Trip to Central America planned; fundraising help needed

By KYLE ODEGARD
Gazette-Times reporter

So much for relaxing during winter break.

Eight Oregon State University veterinary students will travel to Central America from Dec. 8 through 22 to run spay and neuter clinics and educate locals about animal health.

For people in developing countries, “Their economy and stability is often tied to the animals they keep,” said Austin Bell, vice president of the OSU International Veterinary Student Association. So is the health and productivity of people, who can get sick from animals, he added.

The graduate students are hoping to get fundraising help to pay for the trip to Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

“Right now, it’s all out of pocket for each of the students,” Bell said. Donations of medical supplies such as gloves and antiseptics also are needed, he said.

In Nicaragua, students will visit Ometepe Island, which has a huge stray dog problem, said Sara Neilson, president of the OSU International Veterinary Student Association.

“There are 10,000 families and 40,000 stray or feral dogs,” she said. And the island doesn’t have a vet.

The real way to make a change isn’t to spay or neuter all the dogs there, but to educate residents, Bell said.

Neilson, 25, of Salt Lake City, and Bell, 30, a Floridian, want to continue to work in developing countries after they graduate, even if it’s only a trip or two to help out each year, they said.

For more information about the trip, contact Neilson at neilsosa@onid.orst.edu or 214-762-6202.

Kyle Odegard covers Oregon State University. He can be contacted at kyle.odegard@lee.net or 758-9523.