AAMOR – Margarita, Venezuela, October 2006
It’s not often that you’re not inconvenienced by lost luggage but I had to consider myself “lucky” when I spied my pack on the carousel at Caracas airport and not the box of Advantix flea treatment (donated by WVS courtesy of Bayer). I have to confess, by that time I was more concerned about my connecting flight to Margarita than the flea treatments. The Margarita flight (delayed like all my others) offered some fantastic views of tropical thunderstorms as the plane skirted around them.I was greeted at that airport by 2 ladies from AAMOR, who later turned out to be vets, even though at the time I muddled my Spanish for veterinarian with vegetarian. I was more concerned if they were colleagues and they were concerned about my dietary requirements!
Markus my WVS colleague, arrived a couple of days (or should I say nights?) later having also experienced more storms and delays. This gave me time to get over my jet lag and start to acclimatise. The heat, day and night knocked me right back. I was shown around the Island and the various clinics (all extremely well described in previous trip reports). I was taken to the beach, where the previous WVS volunteer Helen has done a mammoth day’s operating. The restaurant owner proudly showed me some of the beach dogs she had operated on, the bitches in particular looked in great condition.
Alicia Urea was our host during our stay, she has a lovely house outside the city in a secure area. She was also host to a German girl, Angelica who was helping look after the animals at the Asilo. I have to recommend her arepas (traditional Venezuelan corn pancakes).
Markus and I were to operate at Conuco Viejo, which had a purpose built operating theatre, complete with air conditioning. The resident vets took charge of the anaesthetics and left us to do most of the actual sterilising. The main thrust was to be a “Campaign” in which it was hoped that one of the town councils would pay for 120 animals to be neutered. It was shortly before the presidential elections and various parties were trying to gain favouritism amongst the voters. Promises were made, drugs and materials bought but the operating room never materialised. To gain the most publicity the council wanted us to operate in the village but the room was never ready. At the last moment the Campaign was switched to the clinic where the facilities had to be better. We had 2 very hectic days at times with 4 vets operating in various parts of the clinic.
Both Markus and myself took the opportunity to travel after the campaign. Venezuela has some spectacular scenery (my favourite being the lagoon at Canaima) from mountains to the low-lying seasonally flooded areas teaming with wildlife. Three hundred species of bird, countless monkeys, capybaras and an anaconda later I returned to Margarita. Margarita hadn’t had a bullfight for 8 years and one had just been announced for the Christmas break. AAMOR staff were trying desperately to stop it and make people aware of what actually happens. I found myself busy making placards. La Corrida no es Arte ni Cultura sino Tortura.
