fp Turks and Caicos

The Turks and Caicos Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals travelled to North Caicos on April 28 to run a three-day spay/neuter and vaccination clinic for the pet owners of the family island.

TCSPCA volunteer veterinarian Dr. Rich Sefcik and Executive Director Susan Blehr organized the visit  because many of the island’s pet owners wanted their female dogs to receive surgery before they had a first litter of puppies. They also are aware of the importance of making sure that male dogs are neutered as well.

This was the first spay/neuter clinic in North Caicos, and the local residents were very grateful for the help. Because there is no permanent veterinary service on North, pet owners must take their animals by private boat or by the ferry to Provo — a cost that not all can afford.

The numbers of stray/feral dogs on North Caicos has gotten out of control, with dogs constantly fighting and breeding.

The three-day clinic was a great success, with 15 female and six male dogs being sterilized. The average age of the dogs was six months.

Based on the breeding cycles of young female dogs, the surgeries performed at the clinic will prevent the birth of approximately 100 unwanted puppies on North Caicos in this year alone.

Assisting Sefcik with the surgeries was Stephanie Human, a qualified veterinary nurse and the newly elected chairman of the Grand Turk chapter of the TCSPCA, together with volunteer clinical assistant Ibis Van Walleghem.

The success of this first TCSPCA Outreach Spay/Neuter Program on North Caicos would not have been possible without the help and support of many people.

• Lou Handfield for barging the TCSPCA Animal Bus from Provo to North
• Heather and Lovey Forbes from the Potcake Foundation for assisting with publicity and transporting animals to the clinic
• Jody and Tom Rathgeb for the use of their house, where the TCSPCA team stayed and lower level garage where the clinic was set up
• Mark Mclean for transportation and LynnRae Mclean for making delicious meals for the team and dog biscuits for every dog that had surgery
• Brenda and Ralph Wilcke for providing meals
• PTV 8 for local media support