Providing veterinary care to remote communities

Dr. Tuma performing health checks on dogs in remote communities. Photos courtesy Veterinarians Without Borders North America. Urban communities in North America are fortunate to have access to trusted veterinary professionals who provide animals with care, including vaccinations, spay and neuter surgeries, and more. While veterinarians are known to make an impact across communities large and small, offering this valuable care to pets in more remote areas can be challenging–yet vital–work to maintain the balance between healthy animals, people and the planet in the places that need it most. With roots in veterinary medicine, a One Health approach champions holistic solutions with a lens of interconnectedness. Veterinarians, community members, organizations, and more must work together to positively impact these underserved populations, especially in times of disaster, like the recent U.S. hurricanes. Recognizing these challenges, Veterinarians Without Borders North America (VWB) established the Northern Animal Health Initiative (NAHI), which helps build community-driven partnerships, provide sustainable veterinary care and share knowledge, garnering many key learnings applicable across regions. Common barriers to veterinary care for remote communities Many obstacles, including travel, cost, and scarcity make it hard for pet guardians to get access to veterinary care. At times, some communities may only be accessible by plane, and prices of goods are often higher than in urban areas. Barriers to veterinary care in remote communities are also brought to light quickly during emergencies and natural disasters, with many organizations traveling to provide response, resources, and relief. Veterinarians and other volunteers are brought in to assist with pet evacuations, boarding facilities and more, during or after an event has occurred. While it is encouraged for every pet guardian to have an emergency pet preparedness checklist and evacuation plan, support teams often see pets get left behind and need to pull together resources to provide care in the interim. During the Maui, Hawaii wildfires, VWB teamed up with the Maui Humane Society to assist in their emergency response, leading local field teams and providing immediate relief efforts for companion animals. VWB supported the Maui Humane Society through emergency temporary boarding efforts for displaced animals, preparing for an influx of medical needs, setting up a hotline for animal guardians in need and trying to reconnect with their pets, and organizing essential supplies for disbursement. How veterinarians can support remote communities As each remote community has different needs, it is important to work closely with representatives and leadership to identify concerns and priorities to build an effective plan. Many times, the plan includes offering temporary veterinary clinics with a team of volunteers, which includes vaccinations against deadly diseases, spay and neuter surgeries, and consultations with pet guardians and their animals. Although diseases such as rabies may not be a common threat to urban households, remote communities are often at an increased risk. Specifically in the U.S., many communities in Alaska are remote, and a VWB survey of school administrators across Alaska found only 16 percent reported having access to veterinary care. Due to their remote locations, these community members may be more likely to have interactions with rabies-infected wildlife, such as foxes. Rabies regularly occurs in red and Arctic fox populations, which can make encounters between foxes and dogs, or foxes and humans, potentially life-threatening. Through regular access to care, the spread of rabies can be significantly reduced. As climate change alters how wildlife accesses food sources, which may draw them closer to communities, prevention and timely response is increasingly important. Additionally, many communities in Canada’s far north have little to no access to veterinary services. In fact, at this time, there is not a single veterinary clinic in operation across the entire territory of Nunavut. Animals in these northern regions tend to live shorter lives, dying from diseases and causes that are either treatable or preventable. This can put communities at risk, as unvaccinated dogs can transfer diseases such as rabies to people. Working closely with remote communities, VWB’s volunteers and veterinarians travel at least once annually for temporary veterinary clinics across NAHI partners to address concerns and priorities, enhance animal health and maintain harmony. Between 2023 and 2024, the NAHI program impacted more than 1,200 animals and 1,400 pet guardians through the efforts of 43 volunteers across 11 communities. Through this work, VWB encourages other organizations and veterinarians to do their part in understanding the challenges and opportunities to get involved. Providing education and awareness to remote communities While in-person clinics are important, the key to leaving an impact on remote communities is developing solutions for sustainable veterinary care. This can be achieved through community training programs, which strengthen local capacity to address animal care needs year-round, and telemedicine virtual infrastructure. Community members can be trained in certain procedures, pet first aid, lay vaccinations, and more. As a veterinarian, providing support through telehealth is an accessible way to care for remote communities without traveling. Earlier this year, VWB launched a veterinary telehealth program, allowing pet guardians 24/7 access to registered veterinary technicians regarding any of their animal health concerns. Awareness was also spread about the program, including how to access it to ensure pet guardians maximize its potential. Programs like this show the value of telehealth technology in the veterinary community, which can be used similarly across the U.S. Educating community members on key issues in affected areas also aids in prevention. As an example of a successful program geared toward children, VWB published a Rabies Awareness and Prevention Education Program as part of NAHI in English and Inuktitut for Nunavut schools in remote communities across Northern Canada, which is also accessible in the U.S. The curriculum, designed for students in grades five and six, includes three 45-minute lessons accompanied by PowerPoint presentations, handouts, and an exit ticket so educators can provide feedback on the program’s effectiveness. The structure and lesson plans were developed in partnership with an educator who has experience teaching in Nunavut, along with input from other northern educators, with the primary goal of educating students and community members about preventing the spread of rabies to protect themselves and community animals from exposure. In conclusion, by acknowledging barriers, embracing innovative veterinary care solutions, working with the community to share knowledge and prioritizing education as a means of prevention, veterinarians can significantly improve animal health and resilience, and in turn, the health of humans and the environment in remote communities. Michelle Tuma, DVM, Northern Canada Veterinary Specialist, VWB North America, was born and raised in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. She graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 2014 and moved back to her hometown to practice. Since 2015, in addition to working in private practice, Dr. Tuma has partnered with multiple northern animal welfare organizations to offer temporary veterinary clinics in First Nations and Inuit communities across Canada's Arctic. She has been working with Veterinarians Without Borders North America/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amérique du Nord as its Northern Canada Veterinary Specialist to expand their northern reach since 2018.

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Providing veterinary care to remote communities

Common barriers and what vets can do to support and educate

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