Animal Welfare Bahamas, The Project #55970

Spay and Neuter 10,000 Dogs & Cats In The Bahamas

by Baark!

Project Report | Jun 12, 2024
June 2024 - Baark! Quarterly Report

By Sarah Kennedy | Baark! Volunteer

Dear Baark! Supporters,

Here's a quick update on what we've been up to over the last few months! As always, we are inundated with calls and requests for assistance, and we're working tirelessly to help as many animals as possible.

Currently, the Baark! Mobile clinic (Cleo) is operating in Nassau at Warboys House (the old Punch location) on Ajax Street. We’re open Tuesday through Saturday. Having this community hub enables targeted sterilizations and focused education for maximum impact.

We are thrilled to introduce our new vet, Dr. Dan! Here’s a little more from him:

"I came as a first-year vet student for OP 2013, where I helped at the Carmichael clinic—my first-ever experience with a spay and neuter clinic. After coming back in 2014, I have been hooked on rescue work. Laura and I have been in talks for the past year about getting me down to help more regularly. After OP 2024, we decided to work together for the foreseeable future and bring my new ideas and surgical techniques to fruition in the Bahamas. This is my sixth trip down to the Bahamas, and it's starting to feel like home. Since returning, I have noticed such an incredible difference in the condition of the street animals over the past decade. When I first came down, half the street dogs were skinny and hairless from parasites and mange. Now, this number is dramatically reduced, and we aim to continue to improve the health and quality of life of these animals and reduce suffering further. We also aim to educate citizens regarding the importance of vaccination, spay/neuter, and regular deworming/flea+tick prevention. The team I work with is incredible, and we're excited to help as many animals as possible." – Dan

The last weekend of May, a team from Naples Coastal Animal Hospital in Florida flew into Nassau to volunteer their time and participate in a Baark! collaborative MASH clinic. Prior to the weekend, our outreach coordinator visited the Chippingham area, informing pet owners about the upcoming clinic and scheduling appointments. Other 'clients' consisted of either walk-ins or animals brought in by our trapping team using TNR (trap-neuter-return). During the clinic, the team completed just under 100 sterilizations and provided preventative care (heartworm, flea, and tick prevention). This was also a great opportunity to educate residents on the importance of spay/neuter and responsible pet care and ownership.

Dr. Sterling Sigmound from Naples Coastal Animal Hospital said, "This was an amazing opportunity for our staff who are always looking for ways to make a difference in the lives of animals everywhere."

In other news about our work on the family islands:

The weekend of March 21st to 23rd, we held a clinic in South Andros. We’re happy to report that we completed 120 spay and neuters, making a big difference to the community there.

We are also working regularly with a team in Freeport, Grand Bahama, to assist with spay and neuters. So far this year, we have contributed to 69 sterilizations, following on from the 202 fixes in 2023.

Additionally, we have secured three different locations and dates for spay/neuter clinics on the island of Eleuthera towards the end of the year. You can see the flyer we are using to canvas and make appointments; more information on these clinics can be found on our website.

Thank you so much for your continued support and donations!

Everyone on the Baark! team

Links:

Baark! Website

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Feb 22, 2024
Baark! Quarterly Report - February 2024

By Sarah Kennedy | Baark!

Hello everyone and welcome to our first update of 2024 !

Spay / Neuter Update:

We’re happy to report that in 2023 Baark! helped facilitate 4,381 dogs and cats get spay and neutered - this was thanks to amazing donors such as yourselves.

January was a very busy month as The Baark! team were an integral part of Operation Potcake 2024 which was held at 5 clinics across Nassau 18-27th. Joining forces with The Bahamas Humane Society, Animal Balance plus 100 international and local volunteers, we were able to help complete an amazing 2,253 spay and neuters in 8 days.

Baark! People Spotlight

Our team is made up of some amazing and dedicated people that work tirelessly day in and day out to help as many animals as they possibly can. We thought this was a good chance for you to get to know a little more about one of them. We’re delighted to introduce you to Steffi - one of our trapping and spay/neuter experts:

I love what I do ! Tali Nunez and I started capturing dogs with one cage and a rope on a beach where I had found seven malnourished pups, terrified of people. Went there everyday with tin of food and fresh water. After seven days the little ones were following me! Scooped them up, fostered them, kept the two that did not get adopted. Those mangy, malnourished pups got me thinking that something had to change. In 2009 Baark! formed and the village of animal rights people started to grow!

Briefly, why am I SO PROUD to be a member of Baark! the animals cannot help that they are born. They are born into various circumstances, some good and caring, some horrific and uncaring. My particular focus is on the loosely owned, feral street animals. Every street animal we fix gets medication, vaccination in hopes that their existence while remaining alive will be more comfortable in the community they live in. These are the communities in which we try to educate people that animals are part of their ‘block’ and deserve to live out their lives with a bit of compassion, and a bit of care. I am proud to be a member of Baark! because we are compassionately making a tangible difference for every tail we spay and neuter! Stephanie Kesten, Feb '24

Being out on the streets collecting with Steffi is perhaps one of the most inspiring activities one can do. She knows exactly what to say to people to help to educate our community about general animal guardianship and reasons why to spay/neuter their animals. Despite what she sees each day she keeps going. I love witnessing her interacting with people and feel so grateful she is part of the Baark! family.

Laura, Baark! President

Links:

Baark! Website

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Oct 26, 2023
October 2023 - Baark! Quarterly Update

By Sarah Kennedy | Baark! Volunteer

Hello Everyone !

You’re receiving this update because you have donated to Baark ! in the past and we wanted to tell you about an amazing milestone. Since our inception in 2009, Baark! has now completed 30,525 spay and neuters ! We are super proud of this achievement , its taken a lot effort on the part of our hard working volunteers, but YOU should also be proud that your donation has helped to make this happen – so thank you!

Keeping with spay and neuter updates – for 2023 so far we have completed a total of 3,461 fixes at the clinic which includes 1,545 cats and 1,916 dogs.

For the past few months our mobile clinic, Cleo has been located at Warboys House, our in the Bain and Grants Town / Over-the -Hill area. This area is densely populated with dogs and cats and there are a lot of families who have been enthusiastic about getting their animals spayed and neutered. Our continued presence has highlighted the importance of animal welfare and the community is taking notice. We have been giving out Baark! pet food bowls along with educational colouring books and crayons to the local kids to help them learn about pet care in a fun way.

Highlights from the past quarter have also including Baark! once again teaming up with their Oregon partner Street Dog Hero for Fundraising, Spay & Neuter and Adoption! Mercy for Animals member and Street Dog Hero Volunteer Alex held a fundraising drive for our spay and neuter efforts while attending a conference Nassau. Meanwhile her husband Corey hit the streets with the Mobile Clinic and the trapping team. Our organizations have come together several times this year with our shared passion for spay and neuter.

We are really excited that we are going to be a part of Operation Potcake 2024 which will take place in January in Nassau. This mass spay/neuter program over 10 days is going to be a continuation of our work with the aim to make massive and sustainable impact on the homeless animal population.

Thank you so much again for your continued support and belief in our cause ! We will keep putting your donations to good use and help as many animals in The Bahamas as we can.

Links:

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