The committee proceeded to plan, and line up vets to come in.
We asked the current vice-president of VMAB to attend the meeting on Tuesday September 19th, but after asking the response was no, and our attendance would not be necessary.
Then on Friday November 22nd, about 10 weeks out from Feb 2nd 2014 we received the letter. With deadlines so close for applying for the foreign vet permits and ordering the necessary supplies for about 1000+ spay and neuters, we had to make the unfortunate decision to cancel.
I would also like to add that the local vets had been offered by the organizers of Operation Potcake considerable positive recognition and rewards in return for donating their time. Each vet was going to be photographed and placed on Banners for the annual Bahamas Humane Society Banner Launch and recognized at the event at Government house. Prizes were going to be gathered so for example if 3 vets volunteered for 3 full days, they would be in a pool to receive 1 each of the 3 prizes weighted for 3 days, and so on. I say this to note that the vets were going to receive positive PR and acknowledgement from the public, promoting their practices.
Also, all of the vets received reminder emails about the open monthly planning Operation Potcake meetings that happened in September, October, and November, as well as the meeting minutes that were sent out for Sept and Oct. Communication has been more than open from our end making a letter 10 weeks before the program changing all the terms that were originally agreed downright disrespectful to all those who have invested extensive personal volunteer time (as ofcourse no one is paid who was organizing OP 2014).
We all really must keep the focus on what our purpose is - to end the unnecessary suffering of animals in The Bahamas and spay and neuter is the proven and most effect way to do this. I saw Dr. Lawrence write about the heartache she experiences from the suffering, the more spay and neuters we can do the less dogs and cats are born into a life of suffering. Most kittens and puppies die hungry, sick and alone. Many that do survive live a life of abuse, constant hunger, to die by getting hit by a car, starving at the end of a chain or from heart worm or tick born illnesses or may I add to be turned into the shelter when the family has a baby or relocates. Only the lucky minority know a life of unconditional love, comfort and safety.
We have a solution, so many people willing to help and a way to reduce it - so why are we fighting and denying help?
As one of the committee members for organizing Operation Potcake, I am incredibly disappointed and discouraged by the letter we received on Friday November 22nd from the Vet Assoc. Earlier in the year we spent time discussing with the vets the way forward and have worked to foster good relations. We hosted a gathering in August with all the local vets to discuss why High Volume MASH Clinics and being in the communities is so important, to hear any concerns and to come to a mutual agreement. We attempted to fill the 5 day schedule with local vets (to which they agreed to donate their time but we would pay for materials at $30) but when the schedule was not adding up, we wrote an email and requested the help from foreign vets to come in. This would allow local vets to help as they could on a rotation basis (at the price of $30 and they would bring their materials) and still tend to their practices.
This email was sent on Sunday September 8th to all the vets, and then on Wednesday September 18th, Dr. Peter Bizzell and I spoke on the phone to which he, as the president of the VMAB at the time, agreed to allow us to bring in a total of 7 vets.
Because I trusted and had utmost respect for Dr. Bizzell and I thought we were all working towards the same goal - to reduce the suffering of animals, the number of unwanted roaming strays, and the numbers in the shelter - I had no reason to feel that this should have been in writing. I am a trusting person, and take a respectable person at their word. After all, we are working towards the same thing, so why would I need to worry? I did send this email to him to document our conversation:
*Date: Wed, Sep 18, 2013 at 10:50 AM Subject: Further to our talk To: Peter Bizzell Cc: Operation Potcake Dear Dr. Bizzell Thank you so much for the talk this morning. As agreed, we will proceed with finding 6 high volume spay neuter vets, preferably that were here last year and Dr. Diane Scollard as a 7th will come to host a cat clinic out of the BHS. Looking forward to having a lunch next week when you are in Nassau. thank you, Laura*
Animal_Lover says...
Thank you Paco! Says it all!
On It's about animals, not vets
Posted 2 December 2013, 10:34 p.m. Suggest removal
Animal_Lover says...
The committee proceeded to plan, and line up vets to come in.
We asked the current vice-president of VMAB to attend the meeting on Tuesday September 19th, but after asking the response was no, and our attendance would not be necessary.
Then on Friday November 22nd, about 10 weeks out from Feb 2nd 2014 we received the letter. With deadlines so close for applying for the foreign vet permits and ordering the necessary supplies for about 1000+ spay and neuters, we had to make the unfortunate decision to cancel.
I would also like to add that the local vets had been offered by the organizers of Operation Potcake considerable positive recognition and rewards in return for donating their time. Each vet was going to be photographed and placed on Banners for the annual Bahamas Humane Society Banner Launch and recognized at the event at Government house. Prizes were going to be gathered so for example if 3 vets volunteered for 3 full days, they would be in a pool to receive 1 each of the 3 prizes weighted for 3 days, and so on. I say this to note that the vets were going to receive positive PR and acknowledgement from the public, promoting their practices.
Also, all of the vets received reminder emails about the open monthly planning Operation Potcake meetings that happened in September, October, and November, as well as the meeting minutes that were sent out for Sept and Oct. Communication has been more than open from our end making a letter 10 weeks before the program changing all the terms that were originally agreed downright disrespectful to all those who have invested extensive personal volunteer time (as ofcourse no one is paid who was organizing OP 2014).
We all really must keep the focus on what our purpose is - to end the unnecessary suffering of animals in The Bahamas and spay and neuter is the proven and most effect way to do this. I saw Dr. Lawrence write about the heartache she experiences from the suffering, the more spay and neuters we can do the less dogs and cats are born into a life of suffering. Most kittens and puppies die hungry, sick and alone. Many that do survive live a life of abuse, constant hunger, to die by getting hit by a car, starving at the end of a chain or from heart worm or tick born illnesses or may I add to be turned into the shelter when the family has a baby or relocates. Only the lucky minority know a life of unconditional love, comfort and safety.
We have a solution, so many people willing to help and a way to reduce it - so why are we fighting and denying help?
Thank you, Laura
On Operation Potcake has been cancelled following opposition from local vets. How do you think the spay and neuter programme should be run?
Posted 29 November 2013, 10:56 a.m. Suggest removal
Animal_Lover says...
As one of the committee members for organizing Operation Potcake, I am incredibly disappointed and discouraged by the letter we received on Friday November 22nd from the Vet Assoc. Earlier in the year we spent time discussing with the vets the way forward and have worked to foster good relations. We hosted a gathering in August with all the local vets to discuss why High Volume MASH Clinics and being in the communities is so important, to hear any concerns and to come to a mutual agreement. We attempted to fill the 5 day schedule with local vets (to which they agreed to donate their time but we would pay for materials at $30) but when the schedule was not adding up, we wrote an email and requested the help from foreign vets to come in. This would allow local vets to help as they could on a rotation basis (at the price of $30 and they would bring their materials) and still tend to their practices.
This email was sent on Sunday September 8th to all the vets, and then on Wednesday September 18th, Dr. Peter Bizzell and I spoke on the phone to which he, as the president of the VMAB at the time, agreed to allow us to bring in a total of 7 vets.
Because I trusted and had utmost respect for Dr. Bizzell and I thought we were all working towards the same goal - to reduce the suffering of animals, the number of unwanted roaming strays, and the numbers in the shelter - I had no reason to feel that this should have been in writing. I am a trusting person, and take a respectable person at their word. After all, we are working towards the same thing, so why would I need to worry? I did send this email to him to document our conversation:
*Date: Wed, Sep 18, 2013 at 10:50 AM
Subject: Further to our talk
To: Peter Bizzell
Cc: Operation Potcake
Dear Dr. Bizzell
Thank you so much for the talk this morning.
As agreed, we will proceed with finding 6 high volume spay neuter vets, preferably that were here last year and Dr. Diane Scollard as a 7th will come to host a cat clinic out of the BHS.
Looking forward to having a lunch next week when you are in Nassau.
thank you, Laura*
On Operation Potcake has been cancelled following opposition from local vets. How do you think the spay and neuter programme should be run?
Posted 29 November 2013, 10:55 a.m. Suggest removal
Animal_Lover says...
well said! If the vets REALLY did care about the core issue which is the animals suffering they would be thankful for people coming in to assist!
On Operation Potcake cancelled after local vet opposition
Posted 28 November 2013, 10:17 p.m. Suggest removal