La Habana 500

Today, November 16, 2019, is Havana's 500th Anniversary.

The commemoration has taken place throughout 2019

The Spanky Project was part of these celebrations.

In February our goal was to provide sterilizations for 500 dogs/cats and in addition

 500 deparasitizations in separate events.

We even made up buttons to announce our goal.

Our Cuban team came from as far as far away as Guantanamo.

Veterinary students came from as far as Santi Spiritus to join us.

   Caregivers and their pets came from other provinces for the opportunity to have their pets sterilized; a service which is seldom available to them.

Our international team came from Canada, Mexico and the USA.

 Sterilization and education are what the Spanky Project is all about.

Every day at our campañas, while caregivers are waiting for their pets, we offer educational talks on animal care, health and welfare.

It is the path to humane population control and a reduction in the number of

 those abandoned in the streets.

The Spanky Project collaborates with

CEDA- cubanos en defensa de los animales

 They educate and facilitate adoption and rehoming of those rescued from the streets.

 Together we achieved our goals and more.

We blew past our target of 500 with an amazing 628 sterilizations done in 6 days.

 Much has been said in the past couple of weeks about 

Zoonosis (the dog catcher) 

collecting dogs in the streets ahead of the 500th anniversary.

Some of the comments have been sensational and less than truthful.

Zoonosis does have a purpose.

By definition Zoonosis is "a disease which can be transmitted to humans from animals."

I do not agree with the methods of collection and end of life for the street animals.

There is no guarantee these methods will change any time soon.

 Zoonosis supports our work in Habana Vieja.

They provide rabies vaccine 

 Dr.Luis, head of Zoonosis in Habana Vieja ,brings us rabies vaccine and issues the certificates.

This supports their mission, the prevention of transmissible disease.

Though the facts about Zoonosis collecting street dogs ahead of the 500th anniversary are murky, one thing is certain. 

They did not enter the tourist center of Habana Vieja where SP has been working to reduce the population of homeless dogs and cats.

The success of our sterilization campañas are proven in this fact.

STERILZATION and more STERILZATION is the path to less Zoonosis intervention.

Sterilization is what we are all about.

Our feet are on the ground and our hearts are in Cuba.

Help us help Cubans help their animals.

Be a part of our next Campaña.

 February 2020

We are aiming for 500 again.

$30 sponsors a sterilization

Help us put an end to homeless animals living lives of peril, disease and hunger.

Dispatches From Havana

On June 6th a deworming for the tourist coach horses was carried out in Habana Vieja.

The medication was provided by the Spanky Project.

Dr.Fernando Gispert applied the treatment.

We have collaborated with the Coopertiva de Cocheros for years and Fernando even longer.

Check out some of our past blog posts.

Here is the report we received.

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Asociación de Medicina Veterinaria de Cuba(AMVC)

Filial La Habana.

Evento: DESPARASITACION EQUINA

Fecha:6 DE junio de 2018

Lugar: COCHERA EQUINA DE TALLAPIEDRA, HABANA VIEJA. Diaria y Arroyo

Hora:8.00am

Sociedad Científica: Clínica y Cirugía Veterinaria

Clase: Práctica 

Coordinador: Fernando Gispert Muñoz. 

Patrocinadores: Oficinadel Historiador de la Ciudad, Spanky Project Canada; Sociedad Civil Patrimonio Comunidad y Medio Ambiente; Clínica Veterinaria “Laika”; AMVC La Habana.

Marco: Día Mundial del Medio Ambiente, Día Internacional de la infancia, Nacimiento de Antonio Maceo y Che.

Producto: Ivomec Merial. Lote: AD 161/14       FV:06/2019    500 ml

Gasto Medicamento: 380.4ml

Total: 56 animales

Ingresos: ninguno (gratis) 

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The event was held in celebration and memory of ..

International Children's Day - June 1

World Environment Day - June 5

Nacimiento (Birth of) de Antonio Maceo y Che Guevara - June 14

One of our mottos is a quote from Che

"Seamos realistas y hagamos lo imposible"

Let's be realists and do the impossible

Clinica Laika Sept 27

On this morning we held a small campaña at Clinica Laika in Habana Vieja.
For those of you that follow our blog you will know this is a home away from home for us.

As always proper attire is required.

Gladys, does it really take three guys to dress you?

Yamilis Correa from our sponsoring Cuban NGO brought her cat to the campaña.

It takes many people to make these campañas run smoothly.
Téc. Jordan Acosta Moya, from Quinta de los Molinos, always joins us and oversees the recovery room.

He also administers an antibiotic injection and tattoos the patient's ear.

Natacha Nuñes, a teacher at the Veterinary School,
attended with one of her students,Omar Peña.
Yordan shows the student his tattoo technique.

Dra. Arely Estébanez Suarez & Dr. Víctor Luís Montané work together.

Dra. Susana Landrian Iglesias

Even will all our efforts to provide a safe procedure there are sometimes complications.

Vlad is one of numerous dogs that are cared for by workers of various institutions in
Havana Vieja. In this case the Museo Orfebrería (silverware).

Dr.Belovich administered fluids, we brought from Canada, and kept watch over Vlad until his release.

On this morning...
dogs 5 neuters 4 spays
cats 2 neuters 5 spays
total 16

Once the instruments are packed away the collaboration continues.

Dr. Alexei Cabrera
Dr.Byron Maas
Dr.Michael Belovich
and
Dr.Fernando Gispert
get together to consult on an x-ray.

The sharing of experiences and techniques is a very important part of the
Spanky Project's mandate.

Not all of these involve veterinary care.

Alexei gives Byron an orientation and explains the technical aspects of his 1948 Whizzer.

It's a Record

Early morning, February 12th, they began to assemble in Habana Viaja.

photos by S.Hurlich

We began at 8:00 am. The cats and "their" people were first. They waited near the door for instructions. Another Esterilización Masiva Gratuita was underway in Habana Vieja.

Gladys, the Spanky Project's representative in Cuba, kept everyone well informed. Little did we all know - this was going to become record breaking day.

Later the dogs and their people arrived. Once in the reception area, patient and caregiver information was recorded.

The patients were weighed and given a sedative.

Once again, an excellent team of Cuban veterinary personnel had assembled.

They donate their time to these campañas that provide free spay/neuters. The recovery area filled up quite quickly.

It was good to have some extra help. Christina, from Florida based Peluma, dropped by to lend a hand.

Education is an important component of these very successful campañas. As caregivers prepared to pick-up their dogs and cats they had an opportunity to take away literature on a variety of pet care topics.

Special thanks go to Sergio Chan (left) and Bayer Animal Health for their ongoing support, and Ulice Acosta (right) of the Society for Heritage, Community and the Environment (SPCMA) SPCMA, our Cuban sponsor. More thanks go to ... Jessica (left) for escaping a Montreal winter to help out in Havana. and to ... Pauline and Gilbert (man in red) of Redtail Vineyard for helping haul supplies for the Spanky Project's work in Havana.

We were done by 2:00 pm. My thanks go to you all.

27 Cat 56 Dogs A record breaking day!