Amelia Vet heads to Chile to help the helpless

CV: Welcome back Dr. Meakin! We wanted to share a bit about your recent trip to Chile with our readers. First off tell us what was your motivation to plan this trip, what did you hope to accomplish?[

Dan Meakin: My Motivation was to get a break from private practice, do some good and visit another culture. Our goal was to assist and help develop a more permanent structure for free veterinary clinics for earthquake victims and provide a spay neuter service also for these people.

CV: An endeavor like this is bound to be expensive, did you have any help financing the trip?

Dan Meakin: No help. The Airfare was $1500. The real cost was time away from All Creatures...but I needed a break, I have worked a lot this year. We all shared a three room apartment with the Chilean vets, so lodging cost was minimal.

CV: All we see over here is what the mainstream media shows us, what did you find when you arrived there? Is the media coverage accurate?

Dan Meakin: The people of Chile are very proud and resilient, they experience mudslides, tsunami’s, earthquakes and poverty. Earthquakes occur regularly so they have had experience and all have determination to get thru natural tragedy. They accept help, but are very thankful and proud, so try to get thru things without outside help. The damages had been 2-3 months since incurring. Tsunami damage was still apparent, but most boats had been put back in the water and most roads had been cleaned up. The earthquake building damage was still evident on large building and bridges especially, but the Chilean people were hard at work restoring their way of life

CV: You hear much about the tragic fate of the people in the Chile but little if nothing about the animals in need there. What kind of conditions did you find in regards to these pets in need?

Dan Meakin: When people left their homes, some of them left their pets behind. This is the reason the group I worked with was formed sach, to help the animal victims of tragedy. The dogs especially were roaming and starving in the streets of Chile.

CV: No doubt you had a plan for action prior to arriving, were your plans changed when you arrived and had a better understanding of the tasks at hand? What was your primary focus when you first arrived?

Dan Meakin: I did not know what to expect. My experience was not for this type of care. I was glad they had injectable medications available for use, because I knew that most opportunities to help were going to be a onetime only exposure to a veterinarian. Dispensing oral meds and long term treatments were not going to be possible. I was pleased at the array of medications I had to use, provided by the Chilean vets. I was disappointed we had no sterile gloves, ear medications and working clippers but we got buy.

CV: Did you find any assistance from the local agencies and residents?

Dan Meakin: Yes the people jumped in and the 10 or so Chilean veterinarians were all very helpful and hard working. We had one 21 year old boy who stayed with our group for 4 hours being a translator as he was bilingual.

CV: How were you able to secure medical supplies, medicines, vaccinations and other needed supplies?

Dan Meakin: There were no vaccines available but there is no rabies in Chile. We could have used distemper and Parvo vaccines and feline respiratory vaccines but none were available for free.

CV: Is the government aiding in any way? Aside from yourself, what other individuals and agencies are helping the suffering animals?[

Dan Meakin: The government is not interested in helping animals - people only. There is no animal control or laws about pets.

CV: How can concerned animal lovers here in the states continue to help this much needed cause?

Dan Meakin: www.kinshipcircle.org

All of us at Cincy Vibe sincerely thank you for your efforts. Your true compassion, love and care for all animals shows not just in your work at
All Creatures but your work outside the office in your personal life as well. We know of no other animal doctor as dedicated to providing care wherever it is needed as you. Thanks for the interview and thanks for, well, being you.