“With Endings Come New Beginnings.”

Spanky

1995 - 2003

“One moment can change a day, one day can change a life and one life can change the world.” 

– Buddha

A few years ago I heard cover of Neil Young's

Heart Of Gold.

It was a version by Passenger.

The video was an emotional viewing for me.

I did find my "Heart of Gold".

It was a Friday 22 years ago, today, we bade "adios" to Spanky.

It was a day filled with her favourite things...

restaurant patio time and finally eating that tuna sandwich...

pizza at the ballpark...

and a walk on the beach .

September 5, 2003 was not to be the end of her story...

"The end is never the end. It's always the beginning of something."

-Kate Lord Brown

"Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle,

 and the life of that candle will not be shortened"

.... on December 14, 2003 that first candle was lit.

The Spanky Project was born with the goal of..

"Helping Cubans help their animals"

“Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it.” 
... she gave me that purpose!

December 14 will be our 22th Anniversary.
May Spanky's legacy carry on ... well beyond my years.

In 2024 we performed 888 spay/neuter surgeries.

In May 2025 we did 640 enroute to...

 hopefully 1000+ for the year.

Join us in this beautiful work.

If You Teach It ... They Will Come.

International Women’s Day 2025 theme

The Government of Canada’s theme for International Women’s Day 2025

 Strength in every story

This year’s theme highlights the importance of amplifying the voices of all women, particularly those who continue to face barriers to success. Creating opportunities for women and girls unlocks their potential and drives innovation, and helps ensure a sustainable future for all.

Every woman’s story is a testament to resilience, determination, and the power of opportunity. 

This International Women’s Day, celebrate the women and girls in your life and share their stories.

From February 24 - 28 the Spanky Project was on the ground in Havana.

We celebrated women ahead of 

International Women's Day ( March 8, 2025)

Our most important event mirrored the theme above.

We taught a course in surgery for female vet students and young female veterinarians. 

This specialized training was aimed at advancing their understanding and practical knowledge in order to help them help animals in the future.

This was the first of it's kind opportunity in Cuba.

Spanky Project is so proud to lead they way.

Each student was given a set of surgical instruments gifted by

 Erica Balzer Higgins,

 an associate of Dr. Amanda.

 Suture practice pads were funded by longtime supporter, Roz Diamond

On the final day of the course, the students of our first Spanky Project surgery course and workshop were able to put their training into practice. We held a small sterilization campaign and every student was able to do some hands-on learning under the supervision of Dr. Amanda and Dr. Leyssan. 

Dra Amanda literally guiding the hands of Dra Patricia during a spay surgery.

The first surgery of the day was Perri, who belongs to our coordinator, Lianet. 

Dr. Amanda demonstrated every step while the students looked on.

Perri in recovery!

In order to allow our students to focus on proper preparation and surgical techniques, many of our Spanky family members came to do fill the other supporting roles (registration, health exams, anesthesia, instrument cleaning, recovery) and we are grateful for their support. 

They were all Spanky students at some point (some since 2016) 

and wanted to help the future vets learn too. 

We are so proud of you all.

There is a certain mindset and misconceptions that contribute the hindrance of women getting the opportunity and training they so much want.

In closing we saw the following messages in social media..

"The surgical skills of veterinarians are invaluable, but their female sensitivity makes them prefer to attend postoperative care in the Surgical Recovery Area. 

Or be at the reception of the michis and firulais, to ensure a good surgical preparation.

Or else in the Sedacion Department, ensuring safe anesthesia induction.

All this translates into that, often, it is the male part that is engaged in the surgical act. 

++++

"For Arelys León Laurenti “it was a wonderful and unique opportunity to be able to demonstrate the value of women within surgery in veterinary medicine.” In her opinion, it turned out to be the best occasion to be able to receive a class from the prestigious Dr. Amanda Bruce. It was incredible. "Hopefully it will be repeated". "

+++++

"Thanks to Dr.Amanda Bruce who has trusted us Cuban women veterinarians and has helped to demonstrate that we can be excellent surgeons and that we must ignore people with misconceptions that women's "sensitivity" is a barrier to play the role."

Behind the mask is a surgeon.

Be they male or female.

Given the opportunity and training there is a surgeon.

Thank you 

Civil Heritage Society, Community and Environment (SCPCMA) 

and 

Havana City Historian's Office (OHCH)

for your collaboration and support.

You can now donate without leaving our blog.

Safe secure and you get an instant tax receipt.

Sisters Doin' It For Themselves

WHAT?????

The Spanky Project is returning to Havana to teach a course in surgery for female vet students and young female veterinarians. This specialized training will advance their understanding and practical knowledge in order to help them help animals in the future. 

The Spanky Project aims to provide this training so that more women can work with us 

as surgeons on our sterilization campaigns.

In the photo below Dr Amanda is teaching knot tying to a group of female vet professionals during a break at our Campaign in Trinidad last September.

Below are some comments 

from our social media posting 

about this opportunity

"Thank you so much for helping our vets with your knowledge."

"Big thanks to Spanky Project for giving better training to our vets"

Thank you so much for helping train our veterinary surgeons in the practice of the profession. 

Spanky Project USA greetings and blessings from Havana, Cuba 🇨🇺🇨🇺🇨🇺. We are waiting for you!!!

"Excellent project I would like to know the place and the date as well as the requirements to participate I am a veterinarian." 

It's a beautiful project, greetings to all.

Also during our weeks worth of activities....

The Spanky Project will be offering FREE deworming, ear cleaning, and nail trims in partnership with SCPCMA on February 28th in La Havana Vieja.

MORE EXCITING NEWS!

Free rabies vaccines will also be offered at the event.

Please join us by supporting this important work.

GIVING TUESDAY!

GIVING TUESDAY!

2024 saw us resume our sterilization campañas.

With our June Havana campaña we set a one week record of 654.

Then in September our team rocked Trinidad with 234.

That's

888

for the year!

THIS IS HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO.

We look forward to 2025.

Our goal is to surpass 1000 for the year.

WON'T YOU JOIN US!

Help us...

Help Cubans Help Their Animals

What is GIVING TUESDAY! 

This video from 2013 explains it all.

Please consider a donation on this GIVING TUESDAY.

If you can ... spread out your giving over the year with a small monthly donation.

For our supporters in the USA .

Visit 

Spanky Project USA 

on Facebook for details

It's a Great Time to Give!

Join the Great Canadian Giving Challenge!

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Great Canadian Giving Challenge,

and it’s bigger and better than ever! 

For every $10 donation you make to the Spanky Project or any charity via CanadaHelps.org in the month of June, you get one entry to win incredible adventure-themed prizes. 

• Ten (10) gift cards to travel agency redtag.ca valued at $500 each.
• Ten (10) Discovery Passes from Parks Canada valued at $75.25 each.
• Twenty (20) Charity Gift Cards from CanadaHelps CanaDon in the value of $25 CAD each to be used as a donation to the recipient’s choice of Canadian charity on CanadaHelps.org.

Also there will be two prizes of $10,000 donations to two charities!

Oh... what we could do with $10,000

Won't you please join our team with your donation.

The Spanky Project has returned from our most successful campaña ever.

Our campaña in Havana saw us Spay/Neuter 

654 Cats/Dogs

Of course this all comes at a cost.

We are preparing for our next Cuban campañas.

September will see us in the colonial town of Trinidad.

December we are back in Havana.

We need your help to make this possible.

• 
  Thank You!
  We are so happy you did.
  
  

Veinte Años!

Spanky

1995 - 2003

“One moment can change a day, one day can change a life and one life can change the world.” 

– Buddha

A few years ago I heard cover of Neil Young's

Heart Of Gold.

It was a version by Passenger.

The video was an emotional viewing for me.

I did find my "Heart of Gold".

Twenty years ago, today, we bade "adios" to Spanky.

It was a day filled with her favourite things...

restaurant patio time and finally eating that tuna sandwich...

pizza at the ballpark...

and a walk on the beach .

September 5, 2003 was not to be the end of her story...

"Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle,

 and the life of that candle will not be shortened"

.... on December 14, 2003 that first candle was lit.

The Spanky Project was born with the goal of..

"Helping Cubans help their animals"

“Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it.” 
... she gave me that purpose!

Que 20 años atrás

Con qué tristeza miramos

Un amor que se nos va

Es un pedazo del alma

Que se arranca sin piedad

That 20 years ago

With what sadness we look

A love that is leaving us

It's a piece of the soul

That is mercilessly torn away

December 14 will be our 20th Anniversary.
May Spanky's legacy carry on ... well beyond my years.

Join us in this beautiful work.