. Schedules are just a suggestion. That being said - if you ever come up here and Sue invites you on a 30 minute walk, be prepared!! We started this morning off with a truck ride to the end of town for our hike.. and we came back 3 hours later. It was an awesome hike

Baker Lake, Nunavut - Day 4

2011-09-05T22:55:00.000-05:00

No dog-sled teams scheduled for this morning, and since our clinics don't open until noon, we got to have a sleep-in day! Woohoo! Apparently the new official colour of Team Baker Lake is pink - ever since our Team Leader was entrusted with one load of laundry. (Sorry especially to Carley and Michelle!) Today we met Trixie, an 11 year old Golden Retriever who is lame in her front left leg.

Baker Lake, Nunavut - Catch up

2011-09-05T20:08:00.001-05:00

First announcement - We have internet!! Yea!!! So after letting all of the team members check in with their families and friends I've managed to beat them all away from the laptop to update the blog and let the rest of the world hear about our adventures so far! Let me introduce Team Baker Lake 2011 - Veterinarian: Jen; Technicians: Angela, Carley, Jackie, Kristie, Laura, and Renee; and

Carmacks Yukon

2011-07-23T18:31:00.000-05:00

Well, the trip is over. It was a great success with the amazing team we had. Final numbers were 174 vaccines and 75 surgeries. Originally we expected 53 surgeries, so we did extremely well with the time we had for this project. Carmacks is a wonderful place with beautiful scenery, beautiful people and a definite need for our services. It was a great trip!

Carmacks Yukon

2011-07-20T00:27:00.000-05:00

Day two of our Carmacks Project was exciting for all team members. We were able to complete 22 surgeries (32 in total so far!) along with examinations and vaccines for many pets. Members of the community stopped by the recreation centre we are working at to ask us questions about their pets and what we do! The Village of Carmacks has been welcoming and very enthusiastic about what we are doing.

Carmacks, Yukon

2011-07-18T23:56:00.000-05:00

Today was our first real day of surgery. Everyone worked getting organized and Isabelle was her usual awesome self and had everyone functioning in no time. Admissions was pretty crazy at times but manageable. Marnie did a fantastic job of recovering pets and assisting everyone that needed her. The techs, Jenn, Cathy, Lindsay and Nicole did a fantastic job even though it was their first time.

Team Carmacks!

2011-07-17T23:58:00.000-05:00

Our team arrived today without a hitch. Full day of travel for most of us. Just settling in for the night and will start our work tomorrow. SAW A BEAR TODAY!!!! Very exciting. Further updates to come!

Team Carmacks!

2011-07-14T09:53:00.000-05:00

A team of 9 veterinary professionals will be heading to Carmacks, Yukon on Sunday July 17th. Our animal wellness clinic will have us in this small community of approximately 456 residents for 5 days. We will return on Friday July 22nd. Keep your eyes on our BLOG for trip updates and fingers crossed we see some bears!

2011-06-14T21:56:00.001-05:00

BURNS LAKE ANIMAL WELLNESS CLINIC, Saturday, June 11, 2011

2011-06-13T09:50:00.006-05:00

Part of today's surgery line-up Photo by Donna Lasser Patients and owners waiting patiently Photo by Donna Lasser The day started earlier than usual with the team catching the ferry across Lake Francois at 7:00 a.m. and then the twenty minute drive into the town of Burns Lake. The Lake Babine First Nations generously offered us full use of their community hall for the next four days

Burns Lake ANIMAL WELLNESS CLINIC, Friday, June 10, 2011

2011-06-12T09:43:00.003-05:00

L to R - Donna, Cori, Amanda, Aliesha, Liz, Jackie, Carol, Isabelle Today was the last day for our Southbank clinic to be held and it was to be a shorter day than usual. We were pleased to have a few more team members arrive today, Dr. Sammi Fuller and Technologist Kristie McKee from Prince George, and Dr. Earladeen MacGregor from Vancouver. We were able to accomplish

Burns Lake ANIMAL WELLNESS CLINIC,Wednesday and Thursday, June 8 & 9, 2011

2011-06-10T09:14:00.005-05:00

Two days have passed and we are still not getting the opportunity to write the blog. Our apologies! The days have been long, with steady surgeries and vaccination appointments coming in from the moment we open the clinic doors at 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 or 7:00 p.m. We are posting many photos from the past two days instead of writing a blog tonight! Too tired! A picture speaks a thousand words,

Burns Lake ANIMAL WELLNESS CLINIC, Tuesday, June 7, 2011

2011-06-07T23:53:00.000-05:00

VETERINARY CARE CERTAINLY NOT HEADING "SOUTH" FOR THE SOUTHBANK CAAT PROJECT. Rise and rain was the way the morning began for the CAAT group in Southbank, BC. Waking to the rain though did not dampen spirits as the team prepared for day 2 of the Animal Wellness Clinic. With animals already waiting at the hall for surgery the project was up and running in no time. By the end of the day the

Burns Lake ANIMAL WELLNESS CLINIC, Monday, June 6, 2011

2011-06-07T00:53:00.003-05:00

Dog spay, Zoe, and her family Photo by Warren Munroe Liza and Aliesha examining a cat Photo by Warren Munroe Part of the Burns Lake Team, left to right, Jackie Emard, Carol Coffey, Donna Lasser, Isabelle L'Hebreux, Liza Lackner, Liz Bartlett, Aliesha Timms Photo by Warren Munroe Bright and early at 6:30 this morning, Aliesha, Donna, Liz and Jackie could be seen "power-walking" down the

BURNS LAKE ANIMAL WELLNESS CLINIC, June 5, 2011

2011-06-06T01:27:00.004-05:00

View from the firetower lookout Photo by Liz Bartlett Lakeside Legacy Bed and Breakfast Photo by Aliesha Timms Wilson BBQ luncheon lakeside Photo by Liz Bartlett Our vehicles lined up waiting for the Southbank Ferry Photo by Aliesha Timms Wilson And so begins another adventure with the Canadian Animal Assistance Team! Three of our Burns Lake, BC team drove approximately seven hours

Botswana Africa April 2011

2011-04-12T20:02:00.001-05:00

Our small team of four is heading out to our pilot project in Botswana very early on Thursday morning! We are going to do our best to write on the blog when and if we get access to the internet! We are looking forward to our collaboration with the Maun Animal Welfare Society and assisting in the work with domestic dogs in Maun and the surrounding area. Stay tuned....

Ucluelet Animal Wellness Clinic continued

2011-04-11T16:07:00.000-05:00

Sunday, November 28, 2010 A matching pair! Donna and pups waiting to be admitted After breakfast and a brief team meeting, we made our way up to the community hall by 9 a.m. Clients were waiting at the door when we arrived. It's so nice to see such an eager community, and one which is so "on board" with what we are attempting to do for them and their pets. Isabelle and kitten

Ucluelet Animal Wellness Clinic continued

2011-04-11T15:12:00.002-05:00

The community hall - our temporary clinic A waiting client and pup Kris, Donna and Barb in Admissions Sarah, LeAnne and Dr. Rob starting a spay Donna and Lijila in surgical prep Caitlin and a pup in recovery Kitty waiting for surgery Ruby and kitten Monitoring during surgery SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2010 Our clinic opened at 9:00 a.m. There were people waiting at the

Ucluelet Animal Wellness Clinic continued

2011-04-11T14:45:00.001-05:00

Friday, November 26 - Many of the team came across on the ferry from Vancouver (two hours) to Nanaimo and then drove through rain, ice and snow over the summit to the west coast of Vancouver Island (approximately three hours). Several braved the elements and drove up the Island from Victoria and Sidney, and across from the Qualicum area on the east coast of the Island. After dinner, our

Ucluelet, Vancouver Island Animal Wellness Clinic, November 27 & 28, 2010

2011-04-10T18:49:00.003-05:00

Team members, from left to right:Dr. Veronica Gventsadze (Vancouver), Melanie Gordon (Tech - Victoria), LeAnne Fogarty (Asst - Vancouver), Ljilja Kovacevic (Asst - Vancouver), Dr. Hannah Weitzenfeld (Vancouver), Kristina Bradley (Tech - Sidney), Sarah Richards (Tech - Invermere), Donna Lasser (Tech - Hope,BC), Caitlin McLagan (Asst - Vancouver), Isabelle L'Hebreux (Tech - Calgary), Ruby Wong (

Baker Lake, Nunavut - DAY 12

2010-09-15T16:13:00.000-05:00

Bill spent this morning back in the role of our personal chauffeur. Corrine, Barb and Archer had to be at the airport at 7:30 to start their full day of travelling. First stop - Chuchill. For a 12 hour layover. Ouch. The rest of the team spent the first part of the morning tying up all the loose ends, like returning the coffee maker (Thanks, Russell! You were a life saver with that one!)

Baker Lake, Nunavut - DAY 11

2010-09-15T01:05:00.012-05:00

Our surgery clinic is dismantled, our vaccine clinic is all cleaned up. Team Baker Lake 2010 We all enjoyed a leisurely start to our day, very aware that it's our last real day in Baker Lake as we fly out tomorrow. Since we don't have any work scheduled for today - but we do have about 50 left over hotdogs from yesterday's Puppy Parade - most of the team headed out for a walk around the

Baker Lake, Nunavut - DAY 10

2010-09-12T14:22:00.000-05:00

We had invited all of the children and graduates from Barb's obedience classes as well as the puppies we had spayed and neutered to come meet us at lunch time for a Puppy Parade! It was very cute! All of the graduates recieved a certificate, and everyone was proudly sporting their new collars and leashes! We had hotdogs for the kids, as well as stickers, temporary tattoos and some small toys

Baker Lake, Nunavut - DAY 9

2010-09-12T14:12:00.000-05:00

Archer showing off what a good boy he is! Another hard working day for Archer! Back to the school with Barb, Jen, Cynthia and Donna to visit a grade 3 class to learn about bite prevention. They also watched our Dogs with Jobs videos. The class had drawn some wonderful pictures of Archer and had many questions to ask about him. Elaine examining one of the team It was another busy day in

Baker Lake, Nunavut - DAY 8

2010-09-10T11:32:00.002-05:00

Barb and Archer were back at the elementary school this morning, along with Monica, Elaine, Zoe, Donna. They all went to a grade 5 class and showed "Dogs with Jobs" videos to the children. Archer has reached a certain level of fame here in Baker Lake, so everywhere he goes you hear the children calling out to him. It was a busy day in the clinics today, we vaccinated 30 pets and performed 11

Baker Lake Nunavut - DAY 7

2010-09-09T13:43:00.020-05:00

Barb, Archer, Donna and Corinne spent this morning at the schools. They started the day at the secondary school and spoke with a group of 100 kids in grades 6, 7 & 8. The videos about Guide Dogs and Avalanche Rescue Dogs had them enthralled. Afterwards, they all moved to the elementary school where Archer was a star! He was a wonderful boy letting many of the children lead him around and showing

Baker Lake, Nunavut - DAY 6

2010-09-09T11:11:00.008-05:00

Today was another event filled day. Gina and Laura were working in the vaccine clinic, and the day started off relatively slowly. So they took this opportunity to go door to door with some vaccines and to spread the word about what we are doing. Two houses later and we had three dogs vaccinated (including two that were spayed and neutered by our team last year). Back to the RCMP garage they

Baker Lake, Nunavut - DAY 5

2010-09-09T10:02:00.001-05:00

After our late night last night, Elaine and Kim were still up at 7am to head out with Sue and Frances to see one of the local teams of sled dogs. After an hour long ATV ride there and back over the rocky trails, they had 8 dogs vaccinated. The surgery teams also got an earlier than normal start as we had another dog team coming in - all to be spayed and neutered! Joe brought his 9 dogs in 2 by

Baker Lake, Nunavut 2010 - DAY 4

2010-09-08T23:39:00.001-05:00

Some of the team started the day with a trek up to see the cemetery just outside of the hamlet. We had to pass the snow fence to get there. Now for those of you who have never been north before - this is no ordinary snowfence! Apparently Baker Lake used to be known for it's snowdrifts in the winter - whole houses would be buried. So now there is a giant 30 foot tall snowfence to protect the

Baker Lake Nunavut 2010, DAY THREE:

2010-09-08T18:07:00.001-05:00

Cynthia, our 3rd year Veterinary Student Our first full day in Baker Lake started with waffles, fruit and coffee. The team met in the power company's crew house for our first meeting where we went over the "game plan" for the day, as well as answered any questions about our anesthetic protocol, how the surgeries would proceed, signing waivers and team documents. Donna assigned two technicians

Baker Lake 2010 DAY TWO:

2010-09-07T15:52:00.006-05:00

A little information about Baker Lake before we fly there today! Baker Lake is the only inland community in all of Nunavut, the remaining 25 communities are situated along the ocean. Baker Lake has a population of approximately 1800 people in four hundred households. An estimate of 90% of the population are Inuit and 10% "southerners" as people from the rest of Canada are called.

BAKER LAKE, NUNAVUT, September 3-12, 2010. DAY ONE:

2010-09-06T15:32:00.004-05:00

Baker Lake, Nunavut ,Canada DAY ONE: CAAT's Arctic adventure to Baker Lake, Nunavut began with five British Columbia team members at the Vancouver International Airport. After distributing our medical supplies amongst three hockey bags and one large suitcase and weighing all of the bags until they were approximately 50 pounds, our allowed baggage weight, we approached the Air Canada

Baker Lake- Day 9

2009-10-18T20:04:00.000-05:00

The last clinic day in Baker Lake began with a few surgeries. While Janet and Julie diligently worked on sterilizing the last few animals, the rest of the team began the arduous task of clean up. Since a classroom was used as a clinic site, it was imperative that every last trace of dog and cat smell was vanquished from the air! Tuesday was the slowest clinic day, as it appeared that everyone

Baker Lake- Day 8

2009-10-18T18:56:00.000-05:00

On Monday morning, the team was greeted once more by a barrage of dogs and cats awaiting surgeries. Six of the dogs belonged to Nicki, a 15 year old Inuk teenager who lives and breathes dog sledding. Her dogs are much-loved working animals and, though she is a young woman of few words, Nicki soaks up dog care information like a sponge. One of her husky crosses has four

Baker Lake, Nunavut: Day 7

2009-09-15T14:28:00.000-05:00

After a late night at Sue's party, some team members slept in on Sunday while some battled through the exhaustion and headed to the clinic for 9am. It is worth noting that, though all team members have been traveling since Sunday the 6th or Monday the 7th, and the first day of work was Tuesday the 8th, there has been no day off thus far. Many Baker Lake residents work during the week and are more

Baker Lake Nunavut- Days 5 and 6

2009-09-15T13:32:00.000-05:00

Days 5 and 6 were the busiest days for the veterinary team in Baker Lake. Day 5 (Friday, September 11th) saw 16 animals come through the clinic for spay and neuter surgeries, while the tally for day 6 (Saturday, September 12th) was 15 surgeries. Add a few dozen more vaccine, deworming, and physical exams to each day, and the team was swamped!Surprisingly, there are many, many cats and kittens in

Baker Lake, Nunavut: Days 3 and 4

2009-09-11T22:12:00.001-05:00

The first full day of work in the community was Wednesday, September 9th. The team was ready to go at the clinic for 10am and already had several surgery and vaccine patients booked. Though Baker Lake is an Arctic community, the majority of dogs here are not sled dogs- most are pet dogs that live either inside or outside the house. Team Baker Lake members noticed that, in contrast to many other

Baker Lake, Nunavut: Day 2

2009-09-11T21:21:00.000-05:00

*Note: The Canadian Animal Assistance Team would like to thank Calm Air for donating two FREE flights to CAAT Baker Lake team members. Calm Air, we would be unable to serve remote Northern communities without you- THANK YOU for your commitment to helping us continue to provide veterinary care in the great white North!After a good night's rest in their cushy digs, team Baker Lake was ready for

Baker Lake, Nunavut, 2009

2009-09-10T21:04:00.000-05:00

DAY 1*Note: Our sincere apologies- due to a glitch in the computer system, we are unable to upload photos at this time. Please bear with us, we are hoping to have some up and ready soon! On Monday, September 7th, a team of nine veterinary professionals from all over Canada embarked on an expedition to the great white north. Specifically, the team headed to Baker Lake, the only inland community

Interview with Madi Collins

2009-05-21T11:30:00.000-05:00

It was in late 2007 that the Canadian Animal Assistance Team first heard from Madi Collins, founder of the P.A.W. Cat Sanctuary in Caye Caulker, Belize, in the form of a press release.“It was 1:30 in the morning. I was searching for funding, number one. I started writing and sending press releases all over to see who would respond,” says Collins. It was her plea for help for the community's

Tonight!

2009-04-01T10:05:00.000-05:00

Carmen Wagner and Jennifer Picard exhibit photographs from CAAT's time in Caye Caulker, Belize.Come see the beautiful images they captured during CAAT's project, documenting the country, its people and its animals.10% of the proceeds from photographs sold will be donated to Charlie's Fund.Opening Party is tonight!Wednesday, April 1, 20097pm-1opmHigher Grounds Coffee House (2300 West Broadway @

Charlie's Fund

2009-03-17T21:31:00.000-05:00

Dr. Anna with Charlie en route to Canada (Photo Credit: Kim Buker)Charlie needs your help.Surrendered by her neglectful owner in Belize, Charlie joined Dr. Anna Wallace on her flight home one week ago today.Here in Vancouver, Charlie's emaciated and disease-riddled body can be properly treated, and she can live out her days in a loving home.Charlie's story was featured on CBC News last Monday

CAYE CAULKER, Day 15 (The Final Day)

2009-03-17T13:11:00.000-05:00

Sunday was the last day on the island for the majority of the team. Gina, Sherisse and Chris were the first to depart, leaving in the early hours, with a second group heading out later in the morning.There was just enough time to reminisce about the overall experience in Caye Caulker."It’s hard to describe in a few words...I think one of the better parts – I think we all probably feel the same

CAYE CAULKER, Day 14

2009-03-17T13:10:00.001-05:00

Today was our last clinical day on Caye Caulker and the team worked shortened hours from 9am until 12 noon.Barb holds one of Miss Lola's eight puppiesMiss LolaThe puppies play at Miss Lola'sBarb, Jackie and Caitlin were able to wrangle a vicious dog, the mother of yesterday's eight puppies, at Miss Lola's place near the south end of the island. "We walked around the corner and she tried to eat me

CAYE CAULKER, Day 13

2009-03-15T17:04:00.000-05:00

A warm island breeze woke us gently this morning. Donna was in the kitchen fixing oatmeal for breakfast, and many of us strolled down the street to Deals on Wheels for fresh fruit juices.Oreo during his dental surgeryDr. Anna began the day with a difficult dental extraction on an owned cat named Oreo. “I got to take nine rotten teeth out of him without a drill, which is a bit of a challenge. We

CAYE CAULKER, Day 12

2009-03-13T12:22:00.000-05:00

Upon waking, the team knew another very hot day was upon them. Even the ocean breeze could do little to combat the island’s intense heat.Last night’s trapping was a disappointment, producing very few animals – a large percentage of the traps were tampered with, presumably by locals who are opposed to CAAT’s work on the island, and the remaining traps ensnared animals we’d captured previously.

CAYE CAULKER, Day 11

2009-03-12T19:02:00.000-05:00

Today was the team’s second consecutive day off and Isabelle’s birthday. Donna fixed a quick breakfast of eggs with vegetables and much of the team headed out early to catch a water taxi to Belize City, with plans to visit a baboon sanctuary and ancient Mayan ruins.Jen P. awoke with a severe case of heat stroke after her day spent on Ambergris Caye, and the ladies in the cabana suffered from lack

CAYE CAULKER, Day 10

2009-03-12T18:50:00.000-05:00

Sticky in the humidity and ravaged by an assortment of biting insects, our hard-working team was in much need of a break.It was our second day off since arriving on the island. We enjoyed breakfast at the Happy Lobster before splitting up on several adventures.Much of the group partook in a manatee boat tour at Swallow Caye, led by Chocolate's Manatee Tours, lasting more than five hours. It was a

CAYE CAULKER, Day 9

2009-03-09T20:57:00.000-05:00

Charlie was feeling a bit stronger todayDr. Sherisse cleaning a cat's belly after her spayWheatie II during his enucleationToday was Baron Bliss Day, a bank holiday honouring a British-born traveller who willed $2,000,000 USD to a trust fund in 1926 for the benefit of the citizens of Belize. Many of the locals were out of town celebrating. However, it did not prevent many animal owners from

CAYE CAULKER, Day 8

2009-03-08T21:12:00.000-05:00

The morning began with a light rainfall and another mouth-watering breakfast prepared by Isabelle. Afterwards, the team congregated on the waterfront to discuss the day's plan.Laurie and Cathy interview DonnaLaurie and Cathy arrived early with their camera to interview team members and observe surgeries and vaccinations. It was an incredibly humid day, with quite a few frustrating circumstances,

CAYE CAULKER, Day 7

2009-03-08T14:26:00.000-05:00

Today was the team’s first full day off since arriving in Belize. It’s a long weekend, and much of the island will head to the mainland for canoe races and Baron Bliss Day celebrations, so it seemed like a good day to close up shop and visit San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, also known as La Isla Bonita (and rumoured to be the subject of Madonna's song of that name), a more commercialized island just

CAYE CAULKER, Day 6

2009-03-08T13:56:00.001-05:00

This morning there was a children’s kite-flying contest in a nearby soccer field, and it was warmer than ever. The day began with a meeting, where it was decided that the team begin doing house calls. Many of the islanders are at work during the day and are unable to deliver their animals to the clinic.“We’re going to start going door-to-door. Hopefully through going door-to-door, we can recruit

CAYE CAULKER, Day 5

2009-03-06T15:17:00.000-06:00

DeAnnaThis morning, Isabelle treated us to a breakfast of eggs, served in tortillas made by Idalmi, Madi’s sister. Idalmi lives across the back lane, and has prepared delicious meals for the entire group each night. “We have a wonderful team, probably one of the best teams we’ve ever taken anywhere,” said Donna. “Everyone’s got a wonderful work ethic and a really good heart for the animals. I’m

CAYE CAULKER, Day 4

2009-03-04T18:57:00.000-06:00

Donna Lasser, founder of CAATDr. Anna and a patientThis morning the team awoke to sunshine and warmth, rising early to enjoy a breakfast of juicy watermelon, warm oatmeal and much-needed coffee.Donna Lasser, founder of CAAT and the team’s leader, had a positive outlook for the day. “We’ve got a really great team. We’re all working swell together. Yesterday we managed to spay and neuter twelve

CAYE CAULKER, Day 3

2009-03-03T21:09:00.000-06:00

Our banner on Madi's front gateBarb putting up posters all over the island (Photo Credit: Caitlin MacLagan)The team hit the ground running with a 7am start and a delicious breakfast of fresh pineapple and coffee. The first full day spent in Belize began with a team meeting, where Caitlin and Barb shared their experiences so far, touching on issues that impact the island, such as animal cruelty,

CAAT TEAM IN CAYE CAULKER, BELIZE Days 1 & 2

2009-03-01T23:56:00.000-06:00

Isabelle napping at the airport in HoustonDr. Anna at the airportKim reading at the airportOver the next two weeks, CAAT will be working with P.A.W. Cat Sanctuary & Humane Society to help spay/neuter and vaccinate a great number of feral cats and dogs on the island of Caye Caulker, 35km northeast of Belize (once known as British Honduras).Last Wednesday, veterinary assistants Barb Ashmead and

CAAT Fundraiser - Wednesday, February 18

2009-02-03T12:30:00.000-06:00

A night to raise money for the Canadian Animal Assistance Team's efforts to ensure domestic animals are included in community disaster response/preparedness plans, provide veterinary services to domestic animals following natural disasters, and to provide spay and neuter clinics for domestic animals in rural/underserved areas.Wednesday, February 18Relish, 888 Nelson St. (between Hornby & Howe),

A BRITISH COLUMBIA FIRST!

2008-12-10T11:00:00.000-06:00

UCLUELET FIRST NATIONS COMMUNITY December 5 & 6, 2008 ANIMAL WELLNESS CLINICApproximately one month after receiving approval from the BC Veterinary Medical Association (BCVMA), the Canadian Animal Assistance Team has completed a very successful two-day Animal Wellness Clinic in the small Vancouver Island west coast community of the Ucluelet First Nations UFN (Ittatsoo Reserve). An invitation in

LAST DAY IN POND INLET

2008-07-28T12:47:00.003-05:00

We still can not believe that today is our last day in Pond Inlet. It has been such a fun and productive trip, with a great team. Yesterday was our "day off", which was lots of fun and one of the coldest days so far. Kim and Kris held a bite prevention program at the local library for the children, which was a huge success. There were lots of kids that came to see us and I think that they

POND INLET PROJECT continued

2008-07-16T18:34:00.006-05:00

Tuesday morning - we've had an amazing last two days (although I guess you could say that about every day). Sunday was an interesting day of surgeries (4 in total); we started off with two spays, which we later found out were mother and daughter. When our scheduled neuter came in, Kayou, we found out he was the

POND INLET PROJECT continued

2008-07-16T18:29:00.018-05:00

Saturday night - we've just come back from an evening of hiking, fishing and BBQing at nearby Salmon Creek. It's been a busy couple of days at the clinic. We've had a total of ten surgeries over the past two days, along with vaccinations and dewormings of many sled dogs and a few pet dogs. We usually send two or three team members to do the visits

POND INLET, BAFFIN ISLAND, NUNAVUT

2008-07-13T20:02:00.004-05:00

DAY ONE - July 9, 2008 Our first day of the Pond Inlet project started at 7 am when the team met in the Ottawa airport. It was very easy to spot the team thanks to the blue CAAT shirts. Once the introductions were made with the five members, Our Veterinarian Dr. Ashley Boultbee, Veterinary Technicians Allison McLean (Team Leader) and Kris Burns, and Assistants Kim Painter and Stephanie

Humane Education in Iqaluit Nunavut

2008-04-03T18:25:00.008-05:00

Iqaluit Humane Education 2008Barb Ashmead and Kristine Riggins, as members of the Canadian Animal Assistance Team, were invited to Iqaluit, Nunavut, from March 7-17, by the newly formed Iqaluit Humane Society. The society had received a grant to teach children how to be safe around dogs. The Humane Society members also wanted to learn how to become “community vaccinators” in order to reduce the

I FEEL THE EARTH MOVE

2007-09-09T17:40:00.000-05:00

WEEK ONE On August 19, 2007 CAAT received word from Molly Mednikow, director of Amazon Cares, Iquitos, Peru, that our immediate help was needed in the earthquake-stricken areas of Ica and Pisco. We responded that we would begin to prepare a team to go within one week’s time. After a week of seemingly endless media interviews, travel preparations, packing and last minute details, twelve team

DAYS 16 & 17, July 24 & 25, 2007

2007-07-26T18:09:00.000-05:00

Our flight last night was scheduled to depart from Igloolik at 5 pm. The weather was fairly good all day until just before we were set to depart. The fog rolled in quite thick. We then received word that our flight had been delayed, due to mechanical problems with the plane. It hadn't even taken off from Iqaluit yet.At one point in the afternoon, we were informed by First Air that we would not be

DAY 15, Monday July 23, 2007

2007-07-23T19:47:00.000-05:00

The team was up early, were all packed and ready to go when we received word that all flights into and out of Igloolik had been cancelled for the day due to inclement weather. Since Saturday, two days ago, it has been very cold here (about 2-3 degrees Celsius) with strong winds, rain and a low cloud cover making visibility for flying very difficult. Initial response from the eleven team

DAY 14, Sunday July 22, 2007

2007-07-23T07:09:00.000-05:00

We spent the morning cleaning up the clinic and repacking all of our left over medical supplies into their suitcases. We were told a spay was going to be brought down in the morning for us to do but it didn’t show up. Today was very windy, rainy and cold and even looked like it was trying to snow. We didn’t spend much time outdoors today. We hope we can fly out of here tomorrow

DAY 13, Saturday, July 21, 2007

2007-07-23T07:08:00.000-05:00

Isabelle and Chris did shift work all night with the puppy. She was much brighter this morning and starting to eat, drink, and walk around. Her face is still swollen and sore but her eye is beginning to open up. We gave her an injection of long-acting antibiotic and also an anti-inflammatory injection this morning. We will keep her for another day before returning her to her owner. The

DAY 12, Friday July 20, 2007

2007-07-23T07:05:00.000-05:00

Today was full of surprises! We headed to the clinic in the morning to spay (finally) the little, short-legged dog that lived next to the clinic and had barked incessantly at us daily. She’s quite a nasty, temperamental dog, but we were able to sedate her and begin the spay. Her surgery went very well and we returned her to her chain in her back yard before she was up and trying to bite us

DAY 11, Thursday July 19, 2007

2007-07-20T16:48:00.002-05:00

Today is Barb’s birthday! The team sang “Happy Birthday” to her at breakfast. At noon we headed out for the day’s work. Half of the team headed out to try to find Mosha’s dog (our carver friend) to neuter him, and the other half headed out to vaccinate a dog team owned by a gentleman, Samueli. This was the first team we were going to have to deal with without the owner actually present and able

DAY 10, Wednesday July 18, 2007

2007-07-20T16:48:00.001-05:00

After a day working at the clinic we loaded two hamlet vehicles at 5 p.m. to begin our drive out to Igloolik Point, approximately 30 km. away. The roads here are all covered with rock so the drive can be quite slow. We had Marie, our interpreter, with us, as well as her daughter and small son. Caitlin, Isabelle, Chris, Allison and Steve (the photographer we met yesterday) rode in the open box

DAY 9, Tuesday July 17, 2007

2007-07-20T16:46:00.000-05:00

Our surgeries today began with Bob the Beagle’s neuter which went very well. Two residents, Billy and Lydia then brought Tiny in to us, most likely a Corgi mix with short legs and a longer body. Tiny had been given to Billy and Lydia as a wedding present four years previously and they were quite concerned about a persistent cough she had. Brigitte examined Tiny and decided she probably had an

DAY 8, Monday July 16, 2007

2007-07-20T16:45:00.000-05:00

Today we did several surgeries, including a stray male dog which has been given the name “First”, an owned dog named “Seven” (who had been fed a large amount of fish for breakfast and as we predicted, vomited it all up once we had given him his sedative. As a result the clinic smelled quite foul for awhile. We also spayed a small female named “Darcy” this morning. “First” was quite

DAY 7, Sunday July 15, 2007

2007-07-20T16:43:00.000-05:00

Several of the team members visited the community Anglican Church this morning. The service was held in the Inuktitut language. When the speakers up front looked up and saw seven white faces in the congregation, they made an effort to announce the bible verses and song numbers in English for us. They seemed pleased to have us visit them for church. The other team members went out to check on a

DAY 6, Saturday July 14, 2007

2007-07-20T16:41:00.000-05:00

We have discovered that weekends are fairly slow in this community. A woman named Marie asked us if we could “fix her dog’s neck”. There was a large slash on his neck so we asked her to bring him in to the clinic to us. Her husband went on his ATV out to get the dog, about an hour’s drive each way. His injury turned out to be very severe, a long gash across the entire back of his neck. Two of our

DAY FIVE Friday the 13th!

2007-07-16T17:13:00.001-05:00

After another good night’s sleep, we headed over to the clinic by noon to start our work day. While several of the teams were doing surgery, Barb and Christine headed over to a home where we had noticed a very, very badly matted small dog a couple of days earlier. They wanted to ask the owners if they would be able to shave the dog to relieve him of his pounds of matted hair. They successfully

DAY FOUR Thursday, July 12, 2007

2007-07-16T17:11:00.000-05:00

We started our day taking all of our medical supplies down to the temporary veterinary clinic, situated next to the water overlooking Foxe Bay and all of the melting ice floes. Three teams consisting each of one veterinarian and two technicians were chosen while our two assistants extraordinaire, Barb and Caitlin, were assigned to bringing the dogs into the building as well as working in the

DAY THREE, Wednesday, July 11, 2007

2007-07-16T16:57:00.000-05:00

After breakfast, the team walked to the Hamlet office in town where we met in the council chambers with Mayor Paul Quassa and the Senior Administrative Officer Brian Fleming. It was very interesting to learn more of the history of Igloolik as well as about the “Inuit dog”. Igloolik has been instrumental in preserving this very unique breed, and are very similar looking to malamutes and huskies.

CAAT TEAM IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE

2007-07-12T20:49:00.000-05:00

DAY ONE AND DAY TWO, July 9-10, 2007TEAM NUNAVUT MEMBERS Dr. Liz Bartlett, Langley BCDr. Brigitte Rudolf, Burnaby BCDr. Ursula Craigdallie, Vancouver BCBarb Ashmead, Assistant, Qualicum BCAliesha Timms, Veterinary Technician, Squamish BCCaitlin McLagan, Assistant, Vancouver BCDonna Lasser, Veterinary Technician, Team Leader, Hope BCIsabelle L'Hebreux, Veterinary Technician, Calgary AlbertaAllison

Thank You, Aeroplan Donors!

2007-06-20T22:28:00.000-05:00

CAAT would like to thank everyone who donated their Aeroplan miles during the month of April. The campaign was extremely successful with almost 550 000 miles donated! These miles have been used to book the team's flight to Nunavut in July for the two week Spay and Neuter Project. CAAT will be having an Aeroplan campaign every year, and we would appreciate your support again in 2008. Thank you

The Final 6 Days in Guyana

2007-06-04T15:47:00.000-05:00

FRIDAY, May 18, 2007, DAY 11Terill, Gwen, Brenda and Tera were picked up by Syeada at 6:00 am for a one hour drive to the river, and then a 1 ½ hour boat ride upriver to the community of Bartica, population 14,000. Syeada had made contact with a couple of residents previously, and they had the day organized for the team upon their arrival. The team worked extremely hard and long hours and were

Guyana, Days Five to Ten

2007-05-18T21:37:00.000-05:00

Day Five:Saturday, May 12, 2007At 9:00 am, we arrive at the SPCA clinic; there are already many people lined up with dogs and cats for exams, possible surgeries, deworming and vaccinations. Several of the dogs are suspected to have heartworm, a problem here.One dog seen had a tumour in its right eye the size of a golf ball. Terill removed the tumour successfully and the dog’s head was bandaged.

Guyana, South America

2007-05-15T02:09:00.000-05:00

Project: Guyana, South AmericaMay 8th-May 23rd, 2007Due to communication difficulties, this is the first contact with the team in Guyana. Below is four days worth of journals. To view pictures of the trip, please visithttp://www.flickr.com/photos/15267509@N00/sets/72157600216836614/More Blog entries and photos will be added as they are sent from the Team.Day One:Tuesday, May 8th, 2007Team arrives

CAAT Ontario Chapter Fundraiser

2007-04-30T21:10:00.000-05:00

Come out and have some fun with dogs and support the Canadian Animal Assistance Team (CAAT) at the 1st Annual "CAAT" Dog Show.When: Saturday, May 26, 2007 1:30pm to 4:30 pm.Where: The Everyday Dog Training Facility695 Industrial Road, Unit 2, Cambridge, OntarioWhat: Classes include: Best Dressed Dog, Most Unusual Mixed Breed, Most Unique Trick, Dog with the Waggiest Tail, Most Animated Walker,

Donate your Aeroplan Miles During the Month of April

2007-03-25T19:24:00.000-05:00

Aeroplan is glad to facilitate the transfer of miles to a specially designated Aeroplan account in support of the Canadian Animal Assistance Team. Donations will be accepted from April 1 to April 30, 2006. Donated Miles will be used to send CAAT Veterinarians, Technicians and Assistants to Igloolik, Nunavut for a two week spay, neuter and vaccination clinic in July 2007.To participate, please

Ontario CAAT Chapter Launched

2007-03-23T19:08:00.000-05:00

A new Provincial Chapter of CAAT is now up and running. The Ontario Chapter will be responsible for Spay and Neuter Projects (SNP) in Ontario and Nunavut. The co-ordinators for the Chapter, Annette Pecak and Chris Robinson, have been heavily involved in the organization of the upcoming SNP to Igloolik, Nunavut. The two will be part of that SNP team to learn the intricacies of a mission, and

Ontario Chapter

2007-02-19T17:31:00.000-06:00

I was in Toronto recently for a conference, and met with two Ontario RVT's who are starting an Ontario Chapter of CAAT. Chris and Annette went to New Orleans on their own after Hurricane Katrina. When they returned home, they felt the need to find a group to create or join that would be able to provide services in the event of another disaster. They emailed CAAT founder Donna, and became

Christmas Wishes & Thanks for an Amazing 2006

2006-12-19T13:34:00.000-06:00

From the Canadian Animal Assistance Team's Board of Directors to all CAAT team members all over Canada: We want to all express our deepest gratitude to each of you for your participation and dedication to CAAT in 2006. Your suggestions, ideas, sacrificing your time, resources and all the hard work you put in to the spay and neuter projects, your interest and input on the Pet Services Committee (

Fundraiser Thank-Yous

2006-12-18T02:21:00.000-06:00

Our "Pooch Pampering Party" fundraiser, at Heather's Place Doggy Daycare, was a big success! Thank you to all of the participants / volunteers:1) Dennis & Christine of Big Dog Little Dog Bakery in Burnaby (www.bigdoglittledog.com), for their donation of dog biscuits.2) A huge thank you to Heather of Heather's Place Doggie Daycare and Grooming in Vancouver, for so generously giving us her facility

Pooch Pampering Party

2006-12-02T03:47:00.000-06:00

On December 10 come to the CAAT fundraiser "Pooch Pampering Party", at Heather's Place Doggy Daycare & Grooming, 141 East 4th Avenue at Main, Vancouver. See the CAAT web site for more details.

Trinidad & Tobago Trip

2006-12-02T03:22:00.000-06:00

Earlier this year the Canadian Animal Assistance Team was invited by Theresa Awai of the TTSPCA (Trinidad & Tobago SPCA) to assist them for a two week spay and neuter program greatly needed in their area due to the growing numbers of stray animals roaming the streets. A group of 6 CAAT members, three veterinarians, two technicians and a veterinary assistant left on November 4,2006 to embark on a

October Happenings

2006-10-01T12:16:00.000-05:00

October is a busy and exciting month! The CanWest Veterinary Conference is in Whistler Oct 14th-17th, and CAAT will have it's display booth up and members available to answer questions. The conference will have Veterinarians and Technicians from throughout BC and Alberta, so will be a good member recruitment opportunity.October 26th-29th is the Abbotsford Dog Show, which is the largest dog show

NWT--Lutsel K'e Team

2006-09-13T10:21:00.000-05:00

Letter from Lutsel K'e.What an amazing trip! I'd like first to give a HUGE thank you to our sponsors that made this trip both financially and organizationally possible. There were a few people that put in so much hard work for us and for this we are very grateful. Our group of four C.A.A.T. members; veterinarian Ken, technician Jennifer, and amazing assistants Corinne and Steve, spent six

NWT--Days 7 & 8

2006-09-07T09:50:00.000-05:00

DAY SEVEN: September 3, 2006 Today was our rest and relaxation day. After breakfast, we drove to a First Nations village, Dettah, just east (I think) of Yellowknife. Doug gave us a tour, including the cemetery and showed us where the ice road is in the winter, on the lake. Fascinating cultures in the communities we have lived in, worked in, and visited over the past week. We then continued

NWT--Day 6

2006-09-05T09:45:00.000-05:00

DAY SIX: Sept.2, 2006Lorraine flew home to Kelowna this morning. Before Doug took her to the airport he dropped the rest of the team in downtown Yellowknife for a couple of hours to explore and shop for souvenirs. We left town after lunch to drive out to Rae-Edzo. Along the way, we stopped and climbed up on the rocks to have our photo taken by Doug, next to an inukshuk which was there

NWT--Day 5

2006-09-04T10:45:00.000-05:00

DAY FIVE: Sept 1, 2006 A couple of important points from yesterday I had forgotten to write about. Firstly, a news crew from APTN (Aboriginal Public Television Network) showed up at the garage where we were working to film and interview us for a news report. More publicity for CAAT and for the difference our teams are making here in the north. We’ve been told that CBC North television is

NWT--Day 4

2006-09-03T12:43:00.000-05:00

DAY FOUR: AUG. 31, 2006 After a good night’s sleep, we started out the day by stopping in at Doug’s government office and meeting all of his co-workers, while Doug picked up more Rabies vaccine. The NWT government has provided all Rabies vaccines. We traveled on to Rae-Edzo, arriving at 11 am. Doug immediately went out searching for dogs he could catch and bring in for us as the team set

NWT--Day 3

2006-09-02T12:49:00.000-05:00

DAY THREE: August 30, 2006 With a 6:30 am wake-up time, we were ready to head out by 8:00 am, eager to get back to work in Rae-Edzo. Shortly after our arrival at the community Public Works building, Doug went out, catch pole in hand, to round up some dogs to bring in for us. Apparently the community doesn’t come alive until around 11 A.M. every morning, so we were keeping our fingers crossed