A free veterinary clinic which was coordinated by Paul Fenton, a volunteer from Nain, starts today, and will run for a period of of six days ending June 28.
These clinics are being held by Dr.Foley, a veterinarian from the university of PEI, as well as the atlantic Veterinary College in PEI, with two other veterinarians from Chelsea Quebec and Rebecca Jackson a vet from Goose Bay.
Along with the Veterinarians, there are an additional four students from the Atlantic Veterinarian College in PEI, who will be graduating as Veterinarians next spring.
These vet services include vaccinations against rabies as well as a combination vaccine against distemper which is a serious condition whereby a dog can die.
Futhermore, they are offering free services to spay your dog or cat and also neutering.
Dr.Foley says that they’ve travelled all through the Arctic, with at least one trip each year. They’ve been to Baffin Island and Cambridge Bay in the western Arctic and this is their third trip to Labrador.
Dr. Foley would like to add that they have been offering these services as a result of one English professor Jane McGrath who visited Baffin Island and asked a friend what services they could provide.
Funding for these free Vet services are provided by the University of PEI, and a combination of sources, which include Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Center, and a drug company called Pfizer that provides money for medication that they use and they also have private donations towards thier cause.
Dr. Foley would like to add that everybody is welcome to take their dogs or cats out for these free vet services, however if you want to make donations, you can do so, but he stresses that donations are not required.
They are expecting a fair number of patients and Dr. foley says that there is always room for more.
Dr. Foley can be contacted in Nain by calling 922-2951.