Los animales en Todos Santos

As we have been distributing collars and surveying the local dog owners, I have seen the variety of livestock that the Todos Santeros keep. Chickens and turkeys run around freely with their chicks in toe, that is if the adults have not been tied to a post to keep them from running away. I have seen 3 donkeys, all kept tied on short ropes to keep them from moving. It´s much the same with the pigs. One was on such a short rope that all it could do was lie down. While this is difficult to see as an animal lover, I have to remind myself why I am here and that this is how the Todos Santeros live. Things will change bit by bit and for now VWB are here to help the locals improve their health by vaccinating dogs against rabies, deworming them and spaying and neutering the dogs to control the population.

On our second night here, we were on our way to feed one of the local dogs some chicken left over from dinner, when we were stopped in the street by a local hostel owner. They knew Dr Kate was a vet and so asked her to take a look at their sow who had given birth to 3 piglets some 4 hours eartlier but no more. Dr Kate, armed with her surgical gloves, jumped into the pen and was able to pull out a piglet that had gotten stuck. It was touch and go whether this piglet would live as Dr Kate had no other tools or suction devices to clear the piglets airway. A bit of straw and a few shakes later, the piglet was happily suckling. Then, another piglet was born! This was a very exciting experience never having seen such an event. The hostel owner was so happy that Dr Kate had saved the piglets and the sow! It´s important to remember that Dr Kate only deals with cats and dogs, way to go!!