Darwin Animal Doctors

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Archive: Dec 2012

  1. Save the Galapagos with Art

    Lucy Dimitrova, Social Media and Art

    We are all different and we all have different skills and talents that, if used wisely, can help both ourselves and the world around us. Darwin Animal Doctors is a typical example of this – a group of dedicated individuals with different skills and occupations, but all of them sharing one aim – to preserve the Galapagos and ensure the future of these precious islands.

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    To be honest, I have only heard about the charm of this unique ecosystem. Volunteering for DAD has given me the opportunity to hear a lot of stories and see many beautiful photos from this heaven-like place, but I have never got the opportunity to see it myself yet. Despite that, I can surely say that I am in love with this place and I hope that one day I will be able to enjoy the magic of Darwin’s favorite islands firsthand.

    Although I have many different passions, I can put a hand on my heart and say that animals have always been my biggest one. Born in a pretty unique place as well, I spent my childhood roaming around wild mountain forests and observing the magical natural world around me. This gave me the chance to get close to many amazing creatures that a lot of people my age have never heard about.

    My love for animals suddenly set the beginning of another passion – my passion for art. I was so impressed by wildlife and the animals I encountered every day that I needed a way to express my admiration. And what a better way to express your feelings, than art?

    So I started drawing animal sketches. Soon my simple, one-hour sketches became more complicated, more professional pieces of art. My art gave me the chance to meet many people who, like me, were impressed by the magical animal world and who, surprisingly, were impressed by my art too.

    And this is how it all started. I realized art can be used for good too, I realized art is a huge weapon that, if used wisely, can be a force for positive change in the world. Now I want to use my art to make the world a better place, help DAD in saving one of the most amazing places on Earth and also help myself get into college and keep developing my skills.

    My artwork is now available for purchase through Fine Art America. Here you can buy beautiful prints of my drawings, paintings and photographs, and help me make the world a better place!

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  2. Finishing the Year in Galapagos with Education and Vet Care!

    Morgan Nabhan, DAD veterinary services coordinator and UPenn Vet student

    dsc00167 Between December 9th and 22nd, three Darwin Animal Doctors volunteers are working in our clinic on the Galapagos islands. Dr. Gaelle Roth, a veterinarian currently practicing in Bermuda; Hannah Klein, a vet tech from Boston; and myself, are working for two weeks to try to reach as many animals as possible before the holidays.

    The first week of our campaign has been very successful. We treated a total of 64 animals so far, 37 of which were spays and neuters.

    In addition to routine vet care, we have had to deal with some emergency cases. A few days ago a little female bichon came into the clinic who was
    pregnant and had been straining to give birth for two days. Unfortunately, the papa dog was much larger than she was, so the puppies were too big for the mama. We ended up performing an emergency cesarean section to get the puppies out and save the mother, all while running the other routine DAD clinic activities. So far, the mama and her six puppies are doing well and the owner tells us that they are nursing at home just fine. Don’t worry, we also spayed mama dog while we were at it to avoid this happening again in the future!

    We have worked from about 7am to 9pm most days and are so happy to see the changes DAD’s work has brought about on the islands. I haven’t been here for about seven months, so any gradual changes are obvious to me. The local attitude towards animal care has significantly changed since I was last here. What I see now are most patients coming with leashes and collars, while back in June we had to give out leashes to the vast majority of people seeking veterinary care at our clinic. The fact that the majority of people now come with their own leashes and collars indicates that our education program has been quite successful!
    Keep an eye on our blog and Facebook page for more updates on the campaign!

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  3. Successful First Week of DAD’s December Campaign!

    dsc00137From December 8th to 22nd, the Darwin Animal Doctors clinic is open and operating thanks to our three fantastic volunteers – Dr. Gaelle Roth, a veterinarian currently practising in Bermuda; Morgan Nabhan, our veterinary services coordinator; and Hannah Klein, a vet tech from Boston. During the first week of the campaign, our three volunteers did the work of nine people, working from dawn to dusk, and treated a total number of 64 animals! Not only did they deal with emergency cases and routine exams, but they also spayed/neutered 37 animals (15 cats and 22 dogs) and helped in ensuring the future of the unique ecosystem of the islands by humanely reducing the population of invasive species!

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