Hola! Sara and I need your help! As many of you may know, we acquired a veterinary clinic in San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua about a year ago now. Seaside Clinica Veterinaria, is a very important resource for this community and one that had a big impact on our family.
Seaside and its veterinary staff, led by Dr. Roberto, saved our dog Macie’s life and assisted us in navigating everything we needed to get her back to the US. Finding this elderly street dog dying on the road and not knowing what to do, Dr. Roberto not only saved Macie’s life, but he provided us with immense comfort and emotional support. So, when Sara and I found out the clinic was for sale and knowing that the clinic risked closing, Sara and I stepped in. We have plans to invest in everything this clinic needs in order to meet the needs of the community. So far, we have been able to do a lot, but we have so much more that needs to be done and we have only so much of our own money we can invest.
Homeless animals, malnourishment and poor animal care is significant in Nicaragua. There are limited other veterinary resources in the region. Seaside has historically been the main resource in the area, but it has been limited in what it can do. The nearest veterinary clinics with access to an ultrasound and other basic equipment, such as an x-ray and laboratory testing, are located about two hours away. Many people don't have access to their own vehicles to make this journey.
Sara and I intend to outfit Seaside so that the community members can provide the basic veterinary care to their animals, as well as to the homeless street animals of the community.
Sara and I are self funding this venture but our funds are limited. We went into this with the idea of not asking for help, however, this Clinic has needed far more from us than we expected going into this acquisition. We are having to completely stock the pharmacy with vaccines and other basic medications, as well as restock the exam rooms with the basic items the veterinarians need for a consult/exam. We are essentially rebuilding the clinic from the ground up.
Seaside was in desperate need of an ultrasound machine as its first large piece of equipment. We knew it was a lot to ask, but the dogs, cats and other animals of the San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua region deserve the best care that we can all provide for them. And with your help, we raised just shy of half of the cost, and we covered the remaining amount. That ultrasound machine has been incredibly helpful over this past year!
At this point we are trying to overhaul our main exam room as well as our surgical room. We need to also overhaul the backyard so we can make it a much better place for rescued dogs to be while they await their forever homes. On top of the clinic upgrades, we are trying to do as much community outreach as we can by doing remote spay and neuter clinics in remote and poor communities. All of this costs money, far more money than most people have to pay for veterinary services. But it’s worth it. This community and country are worth it. The animals are worth it.
Let’s do this for Macie and her family, friends and her greater furry community.
The more help Sara and I can get now, the more we can do right away for the Clinic, like move onto our next large purchase - the x-ray machine. The better the clinic, the better the service we can provide.
Thank you so much for considering helping us make this clinic the best resource it can be for this wonderful community.
