And so it began.

Each of our mornings began with a short walk up the Prado to meet our 

'57 Ford Fairlane

We had a great driver.

A sure ride in the morning.

At the end of our day a phone call would have him waiting for us at our designated time.

If you are looking for a reliable driver drop me a line.

How about this for a walk from the street to our "clinic"?

The first morning of our campañas is always a thrill.

To think of our humble beginnings is 2003 and how far we have come.

While giving my greetings to the team on our first morning I came

up with a Rock 'n Roll analogy.

"In 2003 the Spanky Project started as a garage band ... now we are playing arenas".

Yes in our early days we did hold our spay/neuter clinics on kitchen tables and in garages.

Now, thanks to the Oficina del Historiador we have a permanent home for our campañas.

The beautiful Quinta de los Molinos is our "clinic"

We had the great honour of having three veterinary professors  from the 

 Universidad Autónoma de México join us for our World Spay Day 2017 week.

Thanks to the Consejo Cientifico Veterinario de Cuba we we introduce to...

 Dra.Leslie Santiago Sánchez, Dra.Norma  Solis Alanis and Dr Eduardo Tellez Reyes-Retana 

We are so please to share with you this news!

Dra.Leslie will join us again in 2018

A big thank you goes out husband and wife team Drs. Nana & Leyssan.

They, in addition to their respective jobs, work tirelessly to coordinate our campañas.

On our opening day our first patient was a French Bulldog whose caregiver is 

a Canadian working in Cuba.

Dr.Travers did the clinical exam and followed up with the surgery.

Each campaña finds us with a special case or two.

Stella was a special case. The short nosed shape of the French bulldog was a cause for concern to Cuban Vets when considering Stella for sterilization. Her caregiver was waiting for the clinic she attended to get gas for their anaesthesia machine. He consulted with us. We said we would insert and airway and do the surgery with our injectable anaesthetic protocol.

Stella came procedure went without issue and went straight into recovery...

... where each patient is given the upmost of care and attention.

Note the hot water bottles on Stella to bring up her body temperature.

Anaesthesia decreases the bodies ability to regulate it's temperature.

Sometimes a little warming is needed.

 After recover it is time for discharge. 

Dr.Travers gives post op/recovery instructions to Stella's people.

 A big thank you to Bryant, Stella's caregiver.

He left us a very nice donation which covered the entire team's lunches for the entire campaña.

Join Bryant in supporting our work in Cuba.

"Help Cubans Help Their Animals"

Donating is made easy at 

GoFundMe

Follow Your Dreams.

In 2006 the Spanky Project signed a Carta de Intencion with the 

Consejo Cientifico Veterinario de Cuba (CCVC).

It is under their umbrella we work.

Created in 1908 the CCVC is a national NGO representing over a dozen aspects of 

Cuban Veterinary medicine.

Dr. Fermín Manuel Palazuelos - President CCVC 2006

In 2011 the Spanky Project made a more formal pact with the CCVC.

It was Dra.Amaro, widow of the late Dr.Fermin,  who facilitated the 

Convenio de Colaboración.

On December 14, 2016, the 108th anniversary of the CCVC, a great honour was bestowed upon me.

That being made an...

Honourary Member

Dra.Betty Amaro - President CCVC

I took this opportunity to say a few words...

and in Spanish.

My heartfelt thanks to the Consejo for this wonderful honour. 

As Betty knows I have resisted this moment for years. 

The Spanky Project has never been about me. 

By virtue of it’s guiding spirit it is about …. 

Cuba

It is about …

the hopes and dreams of those who want to better the lives of animals. 

It is about..

the animals. 

So, I accept this honour in the name of the Spanky Project and of those who go after their dreams to make them reality. 

The Spanky Project has been helping Cubans help their animals since 2003. 

The project was born out of the love for a furry friend, my four-legged soul mate, my dog Spanky. 

In 2006 the Consejo, under then President Dr. Fermín Manuel Palazuelos Tuset., signed a Carta de Intención with the Spanky Project.

In 2011 we this turned into a more formal Convenio de Colaboración.

The Consejo gave us a foundation to build upon and I am forever grateful to Fermin, to Dra.Betty Amaro and to the Consejo in general for seeing the value of our work and to share our dream. 

Dreams are easier to achieve with help and friends by your side. 

If you want to go fast go alone

If you want to go far…. go together

Let us go together.

As Che so wisely said: Seamos realistas y hagamos lo imposible.
                                            (Let's be realists and do the impossible)

With all my heart I thank you all.

The road is long and I am grateful you are on it with us.

I encourage all of you to follow that dream you have.

Follow your dream and amazing happens.

WSD 2016 The Clinic Days

Our World Spay Day 2016 Week Campaña in Havana wrapped up Friday February 26. 

In five days we sterilizations 248 dogs and cats.

On Saturday our mass deparasitization event treated 348. 

Rabies vaccine was administered to all that needed the shot.

 Each of our campañas opens with introductions and orientations.

 Clinic protocols are also outlined.

 Casa Calderone's amphitheatre was the ideal location for our morning meetings.

Veterinary Students are the future for Cuba's animals. 

It is an honour for us to be a small part of crafting that future.

 Dr.Raymond Donavan, from Trinidad & Tobago, spends some time greeting at registration.

Dr.(Russo)Viacheslav Eduardovich Zenkov and Spanky Project's Director of Veterinary Medicine Dr.Michael Belovich guide students through the "sedation and induction" department.

It is always great to have these exchanges of mutual support

Dr.Russo and his team do great work in the province of Matanzas.

We always welcome them to our campañas in Havana.

Our surgical suite had four tables.

For the most part a Cuban Vet and one of our International Team 

members would work together.

Here Dr.Ramond shares some of his "fancy knots" with Dra.Rocio.

Humane traps ready to be deployed.

 Since 2006 the Spanky Project has worked under the umbrella of the Consejo Cientifico Veterinario de Cuba (CCVC). The veterinary council is a Cuban NGO created in 1908.  President of the CCVC, Dra.Beatriz Amaro came by for a visit.

Dra.Nana (in blue) is the Queen of Recovery.

The students love this stop on their rotation.

Despite several efforts to channel her to another department she refuses to leave her "realm".

Dr.Fernado takes some time out to administer some holistic therapy Dra.Nora.

Nora is the Institute of Veterinary Medicine's Director for the City of Havana.

We are grateful to the IMV for the trust they place in us and the support they give us in our work.

In addition to the sterilizations we do hold consultations

 on any concerns caregivers have with their pets

As we begin the day with a group meeting so do we end the day.

The head of each department gives a summary of their day.

The good ... the bad ... the ugly.

We want to hear it all and improve day by day. 

Dr.Leyssan and, final year Veterinary Student , Ernesto 

bottle feed some kittens at the end of the day.

All the hard work all the time and all the expense that goes into making these campañas a reality has a big payoff for me in the simplest of ways.

One day I was out of the clinic for a couple of hour to attend a meeting.

Upon my return I was to that two ladies wanted to meet me.

Their pets had been released earlier from surgery but they stuck around because the wanted to meet "el Jefe" (the boss).

Through a translator they expressed their gratitude and thanks for 

the opportunity and great work are doing.

I also had a gentleman that came up to me with a gift.

He thanked me and gave me a package of cigarettes.

"Gracias señor but I do not smoke"

He paused and said, "take them.... maybe you will start again".

We had a good laugh!!!!

The final event of our officlal program was a mass deparasitization and rabies clinic.

This was held in the streets of Habana Vieja.

Thank you to the Cuban structure known as Zoonosis. 

They provided the rabies vaccine for the whole week.

The last order of business for WSD 2016 Week was the wrap party.

We gathered at the Hotel Conde de Villanueva in the heart of Habana Vieja.

 Looking down on our group I was very moved.

Moved by, how out of the love for a little dog the dream of  project has become a reality.

Thankful for those that have joined us on our path.

The Spanky Project has come a long way since it's beginnings in 2003.

Gracias a todos!

I will leave you with these few minutes from our WSD2016 wrap party.

VetTrek - Day 3

Wednesday December 1, 2010

This was another busy day.

We arrived for a historic event in a 1946 Ford and were warmly greeted by
Dr. Carlos Yrurzun Estrada
of the Universidad Agraria de la Habana

Assembled on this morning, at the Consejo Cientifico Veterinario de Cuba, were Cuban and Canadian Veterinarians. We were here to partake in the first Cuba - Canada Veterinarians Day.
This is the first time Canadian Veterinarians have been invite to speak before this century old institution.

My deepest appreciation goes to the Canadian Government for recognizing this event.
I was my pleasure to deliver greetings from the
Canadian Minister of Agriculture, Gerry Ritz.

As Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food for Canada, I am pleased to learn of the first Cuba–Canada Veterinary Day. Our two countries have a strong and long-standing tradition of co-operation and trade in animals and animal products. I was particularly interested to learn that animal welfare is a key theme. As a former producer and breeder myself, I share a concern for the welfare of animals, and I believe that animals should be protected from unnecessary suffering. Delegates may be interested to learn that Canada has developed several unique approaches to addressing animal welfare. The combination of regulatory measures and collaborative non-regulatory measures can be beneficial to advancing animal welfare. I invite all delegates to review the work of Canada’s National Farmed Animal Care Council and of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the federal regulatory authority for animal health and welfare.

Also, my local Federal representative sent his greetings.

Greetings Everyone! Please accept my most sincere congratulations as you celebrate the first Cuba - Canada Veterinarians Day. On this important occasion it is only fitting to take time to recognize the efforts of all the members and volunteers who have made this day possible. The had work and dedication that goes into bringing projects like these to fruition are a tremendous accomplishment, one in which you should be very proud. The benefits of sharing valuable resources and information focusing on a common goal will not only benefit animal welfare, pet protection and the protection of the environment but our Countries as a whole. Congratulations on your efforts so far, and continued success in the days to come. Sincerely, Daryl Kramp, M.P. Prince Edward - Hastings

We had a full to overflow crowd for this First Cuba-Canada Veterinarians Day.

Dr. Belovich began with a presentation on "Pain Protocols for Cats".
Gladys Morales, the Spanky Project's representative in Cuba, provided the Spanish translations.

Dr. Belovich and Dr.Pallet demonstrated handling techniques for cats and dogs.
Much to the dismay of the cat.
Dr.Travers spoke on the topic of choke.

Her able assistant, Dr.Yrurzun, proved ... you can have fun with a stomach tube.

Part two of the equine presentation covered lameness in horses.
Radiographs were used to present interesting cases.

Dr. Carlos Yrurzun seemed to be a little perplexed by the uniqueness of this "hoof tester".Photo - S.Hulich
Dr.Belovich explained that Cubans are not the only ones that can make something out of nothing.

hoof tester:shaped like a pair of large pincers. One of the blades is placed on apparently normal hoof and the other on the part to be tested. If there is a flinch response when the handles are squeezed this is taken as an indication of pain at one of the pressure sites.


The first Cuba-Canada Veterinarians Days was a pleasure for Cubans and Canadians alike.
The ladies of the Spanky Project were presented with gladiolas and all in attendance received certificates of participation.
Photo - S.Hulich

Dra. Betty Amaro poses with Dr.Gispert and myself.
Dra.Amaro is President of the Consejo Cientifico Veterinario de Cuba.
She is also the wife of the previous President, my dear departed friend,
Dr. Fermin M. Palazuelos Tuset.

At the end of the scheduled program the interchange continued.

Our next stop of the day was Clínica Veterinaria ¨Jose Luis Callejas¨on Calle Carlos III
Located on this site from 1943 –1976 was the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
In 1976, the school moved to San Jose de las Lajas.
Today this is the location of Havana’s largest Veterinary Clinic...
.

... which houses a laboratory that receives specimens from clinics around Havana.
¨Jose Luis Callejas¨ is also the only destination for 24 hour clinical care in Havana

Third stop of the day !!
La Quinta de los Molinos is a national monument located in the City of Havana , Cuba . Important for having been the residence of the Captains General during the colonial period, the residence of the hero Maximo Gomez and host to the Havana Botanical Garden and Museum Maximo Gomez .
After a presentation of the rejuvenation project we toured the grounds.


Work in progress ....... Work completed


Like any good botanical garden this location has become a wedding photo backdrop.

Part of the rejuvenation is a avian breeding program.
Juan Finca explains some of the finer points of the program.
Nothing could be finer than the "footwear" on this pretty bird.

Along these paths we came across some dogs that have made Quinta de los Molinos their home.
Gispert told us there are plans to spay/neuter them.
Always at the ready, we did an impromptu deparasitization.
As we came to the end of our tour each of us were handed a bird.
We were a little befuddled by this.
Once we each had a bird in hand and after a few kind words we were told to release the birds in honour of the Spanky Project's visit.



It is wonderful to see the rejuvenation of this urban oasis of green.
The Spanky Project is honoured to be included in this project.
We said goodbye to our new friends with the promise to return and to
collaborate on a program or two.

These will likely include technical and material assistance with the bird breeding program as well as support for the dog population.

Meet Pica ....
We met this little bundle of energy the night before.
She followed us from La Bodeguita de Medio up Calle Obispo to Parque Central before saying goodnight.
On this evening Pica was waiting for us as we exited dinner at Hanoi.
I told Dr.Belovich that if Pica found us on the next night he would have to take her home.