A Sylvan Lake resident won’t have time to enjoy beaches and warm weather on her trip to Mexico early next month.
Instead, Jackie Lind, along with a group of other Canadians, will spend five days spaying and neutering animals in Bonfil, near Cancun.
Lind, an animal health technologist at Olds College, is travelling with Cats and Dogs International (CANDi), which aims to save the lives of stray animals through its programs.
Although she has embarked on similar trips in the past, Lind expects this one to be particularly productive.
“We are going to spay and neuter about 300 animals a day,” she said. “Here in Alberta we do about 140 a day.
“It will definitely be busy.”
With Alberta Spay and Neuter Taskforce, Lind has carried out similar clinics throughout the province, and, on one occasion, in the Arctic.
In Mexico, she will be joined by 20 Albertans and 20 Canadians from other parts of the country, along with 20 volunteers and veterinarians from the area where they will be working.
The clinic will run five days, with members of the travelling crew working three consecutive days before their only day off. During that day, they will visit Tierra de Animales animal sanctuary, to deliver Christmas cards filled with cash donations from Canadians.
“We were trying to think of what we could bring them,” said Lind. “We’re already pretty full bringing medical supplies down, and when I chatted with them, they said what they really need is dog food.”
The sanctuary goes through about eight bags of food every day for its 300 dogs.
Donations will also help cover vet bills.
While it is too late for Lind to collect anymore donation-filled cards to take with her, she hopes people will continue to support the cause by visiting the sanctuary’s website at www.tierradeanimals.org.
There, donations may be made by clicking the ‘get involved’ link at the top of the page.