Festival of Trees - Edmonton 2011
Changes
In December 2011, after a few months of meetings and negotiations, Dr. Hanoi Dominguez drafted an agreement between APAC and CCVC ( Consejo Cientifico Veterinarion de Cuba), the Non-Government Organization (NGO). From now on we can import anesthetics and other essential medications from Canada to Cuba. We will function as a project under the patronage of the National Commission for Animal Welafare (COMBAC). Dr. Dominguez is a coordinator of COMBAC for the Province of Matanzas, where most of our work takes place.
This new status allows us to work together with our friends from the Spanky Project, another Canadian organization that helps Cuban animals in the Havana area since 2003.
Clinics
Dr. Slavik Zenkov at the clinic in Cardenas
We are really proud of our achievements. Thanks to a steady supply of anesthetics (mainly from ANIPLANT) our doctors performed close to a thousand surgeries, most of them in pre-organized clinics across the Province of Matanzas. The clinics prevented several thousands of dogs and cats from being born to life of suffering and homelessness. They also provided our doctors and volunteers with an opportunity to educate Cubans about proper pet care, and to make average persons more sensitive to the situation of stray animals.
Our support network is growing, and people from all over Canada are bringing suitcases of supplies to help with surgeries and other medical needs of animals under our care. We are very grateful for all help we receive, and we appreciate the trust and enthusiasm with which help is offered. We promise not to disappoint you.
Publicity
The very first public appearance of our organization took place at 2011 Pawlooza Festival in London, Ontario. We owe this debut to our most active volunteer, wonderful Lynn Wodzak and her friend Jackie Bowes. They prepared our colorful kiosk and spent the whole day promoting our work in Cuba. Plans are made to do it again next year!
Adoptions
Every day, we promise ourselves not to get involved in adoptions outside Cuba. These are very time consuming and costly. However, we still have to learn how to say 'no'. Increased traffic on our Facebook Page, and Cuba being one of the most popular winter escapes for Canadians, bring to us many individuals asking for help. It is always the same story - of a tourist taking care of an animal that comes to visit at the hotel room. A bond is created, and people find it difficult to leave a dog (or a cat) behind. Even though reluctantly, we do help. Some of the dogs that came from Cuba in 2011 are: Lily, Pepa, Honey, Finn, Poppi, Boots, Nina, Cria, Hoya, Saba, Chico, Che, Rosie, Vera....., and cats: Ernesto, Snickers, Nala and Nina.
Thank you again to CANDi for including us into your agreement with Air Transat, that helps to bring adopted animals to Canada. Thank you Air Transat cargo staff, both Canadian and Cuban for providing excellent service, and delivering all the animals safely into their new homes.
Volunteers
We don't have enough room to list all volunteers who have been supporting us throughout a year. You brought supplies and money, you helped spread good news about us and shared difficult moment with us. We thank you all very much and hope that you will stay with us for the years to come. There is however, one very special volunteer whom we must acknowledge. She helps us on a regular basis with sending kennels, receiving adopted animals and making sure that Canadian tourists don't go to Cuba with empty hands. Thank you Lynn Wodzak for your time and your exceptional friendship.
We also want to thank Ellen Walsh and Susan Meyers for their support (Susan had a bottle drive in Edmonton and collected almost a thousand dollars later spent on medical supplies).
We also want to thank Ellen Walsh and Susan Meyers for their support (Susan had a bottle drive in Edmonton and collected almost a thousand dollars later spent on medical supplies).
Lynn with Buffy and Lily, a Cuban stray she adopted.
Plans for the Future
We expect to grow and to have more and more impact on welfare of Cuban animals - not only pets and stray dogs and cats, but also working animals, like horses. We plan to spend more time on education and prevention programs addressed to children because it will be up to them to change their country to a place where all animals are cared for and respected.
Again, thank you all who have contributed to our success. We wish you a Very Merry Christmas - full of love for each other and hope for our beautiful planet.
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
N. Mandela
