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How do you start your day?
With Emma being vegan she comes to Cuba prepared.
Super Chunk no less

With the Spanky Project and Animal Balance veterinarians in town it was "showtime".

Months and months of planning, coordination and collaboration is put to the test.

Before our first clinic day, traps were left with colony keepers to be picked up the next day with the "patients".

Dairne was our go get gal for "pick up and delivery". She forged caring and trusting relationships with the keepers, who are very protective of their colonies

To keep Dairne happy we set her up with some fun wheels.

... and even a big red truck on occasion.

The portion of the clinic we occupied was made up of several exam rooms which we purposed. 

It was perfect for a TNR Campañna.

Check-in/Registration

This being Havana's first, we were not sure how successful we would be with trapping.
To ensure our veterinarians had a steady flow of patience we booked and additional 

20 pet cats per day.

 Anaesthesia Station.

Dr.Michael Belovich, of Yonge Street Animal Hospital in Toronto, ran this room.
Cats are weighed and then given the proper dose.

I always enjoy seeing the hand crafted carriers.

Prep Station

  Where the sedated and anaesthetized are prepped for surgery.

Depending on the veterinarian the cat is shaved for a flank spay or, as Frank is doing, a midline

Because cat’s eyes may dry out under anesthesia a lubricant is applied to keep them moist.

Surgery Station

Our surgical suite was fitted with four tables.

After surgery feral cats have an ear tipped.

Pet cats receive a tattoo.

RecoveryStation

Here cats are given post op meds and monitored.

Recovery/Discharge

 Dairne prepares to return colony cats.

 

Here some pet cats are on their way home.

Throughout the day, cats that have recovered overnight in the clinic are returned to their colony keepers.

I would like to send a big thank you to APAC-Varadero and Air Transat.

On an ongoing basis Air Transat sends, free of charge, carriers that have been collect in Canada to Varadero.

We were in need of carriers for recovery and APAC-Varadero came through for us.
Normally cats are recovered in traps.We had only 24 traps. 

To achieve our target numbers we needed more "recovery rooms"

Some colonies had cats that were friendly enough that they could be picked up and placed in carriers.
Thank you Ingrid for bringing them in from Cardenas.

Throughout the process, steps are taken to ensure the health and safety of the cats.
Here a note was placed on the trap, by one of the volunteers, for the veterinarians to 

"revisar el ojo derecho - check the right eye"

During our trips you never know who is going to drop in for a visit.

Big Bear, a good friend of Dr.Rocio and Frank, is a heavy Metal band promoter.
He has pledged to help with fundraising to support the work at the Carlos III clinic.
What do you think?
"Metal for Mutts"

Woofstock is taken.

 

At the end of each clinic day we have a little huddle.
Here, Gladys Morales, Spanky Project's Cuban representative, thanks our Cuban partners that worked with us on the day.
Some of you may recognize Slavik chief veterinarian with APAC-Varadero.

Our first two days saw us spay neuter 69 cats.

You would think that we were done for the day at this point.
NO!!

We head out to drop off traps and carriers to colony keepers.

Pobrecito Tony.
He will be in better shape when we do this again in December.