Spay and Neuter Clinic update and "letter of appreciation" from Upi Veteri

Dear Friends,

It is hard to believe that eight years ago the residents of Sayulita were offered money to sterilize their animals. During the last Clinic from the 15th to the 18th of March this year, we barely coped with the huge number of animals that were brought in to the clinic to be sterilized voluntarily by their owners.

It is a pleasure for me to inform all of those who assisted in the past clinic, that it was a great success. We reached a new record; 92 animals were sterilized and quite a few other animals were treated for tumours, skin disorders and parasites amongst other diseases.

With the enormous support and assistance from the Antonio Haghenbeck y de la Lama Foundation, as well as the support from Molly Fisher from Bucerias, we were able to accomplish the best yet Clinic to date. This past Clinic is proof of the increasing interest in our community for animal numbers control and the commitment to provide better treatment to our pets.

The original vision, when the sterilization clinic was created eight years ago, was to bring awareness into our local population of the importance of taking good care for our pets and to avoid cruelty to them. Year after year it is proven through the increasing success of the Clinic, that this wonderful project has had the desired effect in the local population. It brings me great satisfaction to witness day after day that the residents of Sayulita take better care of their pets.

I would like to extend my most sincere gratitude to the wonderful team of volunteers that made possible the success of this year’s clinic, as well as the friends of the Sterilization Clinic that supported and contributed financially to this wonderful project.

First I would like to thank the volunteers who tirelessly helped during the four days of the sterilization clinic with their dedicated assistance, selfless time and hard work. These volunteers brought immense joy and compassion into the shared working area, making this clinic an unforgettable experience.

Next, I would like to thank the team of four wonderful women volunteers in the operating room, Yolanda Hernandez Romero and Esther Quiroz Hernandez, veterinary doctors from Mexico City, and Jeanne Murdoch and Angelica Warth, who travelled from Canada and Texas respectively to act as veterinary assistants in the operating room.

I would also like to thank our star volunteers group who offered their support full time; they assisted in the setting up, development and closure of the clinic. These were, Lucy Valencia, Dale Nall and Christopher Bruno. I cannot thank them enough for their dedication and hard work during these days.

My thanks also go to the volunteers who worked in registration and in the recovery room, demonstrating their love and tenderness at all times towards our animals and who became important role models to us all. I would like to sincerely thank; Joan Hopkins, Nancy Kline, Helga Wharton, Teke Mohill, Kelly Dumont, Diane Gendrom, Cynthia Gillespie-Smith, Cynde Gragent and Jeanne Dick and the help of Adriana Romero from Rollie’s at the registration table.

Also, thanks to our great kids team who enthusiastically helped us all. Thank you Esperanza, Valeria, Alicia, Ramiro, Alfredo, Dany & Ricardo. All you kids were fantastic!!

On behalf of the volunteer team and myself, our thanks go to Eva and Tracey from Chocobananas and to Rollie and Jeanne from Rollie’s for feeding our team of vets and collecting donations during these days, also to Pato from El Caminito for the delicious complimentary supper given on the closure day of the Clinic. Also thanking Kaye Durnell from Villa del Oso and Mike Helm from Casa Hongo for housing our team of volunteer vets.

Last but not least my gratitude goes to all of our sponsors listed below whose contributions have made this clinic possible, and to Cherry Olsen, Fern Halyard and Joan Hopkins for all of their follow-up and fund raising efforts:

• Dr. Mike Ryan DVM from Sierra Pet Clinic who donated a great amount of supplies for the clinic
• Angelica Wurth who also donated supplies, collars, food and toys for the animals
• Oscar y Vilma Constandse – Patas Puerto Aventuras (Our sister asociation in the Caribean)
• Dale Nall & Christopher Bruno -Casa Brava
• Phoebe and Craig Stainman – Casa Corazon de Luz
• Joan y Lamar Hopkins- Wealika in Pascuaro
• Jeffrey Frietman - Casa Cantamar
• Kelly Dumont – Casa Rana Verde
• Cherrie Olsen
• Cap Sparling - Casa Carlitos
• Judith & William Taegle
• Galen Klark
-Tracie & Eva – Choco Bananas
-Jim & Tricia Darvy
• Rick & Paulette Hill
• Gordon and Linda Darby
• David Michael
• Sajeela de la Borbolla – Haramara
• Kurt King – Rancho del Arbol
• Bob Gard
• Graciela Jones - The Jungle
• Dayna Hurton
• June Moersch - from Canada visiting Sayulita
• Diane Gendrom
• Ellen Schultz
• Shirley Lomeny
• Walter y Diana – Casa mis Amores
• Ted Doles
• David Parker
• Cynthia and Ian Gillespie-Smith -Casa Soleada
• Teke and Chuck Muhill - Casa Martica
• Larry Walker
• Jim Cox

I would like to take this opportunity to notify everyone that the next Clinic held in Sayulita will be on the 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 of October 2006.

All of those volunteers that would like to take part in assisting at the next clinic, please contact me on 52 329 291 3050, or email me at upiviteri@prodigy.net.mx

I believe that Patas Sayulita Clinics have already touched the lives of many homes in Sayulita and surrounding towns by changing the way people treat their animals and encouraging them to become more responsible owners, but I also believe that one day our Clinic will become a role model to other towns in Mexico, bringing more awareness to animal welfare in general.

I feel truly blessed to have the opportunity to help so many animals improve their lives. I want to thank you all for making this possible.

With much love and appreciation.

Upi Viteri