Time to plan 2009

It is time to start planning next year’s Holbox clinic. I am tentatively planning the first week of May for the clinic. April might be cooler but April is high or middle season and May is low. Also Easter is in April this year and that is a busy time in Mexico. So it is looking like May again.
This next year I hope to:

• Increase the number of animals treated
• Have teams alternate days (1 or 2 days of surgery, 1 day off)
• Encourage technicians to accompany vets
• Target free roaming cats on Holbox
• Try to treat for parasites and erhlichia before clinic
• Better utilization of volunteers
• Purchase autoclave
• Better stock of basics (syringes, fluids, antibiotics)
• Purchase trach tubes for clinic to be left with supplies on Holbox
• Again provide basic veterinary care and surgery for surrounding Mayan communities

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I will plan on using same anesthetic protocol.
Flea / tick control and rabies vaccines will be given.
Everyone will be responsible for their own expenses again.
Morelia will be our contact person. She is a vital asset to the success of the clinics.
Funding is an issue. Expenses last year were over $4000 (many items were left on Holbox and will be used this year) and so far I have received $2690 in donations. This year expenses should be considerably less assuming the suture and supplies left on Holbox are still usable (I expect them to be as long as there isn’t a hurricane!). I had hoped to be able to purchase instruments to be left on Holbox but I don’t see how that will happen this year. I haven’t pursued a 501c3 status. I would really like to become a “chapter” of a existing group rather than set up another 501c3. I’m not sure this will work but seems like the easiest (and cheapest) approach right now. There is another group Spayucatan (www.spayucatan.org) that is active on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan Peninsula that I have recently contacted.
Please offer any advice or help that you can.

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