As Hurricane Isaac bears down on the Gulf Coast, I, like many of you I'm sure, am remembering Hurricane Katrina. The relief when it was downgraded from a 5, to a 4, then a 3. It's not going to be that bad. That relief turning to horror as the levees failed, a slow-motion catastrophe whose impact is still evident throughout the region and in the hearts of the millions affected. To those in the area, I wish you one thing, to be safe. My thoughts are with you. I can only hope that you have ... Read more »
Archives for August 2012
Be The Change
Estelle’s Journal: Part 1
Day 372: Another lovely day here in Escondido. I finally figured out how to wrestle the remote away from the cat at night so I can turn on the Olympics. She keeps insisting on watching Bachelor Pad at night once the people leave and I'm all, like, you know the Olympics are only every two years, right? and she's all, I don't care, I want to know what happens with Blakely and then I said "give me the remote" and she said "make me" and so I had the dachshund distract her with a shiny ball and I ... Read more »
Wordless Wednesday: Where in the World is Dr V?
I have a hard time myself getting a grasp on all the places I have been fortunate enough to visit in the last two years. To say it has been immensely rewarding is the understatement of the century. I am writing today from Granada, Nicaragua, at the World Vets Latin America Training Facility, where I'm observing the last few days of the immensely successful summer training program for vet students, pre-vet students, and tech students. Cathy said she was pleased with how the project was going. ... Read more »
Oath in Action: The Horses of Tir Na Nog
Saturday, 5:20 am. The alarm buzzes and I bash at it in irritation. At this early hour I'm rethinking my enthusiasm for volunteering for the American Veterinary Medical Foundation Oath in Action Project. I have to be dressed and downtown by 7 am for registration, then it's off to either the Chula Vista Animal Shelter for a cleanup or the Horses of Tir Na Nog for a day of fence painting. "I could have slept in another hour," I mutter to no one in particular as they are all sleeping. "I could ... Read more »
Next medal event: Freestyle Dogvertising and the ASPCA 100K Challenge
When the Escondido Humane Society asked me if I would pick a pet to champion in support of their running in the ASPCA $100K challenge, of course I said, "Yes!" This week, I took a drive up to the shelter to get a special tour, and decide who of all the deserving pets there I was going to mentor. When I got there, touring this wonderful facility that is bursting with about 700 animals (it was built to house maybe 3-400), I talked with their PR Director Katie Woolsey about lots of things. I ... Read more »