Dogs, Doctors and Donations

D ...is for ... well ........Dogs!!



Each week in Havana, on average, 150 unloved dogs are destroyed.
The Spanky Project is supporting efforts for humane population control in Havana and other locations in Cuba.

D ...is for Doctors.



Joemel, Fermin, Ibrahim, Alexis, Portales,Livan, Eduardo,Luis and Juan are some of those I have come to know..
All of these Doctors have become compañeros in the fight for those that cannot speak.




















D ...is for donations
The work that the Doctors do with the dogs and other animals cannot be accomplished without donations of one kind or another.

Below
Jennifer (on the right) and her husband Yoan deliver supplies from Canada to Dr. Margarita Acosta (left). Margarita is the President of the Consejo Cientifico Veterinaro for the Province of Camaguey.
If you care to deliver much needed supplies, I have contacts in Trinidad,Sancti Spiritus, Camaguey, Holquin and Havana. (Varadero coming soon)

Cats Consejo Cientifico

C .... is for Cats



While in Havana the Spanky Project provided, through donations, the funding for a 100 Cat Spay / Neuter Campaign.
The campaign was completed in four sessions between February 17 and March 23.
85 females 15 males.
















Ever wonder what Cubanos name their cats?
Here are the names of the 100 patients:
Misita,Motica,Niña,Malu,Bruji.Suricata,Mariposa,Miosoti,Matica,
Domec,Misu,Moñito,Suca,Via,Nora,Monica,Bebe,Lola,Mini,Yosy,
Mei,Tigre,Leidy,Kenia,Musa,Nefer,Ramiro,Julieta,Suca,Duquesa,
Olaf,Eric,Laura,Sissi,Niña,Grisi,Omar,Milagro,Lisi,Tito,
Cintia,Maya,Sabina,Niña,Nani,Negra,Negrita,Mariposa,Mimosa,
Misuca,Enclenque,Benita,Tigresita,Pantera,Isabelita,Mariposit,Jimena,Luci,
Shakira,Misitin,Misouri,Tigre,Boro,Mariposa,Orus,Luci,Muchi,Macha,
Minina,Miqu,Tita,Beliña,Cuki,Lili,Negrita,Motica,Ali,Hanny,Suri,
Blanca,Lequima,Misa,Lili,Mariposita,Chula,Linda,Sissy,Pelusa,
Cariñosa,Lupi,Alzu,Pipa,Lea,Fifita,Yoyi,Niña,Mariposa,Mican,Via,
Misugata.


C... is for Consejo Cientifico Veterinario de Cuba.

The Consejo has been very supportive of the efforts of the Spanky Project.

Official announcement of Centennial celebrations in December 2008
The Cuban Veterinary Scientific Council calls its members and related national, foreign and international institutions and associations to participate in the activities that will be held during next year at the level of its base structures, provincial branches and National Executive Bureau to mark the centenary in December 2008 of its foundation.

Once the Free School of Veterinary Medicine was founded in April 10, 1907 at the request of Professor Dr. Francisco Etchegoyen y Montane, a number of veterinarians who had graduated at different colleges abroad defended their titles, organized themselves and proposed the creation of the Asociacion Nacional de Medicina Veterinaria de Cuba (National Association of Veterinary Medicine of Cuba), which was registered the 14th of December 1908 at the provincial government of Havana. Subsequently, the association was given other names, such as: Asociacion de Medicos Veterinarios (1933), Colegio Nacional de Veterinaria (1939), and later Colegio Nacional de Medicina Veterinaria name that was kept until 1962 when it was renamed Colegio Nacional de Ciencia Veterinarias. Veterinarians always remained united in order to fulfill their professional tasks, create scientific sections and coordinate meetings and congresses.

In 1967, by Resolution No. 17 of the Instituto Nacional de Medicina Veterinaria (national veterinary services) of August 28, it was agreed to name the veterinary organization Consejo Cientifico Veterinario de Cuba (Cuban Veterinary Scientific Council), whose mission for forty years has been to unite and integrate professionals, technicians and workers in the field of veterinary sciences with the main purpose of facilitating the continuous technological and scientific improvement of its members. This has been achieved thanks to the work of the scientific societies that additionally have organized many scientific meetings and veterinary congresses of national and international scope throughout the years.

The celebration of the 100 years of the foundation of the veterinary medical association is a duty and a great honor for today’s veterinarians, continuators of the task of many distinguished professionals and scientists as well as significant personalities of Cuba’s social life and history that throughout the different years have been members.

It will be a great pleasure to see our members and friends celebrating and participating together in the commemorative activities for the centenary of the foundation of our association.

Dr. Fermin M. Palazuelos Tuset
President
Cuban Veterinary Scientific Council
Havana

B...is for Barbara don't call me Barb.
Apparently a barb is something on a fishing hook and this seemed to be a sticking point. I learned very early to go with the full Barbara and only after several days of Cuban cultural immersion did I attempt to use Barbarita.
I mention the above with a smile on my face. Barbara was an absolute joy to spend time with both on a professional and a social level.

Barbara is a “Veterinaria” from Montana, USA. This was the first time I had spent time in Cuba with a foreign Veterinary professional. This turned into a very busy and productive trip. I wonder if Barbara, in her planning, thought we would be as busy as we were. I didn’t.

Introductory meetings,


Veterinary clinic visits,

two spay campaigns,

visits to the homes of Protectoras.

and a ranch.

It was a real pleasure to spend two week in Cuba with a Veterinary professional.
I now count Barb ...oops... Barbarita among my friends.

ABCs

I always struggle with the blogging of my adventures in Cuba.
In an effort to do something different I’m going to give you the ABCs.
The idea for this approach came from my partner. Check out Mags Kandis’ Blog.

A...is for Aduana which equals Cuban Customs.

As per any airport this is the second layer of bureaucracy you may encounter. After you spend time with an Immigration official where your picture will be taken you exit to have your carry-on Xrayed.
Next stop is the luggage carousal where depending how long you waited in que at Immigration your bags may actually be waiting for you. Should you find a chalk mark X on your bags, X-rays have detected something Aduana wants to see. Should you be X free and have nothing to declare head for the exit.

A...is for Aniplant equals Asociación Cubana para la Protección y Bienestar Animal y de Plantas.

I have been helping the animals of Havana since 2003 and have not, until this trip, met with a member of the executive of Aniplant. This trip I would meet the President. I appreciate any group that is helping the animals of Havana and Cuba.
For additional insight into Aniplant please visit Liz Orton’s Naufraga blog.



A... is for Amparo which means “Protection” in English

Profesora Amparo Lopez is the head of the Dulce Maria Loynaz group. They are a working group of the University of Havana.
I have known and worked with Amparo since 2003. She works tirelessly with the Spanky Project and the Veterinary community in developing a program in Centro Havana for the betterment of animal.