Each year, OSU veterinary students volunteer to help the animals of Ometepe Island, Nicaragua.
Ometepe, a volcano located within Lake Nicaragua, is currently home to an estimated 10,000 rural families and 41,000 dogs, in addition to countless pigs, cattle, horses and chickens. Minimal veterinary care is available for the dogs and cats that inhabit the island.
In response to this need, the student members of OSU’s International Veterinary Student Association have implemented a program for the last 8 years to supply veterinary care to the community of Mérida for two weeks in September.
The service trip includes community education, over-population management, wellness exams and preventive medical care for both large and small animals. Every effort is made to provide high quality medicine, however, due to variable, sometimes unpredictable conditions, flexibility and improvisation are often necessary skills for providing efficient health care to the patients.
Veterinarians and technicians are critical to the success of this trip! If you have questions, or are interested in volunteering, contact oregonivsa@gmail.com.
