The San Pedro Animal Hospital

[pedro]

Laurie has just ordered a centrifuge,an autoclave and another 4000usd worth of supplies-none of the drugs that she purchases are out of date,which is obviously a bonus-if people keep bringing their pets to her hospital-we hope that she will be able to purchase an anesthesia machine next month which means that she will have the most up to date clinic in Belize

[Sunshine]

That is excellent news. 

When we don't have a vet on the island I am constantly feeling on edge - after having a number of pet emergencies and relying on the hope that a vet in the city will be able to talk us through care over the phone I am grateful that Laurie has taken this huge leap of faith and opened an animal hospital.

The Saga clinic has always been helpful, to the best of its ability, and I often buy pet meds there - but the facilities are a bit dingy and rustic.  I had thought that Saga would be the group to bring the first animal hospital to the island.  I hope that Saga continues to provide the services it has done over the years but I am pleased that pet owners now have a choice.

With 2 facilities on the island that could mean that at some point there will always be a vet available for emergencies.

I will definitely be doing what I can to support Laurie, she has put in a huge investment and she has the skills and desire to make the island a better place to own pets. 

And of course a big thanks to Peter too, as I wonder if Laurie would have been willing to take such a big step if she didn't have his encouragement and support.

Great job guys.

[peterbj7]

From my house I can see the new Animal Hospital, and one of my routes to town takes me past Fort Dog.  I have to say that the new isolation extension is looking rather dingy, very unfinished (a very long way from being usable), and pretty small for the money that has apparently been spent on it.  Compared especially to the spanking new building that Laurie now has to work in.

[pedro]

we built the hospital in three weeks-we did not employ people who have never built on the island-unlike the ISO unit we had to get building permission - the inspector looked at ours and was happy he also said he would have never given permission to build crap by Fort Dog-his words not mine

[Sunshine]

Well like it or not the isolation unit is there and needs to be completed or the money spent to date was wasted.  We do know that an iso unit would be a nice addition to the facilities on the island - and hopefully FOTHS will be able to raise the last few thousand dollars needed to get the unit operational.  Once there is a Saga vet on the island to monitor the isolation patients it will hopefully be proven to have been a worthwhile project.

Saga is obviously doing the best it can under the circumstances and management - and the isolation unit was the project that was proposed and supported by FOTHS and the group has made a concerted effort to get the project off the ground and into reality.  The short fall and short comings of the project are not as important as the need to get the project completed so that it can be useable and not become a folly.

I wish Laurie's project every bit of good luck and karma and hope the same for Saga.  There is room for and the need for both clinics and I definitely believe there are enough patients to keep them both busy.

The new hospital looks great and with the new equipment it will most definitely save more lives and keep the pet population of the island looking and feeling spiffy. 

I hope that the new hospital project will serve as a glowing example of what can be done within a short period of time, with a limited budget if only a few people are willing to step up to the plate to make it happen - working as a cohesive team towards a common goal. 

[2Aggies]

No offense, but the issues of how publicly donated money is being used by SAGA still comes into play. I would assume the SAGA board is fully aware of comments posted on the message boards and has done nothing to change the perception. i.e. making financial statements public, including Pedro's Inn in the Thank You section on their website for funds raised, etc. Since this is a thread about the successful opening and planned acquisitions by the new clinic I think it somewhat inappropriate to be plugging for the very group that ran the vet off. IMHO of course.

I agree 100% that the well being of the animals is priority number one, but that does not seem to be the focus of SAGA.

Back on track with this thread I want to again congratulate the vet and Peter for taking the initiative to create a place where the animals can be properly cared for by a licensed veterinarian. The expedient manner in which they built the clinic reduced the amount of time the island and more importantly the animals were without a facility.

[peterbj7]

hopefully FOTHS will be able to raise the last few thousand dollars needed to get the unit operational

I'm sure they will raise the money that was targetted.  Before Christmas the amount remaining was pretty small.  But that's not really the point.  One look at the new "unit" as it currently stands shows that a vast amount of work, and very probably considerable extra expenditure, is needed before that unit is operational.  Given that the money supply is faltering and seems almost to have dried up, I fear it may be many months before the unit can be used.

[Phil]

Oh dear, this is all going to end in tears. Lots of them.

2 Aggies you preface your post with no offense that then offers opinions that Saga doesn't manage it's funds well, does not seem to be focused on caring for animals and that their finances aren't public. I wonder where have you got your info for you to form such opinions that to some are offensive, as all are incorrect.

I too congratulate Peter and Laurie on the new Animal Hospital. I just wonder why they can't promote it without keep attacking Saga and Foths and move on in their own different direction, as a private for profit Veterinary Practise.

[Phil]

Peterbj. Fundraising is faltering and dried up - it's Christmas isn't it? There was a fund raiser a week or two ago. How often do you expect events?

[2Aggies]

...the issues of how publicly donated money is being used by SAGA still comes into play. I would assume the SAGA board is fully aware of comments posted on the message boards and has done nothing to change the perception. i.e. making financial statements public, including Pedro's Inn in the Thank You section on their website for funds raised, etc...

Phil - can you please elaborate on your statements that I offerred an opinion on SAGA's management of funds? Can you show me where SAGA has made it's financials public? I have looked at their website. I can include the threads where ALL of this was a hot topic as SAGA's board ran off the only vet on the island. The threads where multiple people offerred many comments on the negative manner in which everything was handled. i.e calling a meeting to dismiss the Vet and telling her she need not be there, calling a meeting and not including ALL board members (the Vet WAS a board member, right?), refusing to allow the public to see how funds are being spent, etc. Thus forming my opinions. Yes - I formed an opinion after carefully reading comments made by people close to the situation, can you suggest another way.
Since you have offerred nothing but your personally being offended and concluding I am incorrect without any explanation I will assume you are just attacking rather than wanting to offer a different opinion.
The point of my post was that I found it inappropriate to be highjacking a thread for an organization that dismissed the Vet on a thread about the vet's new endeavor. Start a new thread to discuss that.  Don't worry no tears here.
Edited: to Clarify

[peterbj7]

I wasn't thinking of that, Phil, but the fact that it was steadily getting harder to raise funds before Christmas intervened and stopped everything.  And I believe that the amount needed to complete this project has to be considerably more than was forecast, hence my suggestion that there may be several months delay in raising it.  I hope I'm wrong.

I don't know that Peter is particularly bashing SAGA or FOTHS, other than just being his normal self.  He is certainly blowing his own trumpet and that of Laurie and the new facility, and in absolute terms that does seem to be justified.  The facility was built in remarkably short time, and does seem to be pretty well constructed.  What we don't know yet is how Laurie will deal (financially) with SAGA and how poor people needing veterinary care will be treated.  In other words, just how "commercial" will SPAH be?

[peterbj7]

Incidentally, I know what a centrifuge is - I've used them lots of times.  But what is an autoclave?  I know the word, but not what it does.

OK, I've just answered my own question.  It's a sterilizer for equipment, though I have no idea where the word comes from.

[pedro]

Laurie has offered SAGA a 30% discount on all shelter animals,and her prices are cheaper than the vet in Belmopan and  are comparable to Belize City-she has all the drugs necessary to perform operations -see Ginger

SAGA have not sent one Shelter Animal to SPAH,which must mean no animals have needed to be spayed or neutered or have been sick in the last couple of weeks.

Phil I am just showing what people can do if they know what they are doing and yes I am blowing my own trumpet which even Peterbj believes I have a right to do

Also Laurie is doing 10 free speys and neuters for free on jan 18 and 19 for families who cannot afford to pay-the families have to apply to the San Pedro Sun,SAGA or SPAH-so while it is a private practice for profit SPAH will be giving back to the community

[peterbj7]

Can I get this straight, not just for me but for others reading this board (which seems to be the only place where animal care on AC is being discussed).

If someone needs veterinary care for their pet and cannot afford to pay for it, who subsidises that care?  Is it performed by Laurie for reduced or no fee, or is it to be channeled through SAGA who will pay Laurie her normal rates (after the 30% discount she gives to them) and themselves bear whatever the pet's owner cannot pay?

I am assuming that such a pet will be given necessary care, and it won't be withheld because the owner can't pay.  Is that a valid assumption?

As to 2Aggies comments, many people have in the past sought greater clarity over SAGA's finances and affairs generally.  This clarity has not been forthcoming.  Most people are not alleging any impropriety - I'm certainly not - but many feel that it is incumbent on a charity that actively seeks public contributions to be far more open than SAGA has been.  Certainly once the matter has acquired a high public profile.

There's one other detail that interests and to some extent concerns me.  In the past SAGA has always sought and has been glad to accept donations of drugs and medical supplies.  If such contributions continue, how will those items that must only be used by a vet be handled?  Given that SAGA no longer has a vet, and that situation is likely to obtain for at least several months, will those items which SAGA cannot use (which will be most of them) be donated to Laurie?  That would seem inappropriate as she is operating a "for profit" business.  Or will they be sold to her, in which case who decides the price?  And what happens to those items she decides she doesn't want to purchase?

And the other question.  Given that there is no longer a vet at SAGA, what "treatments" will they perform?  What in fact is their future role?

It seems to me that animal care in San Pedro has entered a new phase, and the SAGA board should decide how to play it in future and then issue a public statement.  It's all a bit of a vacuum at present.

[2Aggies]

Well put.