International Veterinary Outreach

Dodoma Region Tanzania: Between October 11th and 30th IVO teamed up with two local organizations Tanzania Animal Welfare Society & Animal Smile Africa in Dodoma Tanzania to provide training for students at two different veterinary institutes Sokoine University of Agriculture & Visele Livecrop Skills Training Centre and to offer direct care for animals in need. Additionally IVO worked closely with Tanzania Animal Welfare Society and conducted internal training for capacity building. IVO collaboratively worked with the four groups to reduce rabies transmission by vaccinating and offering other treatments that keep communities safer from infectious and parasitic diseases. During our trip we offered classroom training and fieldwork practicals for a total of 43 local veterinary professionals on small animal dog & cat health & welfare topics. We offered veterinary aid in two marginalized communities provided vet care for 414 dogs cats and offered a unique spay neuter training opportunity for early career veterinarian and veterinary students while sterilizing 49 animals. This visit was our second phase in Tanzania and it was considered a large step forward at increasing veterinary capacity in a country where well-trained veterinarians are greatly needed to improve welfare standards scale humane population control and prevent rabies transmission.

Annapurna Conservation Area Nepal: From September 15th to October 4th and in collaboration with three other NGOs Snow Leopard Conservancy SLC Animal Nepal and Mountain Spirit IVO conducted the second phase of its initiative in Nepal. The four NGOs planned it's first collaborative One-Health-One-Welfare training for paraveterinary professionals working in the Manang District of the Annapurna. The first three days included official meetings with local stakeholders and classroom lessons for the 17 paraveterinarian trainees to improve animal health outcomes and welfare standards in domestic animals in addition to learn best practices in wildlife conflict mitigation. Immediately following the classroom sessions the students worked alongside IVO veterinarians and wildlife conservationists for a five-day field clinic practical training. Five marginalized communities received direct veterinary care and a total of 248 animals were examined and treated to protect them against preventable diseases. Additionally the visit focused on building stronger relationships with local organizations including the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation DNPWC Tribhuvan University Institute Agriculture and Animal Sciences IAAS the Himalayan College of Agriculture Sciences and Technology HICAST and local governmental municipal organizations in the Annapurna Conservation Area. The initiative also funded a Tribhuvan student's research study titled "Knowledge attitude and practices relating to zoonotic diseases among livestock farmers of the central and regional headquarters of Annapurna Conservation Area Project Nepal."

Contra Costa County California: In May 2023 IVO brought back its East Bay High-Quality High-Volume Spay Neuter HQHVSN Training Clinic but this time in Martinez California. IVO conducted the clinic once monthly through the rest of 2023. The program was made possible in collaboration with Contra Costa Humane Society and Contra Costa Animal Services. During the eight clinics conducted a total of 44 veterinary students were trained on best practices in HQHVSN. CCHS helped identify at risk animals from low income households in Contra Costa County and a total of 98 dogs and cats were altered vaccinated microchipped and treated with parasite preventatives.