Animal Balance

Animal Balance (Campaña de esterilizacion en Galápagos)

Es increíble saber que de maneras que uno no pensaría se puede apoyar a esta causa, mejorar la calidad de vida de las mascotas con un verdadero programa y un proceso bine definido lo hace ser a uno participe de un cambio positivo en la problematica de las mascotas en islas.

Todo el equipo que hace parte de esta iniciativa, me permitió conocer de cerca durante unos dias, entender, apoyar, y aportar con la documentación grafica generando contenido audiovisual para animal balance y poder comunicar el enorme trabajo que realizan, no solo de forma directa con temas de atención veterinaria sino cambiando y consientizando a las personas, este trabajo no es de corto sino de largo plazo, que estoy alegre de haber pertenecido y haber apoyado.

El trabajo que realizan es digno de apoyar y reconocer sus logros y verdadero cambio que han llevado a las islas galápagos

Conocer y colaborar con Animal Balance ha marcado tanto mi vida profesional como personal. El equipo tiene la combinación perfecta de profesionalismo y calidad humana que se necesita para causar un impacto profundo en las poblaciones donde trabaja. He tenido la oportunidad de contribuir a la calidad de vida de perros y gatos en San Cristóbal, Galápagos y aunque se viven situaciones difíciles por el estado actual de algunos animales, siempre he encontrado en el equipo de Animal Balance el apoyo para resolver las situaciones de la mejor manera y aprovechar los recursos con los que contamos. Finalmente, las experiencias y las amistades después del voluntariado han sido invaluables.
Esta ha sido la mejor experiencia de mi vida!

I began volunteering on Kaua'i in 2017. Everyone is amazing, and this NGO rocks!

Animal Balance is responsible for thousands and thousands of surgeries of dogs and cats to help reduce overpopulation and increase animal health. They especially target underserved areas. They work worldwide and do not let borders get in the way of doing the right thing. They are amazing and deserve your support.

I've done two trips with Animal Balance, one to the Galapagos and one to the Dominican Republic. They set up a professional sterilization clinic, often in an open-air facility, using supplies they have flown in, . The luxuries to which we are accustomed, including reliable electricity and running water, are not always available, but the clinics always work remarkably. The entire team, including local vets and community members, pulls together to make things work. They provide a fantastic service.

I have been on multiple campaigns; from America Samoa to the DR. Each trip is unique and remarkable. The professional standard is high, the service compassionate and full of professionals working with high ethical standards. All communities have been grateful and engaged, with social change happening. AB is making a difference in the lives of animals and the communities we serve.

I have traveled with Animal Balance to many different islands over the past 6 years. Animal Balance changes the lives of the animals and humans that we interact with when we are there for our spay and neuter campaigns

I love this organization. I was involved in a couple local rescues and worked in a HQHV clinic. I was able to do a MASH style clinic with my employer and fell
in love. I then learned from a coworker that I could travel and do what I love and it is in paradise. This organization is making such a difference in places that it is so necessary for all species to coexist. I have now participated in 3 and number 4 in September and looking forward to so many more. Such an organized and professional organization.

I first had the opportunity to work with Animal Balance when a team came to American Samoa, where I was working at the time. What a great, positive, professional group of people! They brought much needed supplies, trapping equipment, teamwork, and hope to the territory.
Networking with them was so amazing, I jumped at the chance to meet them in Hawaii to volunteer for spay neuter campaigns on Kauai on two occasions. Looking forward to more opportunities to work with this amazing group.

I started with Animal Balance when they offered low cost, basically donation, spay and neuter of my landlord's 2 dogs. I appreciated the service to our community so much that I thought I would volunteer for a few hours. That turned into 4 long days. I enjoyed working with and learning so much from this amazing group of people that I have volunteered for 2 campaigns since then and am preparing for another one in September. I hope to at some point, be able to travel and volunteer at other locations with them.

Animal balance comes to my island regularly. I had my dog spayed on one of their first visits, then my rescue feral kitten. They keep it affordable so people can get their cats spayed. Anything we can do to reduce the population of feral cats humanely is so important. Animal Balance rocks!!

I'm fortunate to have participated in multiple campaigns with Animal Balance. Witnessing social change as a result of connecting people and the sharing of knowledge, kindness and compassion consistently remain my favorite parts of working with Animal Balance. This organization feeds my soul!

Animal Balance has an amazing team that is dedicated to helping animals in areas with scarce veterinary resources. By providing spay/neuter and basic care to cats and dogs, they are helping to improve and save lives on each campaign. The volunteers are all amazing, dedicated and compassionate people who work hard and have fun while doing it. They provide the highest level of medical care possible to each patient and go above and beyond to serve each community they travel to across the globe.

Having worked with a number of folks who also work with Animal Balance, I am confident that the animals they care for are receiving top-notch medical care provided by compassionate humans who truly care for all animals and the communities that they live in.

I've been on two Animal Balance campaigns, one in Dominican Republic and one in the Galapagos. The benefits to the animals and the human community are amazing. They provide life-saving medical care and surgery in rough conditions and improvise when necessary in order to accomplish their mission of helping the animals. It is a fantastic organization.

I had the chance to help out at one of their Kaua’i visits. Animal Balance is amazing in how they manage to do what they do. They come on their own dime and time to put in some long hours. They are very organized and have their procedures down pat. It was remarkable to see how adaptable they were in efficiently utilizing the space they were given to set up their clinic. In essence, they make it work. They held a volunteer orientation before the clinic so that we could help them hit the ground running. They made it a point to help us help them. It was a rewarding experience to work with a group that operates at that level.

Animal Balance is an organization that is making a HUGE difference. I have had the amazing opportunity to volunteer with Animal Balance on four campaigns. Four campaigns equaled to fixing approximately 1,670 cats (and several dogs). So many wonderful, hardworking, compassionate and dedicated volunteers (now friends) working together to make this all happen. Most rewarding experiences of my life. Animal Balance has allowed me to meet my retirement dream, helping animals and making a difference.
Sandy

I cannot say enough great things about this organization. The work they do is superb. Their mission is so simple yet so needed in many parts of the world. I have been on 2 campaigns and have never been soo amazed by how much impact a dozen or so individuals can do. The lives of many islanders and their furry friends are forever changed for the better - with each campaign the AB family grows and the passion for providing access to better veterinary care to those in need spreads. I highly recommend getting involved in this organization any way you can!! You will not regret it!

I started volunteering with Animal Balance in 2004. Since it's inception this has been an amazing organization. It is well run by fabulous people who are caring and super organized. The resources put into protecting these vulnerable animals is above an beyond. I make an annual donation of money and supplies because the work they do is vital to helping the animals and protecting public health. Keep up the amazing work Animal Balance!!!

Animal Balance and everyone involved is just amazing. The dedication to help stray dogs and cats goes above and beyond and I'm honored to be part of it. I can't wait for my third trip this year to help animals and to meet more amazing people that just want to help. Thank you Animal Balance for everything you do

I have had the privilege to volunteer with Animal Balance on two campaigns, Molokai Oct. 2015 and Big Island July 2017. They are a well run, cost conscious, non-profit who do the best for the cats and dogs they care for!! I highly recommend this group for many donation dollars.

Sarah

I have been involved animal rescue and spay/neuter education for about 25 years now, so when my husband and I traveled to Cuba this last December and noticed all of the street cats and dogs, I immediately wanted to know if there was a spay/neuter campaign going on. I asked our AirBnB hosts and they said a humane group came to the island and held a clinic, so when I got back home I searched the internet to find this group.
I learned that two international humane organizations where working with the Cuban government to create a 5 year spay/neuter program. The Spanky Project, a group from Canada and the Animal Balance Program, a group from the United States, are working together to train the Cuban veterinarians and vet techs how to perform high volume spay/neuter.
Animal Balance was founded in 2004 and since has been serving communities in 10 island countries. Currently they are focusing on the Galapagos Islands, Cuba, the American Samoa and Saipan.
This concept really interested me, so I filled out an application with Animal Balance and was accepted to join in on their week long MASH units on the Big Island of Hawaii in Hilo. I paid for my travel and arrived in Hilo along with a long list of supplies and the willingness to work 12 hour days.
Allie Cats Allies supplied all of the medications for the MASH units, Animal Balance shipped in 50 traps and 50 transfer cages and the local humane organizations came together and put up fliers, trained trappers and they even asked the Mayor to donate the hotel accommodations for our 10 day stay!
We set up this MASH unit in an old ice cream storage building, it was an amazing process to help it all come together. Our days began at 7am and ended at 7pm, including just enough break time each day to inhale a sandwich and run to the bathroom. Within 5 days we had spayed/neutered 683 cats and had to stop because we were running out of medical supplies. I have never worked so hard in my life, at the end of each day I went back to the hotel, showered off the sweat and cat hair, ate some dinner and fell into bed. My job was with the recover team, which included giving each cat a wormer injection, flea medication, under the skin fluids and then place them back into the carrier they arrived in. This was a complicated process that included a numbering system with a number stuck to the cat’s head that matched the carrier and paperwork with each cat.
The entire team was fantastic! Meredith, from Animal Balance, stated that we worked like “a well-oiled machine” and that this was the largest amount of surgeries the group had performed in 5 days’ time. We could not have done this without all of the individuals and groups that came together to make this happen. And because of the Hilo community response, Animal Balance is in the process of planning another MASH unit for Hilo in the near future.
I am humbled by the dedication of everyone involved, as well as the warm welcome we received here in Hilo and I plan on joining another MASH campaign in the near future.

Elaine Genasci
Feline Network Co-Founder

I volunteered with this amazing group in Pago Pago and saw firsthand the difference made in the lives of the residents of the island as well as the animals. I am thrilled to continue to volunteer for and contribute to the life-changing work they do!

I had the opportunity to volunteer with Animal Balance in April 2016 for Operation Cunucu in Aruba. For the past couple years I have watched the stray dogs multiply around my time share and the island. Last year I started to investigate was being done about the obvious stray animal problem the island has. I ended up adopting two puppies who's mother was caught and taken to the kill shelter. I learned then about Animal Balance and how they were going to being going to Aruba in April. I immedietly started making plans to get myself back to Aruba for this campaign.
We were able to spay/neuter 337 dogs in 5 days. The directors Emma and Meredith are absolutely amazing women. As hectic as those 5 days were they were never too busy to stop and explain something to someone. Especially kids, I watched them numerous times stop and explain why it is so important to spay and neuter to the younger generation.
We were able to humanely catch 4 out of the 5 dogs at my time share. They were then spayed/neutered, vaccinated, dewormed, tattooed and released. I got word that the 5th dog was caught and spayed the following week at the local vet and then released.
I truly hope I will get the opportunity to volunteer with these dedicated animal activists again in the future. Animal Balance is remarkable and is changing the animal world for the better.

When I signed up to volunteer with Animal Balance early this year, I had no idea the impact it would have in/on my life. We were all, mostly, strangers when we began.. and at the end of 5 days (and nearly 500 animals later), we were bonded by our experience. The quiet, gentle/positive guidance of Emma and Meredith incorporated our strengths into an efficient and loving team. I don't remember ever working so hard in the company of such loving (and skilled) people and enjoying more...EVER. Looking forward to more campaigns with Animal Balance and their incredible volunteers. Rock on!

I have worked on several Animal
Balance campaign around the world. This group teaches the people of the islands they work on how to be good animal care givers. They have shown them how easily adoptions can be done which has already saved hundreds of lives. Would give them 10 stars if I could

Animal Balance doesn't just help the animals in the communities it visits, it helps the community build up it's humane capacity. I work for a national animal welfare org and so come in contact with many animal welfare non-profits, and while all are doing incredible and difficult work, I take my hat off to Animal Balance because they surpass borders and do what seems impossible, and in a sustainable way!

Animal Balance is a terrific non-profit. I have been a volunteer for Animal Balance for about 9 years ranging on campaigns from the Dominican Republic to the Bahamas. I am also a professional that has been working in the non-profit sector for fifteen years. I can wholeheartedly say that AB is efficiently run for an excellent mission. Although it is relatively small it has significant impact by having a clear strategic approach and passionate leaders and volunteers.

Beyond its great work, AB has also changed my life. Through volunteering for AB you get to see the world in a whole new light. One where people come together for common cause, for something greater than themselves, to truly help those in need who cannot speak for themselves: these loving animals around the world with supportive local communities who just need a little help. There are few better ways to travel the world.

I have been volunteering with Animal Balance for four years. I am a veterinary technician and there are a lot of emotional and physical drains in my day job. Despite the hard work, long hours, and constant heat, Animal Balance trips nourish my soul, remind me why I am a veterinary technician, and push back the compassion fatigue by leaps and bounds. Helping in underserved areas is rewarding in ways that nothing else is. Seeing the good that is done for the animals, and the people, in places with little to no recourse to help the animals otherwise is one of the best things in the world.

I've volunteered with AB on 4 campaigns and the experiences have been life changing. This is an organization that is focused on creating positive change and recognizing the role that all animals play in our lives.

I lived in American Samoa for 4 years and volunteered with Animal Balance when they came to conduct a spay and neuter clinic. As AS had no vet on the island, Animal Balance was a godsend. They worked tirelessly every single day working with limited island resources and spayed or neutered over 300 animals.

I have been very lucky to join this amazing group of people on numerous campaigns this year. The love and compassion they show not only to animals in need but also the community is inspiring. Life changing work and true advocates for evolution through compassion.

I have been working with Animal Balance since 2010. They are an incredible organization that improves the health and welfare of companion animals in island nations. Not only do they help the local population with dog and cat sterilization/vaccination clinics, but they also teach their skills to local veterinarians and animal care givers so that animal welfare becomes a year round priority!

I have worked with Animal Balance since their first campaign in the Galapagos in 2004. This is an amazing group of hard working, passionate people that work diligently with the local communities to not only sterilize animals but to teach compassionate care. The impact that is made and the education that is done allows the local communities to continue the programs on their own to make lasting changes. From a personal view, I started working with Animal Balance prior to vet school, during vet school and now as a veterinarian. I learned so much from my work with this group that I could never have learned in the classroom or clinic - compassionate care and community work. It has helped shaped me as a person and as a veterinarian.

I volunteered with Animal Balance in the Galapagos a few years back. It was a wonderful experience! Volunteers paid their way to the islands and donated in their time and in goods to help spay and neuter. Every moment was used to the fullest to spay and neuter cats and dogs with kindness and care. I was thrilled with the number of animals we could safely spay and neuter in a day. It is clear to me that dollars donated to this organization go directly to the cause. Importantly, Animal Balance works to cultivate long term change through established relationships within these communities and education.

Volunteer, and client served! Animal Balance came to the Bahamas to help us plan and organize a very successful Operation Potcake 2013 (2315 dogs sterilized), giving us the tools to go on to hold an equally successful Operation Potcake 2014 (1184 dogs and cats). AB volunteers are amazing people to work with, always upbeat, knowledgeable, and on-the-ball. I was also extremely fortunate to be able to volunteer with them in the Dominican Republic last year and would happily do so again!

Animal Balance has been a great place for me to use my veterinary skills in fun and exciting places. My girls I work and I with have been to American Samoa, the Galapagos Islands, Dominican Republic (3x) , and Operation Potcake in the Bahamas (2x) with Animal Balance. Besides having a great feeling about helping people and animals who really need our services I have learned a wealth of information on different practice methods form other veterinarians form across the world. Thanks Emma and Byron for al you do.

Animal Balance is an organization filled to the brim with persons willing to use their skills and talents to help animals all over the globe. Apart from providing amazing medical attention to animals in need, Animal Balance engages the community in their campaigns, and that is what has a lasting effect on animal welfare long after the campaigns are done. There is nothing more rewarding to see animals attended to on a previous campaign, years later, looking happier and healthier than before. Animal Balance makes a difference, and anyone willing to be part of that will never have any regrets. The experiences I have had with Animal Balance have changed me forever and I am ever so grateful. You get to interact with amazing people, see a beautiful location, learn a few things, all while helping animals and the community they belong to. It truly doesn't get better than this.

Introduced to "Animal Balance" as a volunteer for "Operation Potcake" in the Bahamas. I learned that Emma had agreed to spearhead "Operation Potcake" by assisting in organizing and directing multiple mash Clinics in New Providence which was to be a Five Year initiative to reduce the overpopulation of stray, uncared for and unwanted street dogs (Potcakes) in New Providence. Gladly accepted the begged for invite to participate in the "Animal Balance" campaign in Cabrera, Dominican Republic last year which was a most inspiring, illuminating and successful Campaign. Please Fund and Re-Fund "Animal Balance" Campaigns.....

I've volunteered twice with Animal Balance. They have made a difference in so many lives. Not just the animals, but also the humans that interact with the animals. They have given them the knowledge to help the animals, and that will help the animals long after AB has left. It is hard work, long days in the heat, but worth every minute. I am planning to go back on another campaign this year. The volunteers and staff are an amazing group of people, dedicated to making life better for the animals by spaying and neutering.

What makes AB unique is the mission, the people and the compassion. I have volunteered with AB for 10 years . Each time we complete a campaign it is evident to both volunteers and the locals (people and animals) that this group is exceptional. The big picture goal is care for the animals and sterilization. What you don’t realize is that AB changes attitudes, perceptions and the volunteers, down to the very core. Sure, we can sterilize 60 animals in a day but it’s so much more than that. It’s seeing someone now reach out with kindness to street dog, not kicking them to go away. It watching a young man take pride in walking their newly neutered dog on a brand new leash through the town square. It’s seeing the local people wave and say thank you as you walk home after a long day in the clinic. Animal balance is change. Change in how you see the world and how you can help others make it better. Volunteering with AB will change you in ways you can’t image. Join us!

I have had the privilege to work with the AB organization on 3 campaigns, number 4 coming up in a few weeks. This group works tirelessly to improve the lives of animals and people alike on many islands. I have learned so much working with this group and feel blessed to have made life long friends while working on these campaigns. It is one of the most rewarding things I have eve done in my life and I hope to be lucky enough to be able to assist on many more campaigns!

AB is a wonderful group of people. I have volunteered with them a couple of times and am amazed at what they accomplish with each campaign.

Animal Balance came to Nassau in The Bahamas in 2012 to help us with our stray animal program. They provided us with funding, support, training and volunteers. Over a 10 day period in 2013 they helped us to spay and neuter 2315 animals which made a huge dent in our stray population.

In 2014, with the knowledge that we had gained, we ran the program again. This time Animal Balance played more of a supporting role and we organised much of the program ourselves. Over a 5 day period we spayed over 1200 dogs and cats, proving that the methods we had been taught were sound and could be replicated. In addition to this we are using the technique to run monthly programs on many of the islands. Animal Balance can now focus their efforts on helping other nations, while keeping us up to date with any developments in the field so that we can continue to improve.

Without Animal Balance we would not have been able to scale up our spay and neuter program to the level that we have. We are deeply thankful to them for sharing their knowledge and methods.

Animal Balance is a hands-on nonprofit that is helping animals all around the world with mass-volume sterilization and vaccination clinics, mostly on island nations. Not only do the clinics benefit the animals, they are also life-changing for the people in these remote communities as well as the volunteers like myself. I had the pleasure of volunteering with AB on two separate trips in American Samoa and The Bahamas. The number of animals we cared for that would otherwise not receive any veterinary care is so rewarding. After some client education, the people who once saw these dogs and cats as pests now welcome them into their homes after Animal Balance came to their communities. As a veterinary student I look forward to working with Animal Balance for many years to come, and can't wait to take my next adventure with the most compassionate, energetic and inspiring people I've ever known. I Love AB!

Animal Balance - saving the world one street dog at a time! Animal Balance is saving the animals and creating a change in the way people treat and think about street animals. Not everyone starts with the knowledge that animals should be a loved and cared for members of the community; they are often considered dirty pests! Because of Animal Balance I have seen up close the kind of change of attitude that can happen when people are shown how amazing, loving, smart, and hard working a pet can be. Which carries over to how they compassionately care for each other and in their awareness of the world around them. GO AB!