In May of 2006, after two years of planning, the Montserrat Animal Protection Society (MAPS), a registered friendly society, sponsored and hosted a successful two week long free animal health care clinic at its Cavalla Hill animal shelter in Montserrat, West Indies. The clinic was held in conjunction with Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine’s (MSU) mobile animal clinic program and Michigan Humane Society (MHS) and was assisted by Montserrat’s Department of Agriculture. Almost 700 animals were treated. It was the first time that anything like this had been organized on Montserrat.

Montserrat is a beautiful, mountainous, 39 square mile British Overseas Territory. It had a population of 12,000 people and a bustling economy until 1995 when, after many centuries of slumber, its Soufrière Hills volcano began erupting and continues to do so. The present population is a little over a third its former size. Against great odds, the remaining inhabitants have managed to rebuild and maintain the island.

The island of Montserrat ©  Liz Harmer

MAPS' Animal Shelter, Cavalla Hill

MAPS was formed in 2002 by interested animal lovers concerned about the visible lack of regard on the island for proper treatment, care and management of both large and small animals. In the four years since its inception, a group of over 100 members, led by an executive committee comprising six elected members, have raised funds through various social events, donations and membership dues.

Land owned by the Edgecombe family at Cavalla Hill was leased to MAPS for the purpose of building a no-kill shelter to house unwanted pets and strays until permanent homes are found for them. A sturdy, well designed kennel was built. Set in an acre of securely fenced land, the kennel consists of six runs (for up to twelve dogs), each approximately 4” x 7” x 7”, with raised sleeping platforms, proper drainage to a trough sloped downhill leading to an underground septic tank. The kennel has a metal roof that protects the animals from the elements. The Government of Montserrat donated a small wooden house to MAPS, to which plumbing and electricity were installed. It was converted into a surgery for the duration of the clinic and a tent was pitched on the grounds of the shelter to provide extra space. All in all, the shelter proved an ideal location for an animal health clinic.

The clinic was made possible by the fundraising efforts of MHS and Denise Lutz and the generosity of the Pfizer Corporation, American Airlines, Gulfstream, The Pegasus Foundation and McCann-Erickson. The Governor of Montserrat Mrs. Deborah Barnes Jones, the Ministries of Agriculture and Health, the Montserrat Defence Force, Bob Lutz, Heather Simpson, the Methodist Church, Nancy Dahlen, Dr. Linda Henderson and Elliott Campbell also played important supporting roles.

The shelter, set up as a clinic

A sheep arrives to be seen by the vets

Objectives:

The objectives of the clinic were as follows:

• address the serious problem of dog and cat overpopulation by performing catch and release sterilizations of the feral population;

• encourage and provide free sterilizations to all residents;

• conduct wellness evaluations and provide flea, tick and worming medication to all;

• make animal health care available to those individuals who could not take their animals to a vet due to financial hardship, lack of transportation or information;

• educate the general public about preventative health care and looking after their pets by way of call-in radio talk shows and school and community lecture hall visits.

The clinic was managed by Dr. Valerie Chadwick and Dr. Michelle Kopcha, both assistant professors of veterinary science at MSU and was supervised by Dr. Robert Fisher, executive vet at the MHS. Cal Morgan, executive director of the MHS, was also present. Seven graduating level MSU students participated. The students were able to improve their skills, interact with the people of Montserrat and develop their sense of community service.

What the Free Animal Clinic accomplished:

Large animals
359 large animals comprising goats, sheep, cattle, horses and pigs were treated, most of them in the field and sometimes in areas that were difficult to access. Their housing/pasture environment was examined visually as a surveillance exercise by the students. In addition, livestock received complete physical examinations, including an inspection of their hooves and legs and also their mouths for the condition of their teeth and oral cavities. Their overall body condition and their heart, lungs, temperature and the condition of various body systems were assessed and they were evaluated for signs of external parasites, including ticks. Internal parasite control was an important concern on the part of livestock owners. Anthelmintic (de-worming) oral medication was dispensed to them to administer to their animals.

Approximately 125 doses of Panacur were dispensed for sheep and 220 doses for goats. 16 doses of Anthelcide were dispensed for use on horses. The veterinary team assessed access to forage and water and the quality of pastures and the likelihood of ingestion of forage materials contaminated by volcanic ash. Overall, they found that the health of the animals they examined was good. They trimmed the hooves of approximately 25 sheep and goats, treated abscesses in 3 animals and injected approximately 100 sheep, goats and pigs with Dectomax and 14 horses with Anthelcide, for internal and external parasites. One mule and one donkey were castrated.

A vet in the making?

Should we treat them, or eat them?

Small animals
336 small animals comprising dogs, cats and birds were treated. 135 operations were performed, most of them sterilizations. 279 animals were vaccinated and there were 201 non-surgery appointments. Animals were collected from the elderly at their homes, treated at the shelter and then returned.

MAPS estimates that the value of the overall treatment provided by the clinic, based on the local cost of veterinary services and the drugs supplied exceeded EC$100,000.

Inside the clinic

The students in action

On the education and public relations side, Dr Fisher assisted by some of the MSU students, spoke to students at the St. Augustine and Lookout Primary Schools and the Brades Community Centre and senior citizens at the Lookout Community Centre about animal care. In addition, a number of interviews were organized on the local radio station involving MAPS members, the vets and the MSU students. For the duration of the clinic an animal welfare message was broadcast 215 times to a wide listening audience.

Feedback from MSU students:

• “A stronger stand is needed against animal cruelty, particularly dog-fighting.”

• “The availability of vet and animal related products to residents, e.g. Frontline, is necessary.”

• “Animal cruelty cases must be prosecuted.”

• “Without good access to vet care, many people don’t seem to see the need for vet care. Few animals were up to date even on routine vet care. There was evidence of neglect/cruelty in some cases. The people very friendly and hospitable.”

• “My recommendation for MAPS is to provide low cost flea/tick/intestinal parasite medication.”

Waiting to see the vet

At the shelter

“The people were extremely welcoming and proud of their country.”

“I believe that for MAPS to work to its fullest, the licensed veterinarian needs to work with MAPS, not independently. I do not think para-vets should be performing ANY surgeries.”

“MAPS needs to be able to provide small services like flea preventative and education to animals and people.”

Feedback from Montserratians:

A local taxi driver: “Everyone is still talking about the vets and how good they were. When you have a small amount of money, it is spent on the family and children first – what is left is spent on the animals – which is not much”.

A livestock owner: “That was one of the best projects Montserrat has ever had. Is MAPS doing it again next year?”

A handful

"How do you feel today?"

Conclusion:

Based on the number of animals treated and sterilizations performed the clinic was judged a success. Feedback from animal owners was very positive. The clinic and the public relations and education exercise increased awareness on the public’s part of the need to seek veterinary care for their animals and to look after them properly. It raised MAPS’ profile with the result that more animal cases are being referred to it. It also highlighted the need for the Government of Montserrat to:

• Employ a properly qualified vet;

• Construct and equip a veterinary clinic;

• Introduce modern legislation to regulate animal care, the licensing of vets and to control the kind of work that is performed by unlicensed vets and to prohibit them from performing certain procedures, particularly invasive surgeries;

• Construct an abattoir so that livestock are slaughtered in humane and hygienic conditions;

• Reduce dog fighting. A lot of evidence of this surfaced during the clinic.

• Reduce the red tape and bureaucratic delays involved in organizing a free animal clinic.

The visiting MSU and MHS team

Dr Kopcha and the students make a house call