by Rebecca Simmons
They come by bike, by car, and by foot over miles of country roads. As the sun rises, community members and their pets form a line at the entrance of the makeshift clinic that has sprung up overnight on the Rosebud Native American Reservation in South Dakota. The volunteers—veterinarians, veterinary students, humane educators, and others—are ready. They've traveled hundreds of miles to bring veterinary care to this community on behalf of HSUS's Rural Area Veterinary Clinic (RAVS).
For a number of years, RAVS has been organizing trips to parts of the world where pet guardians struggle to bear the financial responsibility of caring for animals. The goal of the program is to fill the gap between what people would like to provide for their pets and what they are able to afford. The services RAVS offer include spay/neuter surgeries, vaccinations, wellness checks, and pet care information. All services are free of charge.
One place where RAVS is urgently needed is the Rosebud Reservation where, according to the American Indian Relief Council, the per capita income is the second lowest in the country. Unemployment exceeds 80%, and 59% of the people on the reservation live in substandard housing.
However you measure it, the people who live on or around Rosebud are some of the nation's citizens most in need. In areas like these, most people do not have the resources to provide health care for their pets, which can cost hundreds of dollars a year. But despite their sometimes desperate situations, one thing that unites pet guardians across age, location, race, religion, and income level is their love for their animals.
Cathy Chapman, a lifelong pet guardian and animal lover, drove 22 miles from the nearby community of White River to bring her sister's kitten, Olivia, to RAVS for her shots. "The area we live in is very low-income," she said. "The free clinics help people to take better care of their pets, and it gives the community a chance to keep the pet population down considerably."
Chapman is a strong believer in the importance of spaying or neutering pets. "On the farm growing up, we saw a lot of animals, especially dogs and cats, that people would drop off with the expectation that someone else would take care of them. But we couldn't always take them in. It hurt me to see animals that I knew were going to be euthanized just because no one wanted them. I feel very strongly that pets should be spayed or neutered if people are not able to take care of more animals."
In addition to providing the community with a much-needed service, RAVS also gives volunteer veterinary students the chance to learn from experienced veterinarians while practicing the skills they've learned in the classroom.
Kelly Letsom, a third-year veterinary student from the University of Wisconsin, explained why she volunteered to spend a week with RAVS. "I had heard from other vet students who had participated before that the RAVS trips were a great way to get hands-on surgical and anesthesia experience while helping the reservation dogs and cats as well as the communities."
For volunteers, the days are long, with few breaks and a lot of work to be done. But for many veterinary students, the experience and knowledge gained as a volunteer is well worth the hardship. "I learned so much that I don't even know where to begin," said Letsom. "One of the most important lessons I learned is that the animals, even though they can't say it, do intrinsically appreciate what we do for them."
The animals weren't the only ones grateful for the volunteer's hard work, Letsom adds. "The people were so appreciative and would thank us personally. Some of them just had to give us a hug."
In addition to veterinarians and veterinary students, RAVS needs animal lovers to assist with many aspects of the clinic—from distributing educational materials to assisting the veterinarians during wellness checks. For more information on volunteering—as a veterinarian, a veterinary student, or as an animal lover—visit the RAVS Volunteer Information web page.
Over the course of a single day, RAVS typically treats upwards of 70 animals in one community. That's 70 pets who are safer, healthier, and happier, and 70 pet guardians who can take their pets home with the knowledge that, despite financial hardships, they've given their animals the care that they need—and that every pet deserves.
To support RAVS with a financial contribution, visit the RAVS Donation web page.
Rebecca Simmons is the Outreach Communications Coordinator for the Companion Animals section of The HSUS.
