On June 9, we sterilized a total of 57 animals: 31 female dogs, 7 male dogs, 11 female cats, and 8 male cats. Besides commemorating our 25,000th sterilization case, we had other reasons for celebrating that day.
Hannah Purser, a veterinary nurse from Australia who was visiting Guanajuato, volunteered at the campaign, monitoring dogs and administering post-operative medications to them in our recovery unit. Hannah had found us on our website and decided she wanted to offer her help. She enjoyed her experience so much that she volunteered again at our June 23 campaign and wrote the article that appears under her name in this issue of the newsletter.
Andrea Martín Muñoz de Cote and her husband, Carlos Sánchez Santoyo, hosted our sterilization campaign in Yerbabuena on May 26. Andrea volunteered at this campaign, becoming one of our regular campaign volunteers. She washed and sterilized surgical instruments.
Another new volunteer was Janiece Jackman, a recently retired middle-school teacher from Rochester, New York, who was visiting Guanajuato. Janiece helped by comforting dogs as they began waking up in the recovery unit.
We also celebrated a birthday. Dulce Sandoval is a regular campaign volunteer. Celebrating with us was her son, Carlos Donato Sandoval, who has just completed his second year as a veterinary student and is performing castrations under the tutelage of Dr. Ricardo Montes de Oca.
Another volunteer on June 9 was Liz Carranza Arellano, Amigos secretary, who cared for cats in the recovery unit.
We had help from several community members. María Márquez Quiroz and Luisa Quintero Márquez, who did not want their photographs taken, spent the day washing soiled surgical drapes by hand. We machine-launder and sterilize the drapes after the campaigns, but washing the drapes by hand immediately after they are used prevents stains.
Three other residents of Las Teresas, Fernanda Rocha, Mayela Rangel, and Ángela Mayela Olmos Rangel, prepared a delicious lunch for our volunteers. The lunch consisted of chicken with mole sauce, tortillas and rice, and agua fresca, which our surgical team enjoyed after completing their work.
People who bring their pets to our sterilization campaigns are encouraged to gently caress and speak to their pets as the animals begin to wake up. At this campaign, quite a few men assumed this task, which tends to strengthen the bond between people and their pets.
We thank everyone who contributed to the campaign: Veterinarians Sandra Hernández and Ricardo Montes de Oca; veterinary students Karla Ahumada, Carlos Donato, and Abril Hernández; Amigos campaign manager Julia Salido; and volunteers Mary Beth Canavan, Liz Carranza, Rosemarie Conde, Joel Gaytán Pacheco, Janiece Jackman, Antonia López Palacios, Beth Lozano, Vero Mares, María Márquez Quiroz, Andrea Martín Muñoz de Cote, Hannah Purser, Luisa Quintero Márquez, Gabriel Ramírez, Dulce Sandoval, and Vicky Sandoval.
