Fact Sheet

Vet Treks Foundation was created by Dr. Lisa McCarthy in 2014 in Fort Collins Colorado.

Dr. McCarthy owns Midtown Veterinary Medical Center in Fort Collins, CO. Her career has spanned private and shelter practice and she has been involved in many international veterinary projects. Her love of travel has exposed her to various cultures and countries. Creating Vet Treks Foundation allowed her to marry her two loves and provide an extraordinary experience for like-minded people in her industry.

Dr. McCarthy’s involvement in international animal welfare projects led to her observation that outside groups can never have the same impact as will permanent local veterinary services in areas of need. adequately trained local veterinarians in those areas. Thus Vert Treks Foundation was born, with the goal of expanding and supporting sustained veterinary capacity in areas of need.

Foundation2While the short term goal of Vet Treks Foundation is to address urgent animal welfare issues in target areas, the long range mission is to support the expansion of veterinary services in areas of need in order to create improvements in animal welfare far into the future.

The presence of permanent veterinary services in developing communities brings many positive changes. These include:

  • Improved animal health and decreased animal suffering
  • Improved production from food animals
  • Improved food security for families
  • Improved labor capacity of draft animals
  • Improved market access for farmers’ food and animal products
  • Improved public health due to decreased transmission of animal-to-human diseases
  • Improved local economies due to the above facts and also due to the multiplier effect of local businesses (in the form of the veterinary practice and related tangential services).

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In many developing countries veterinary services are not widely available. However, changes in global commerce, local economic improvements and culture have brought about dramatically increased demand for animal care services in many global south countries, including our target country, Kenya.

The Vet Treks Foundation will support the development of expanded veterinary services in communities that are lacking.

 

 

Here Are Some of the Ways We Can Help

  • Provide medical, surgical and business training, as well as equipment, supplies or other implements of veterinary practice to local veterinarians
  • Conduct mass vaccination (most importantly against rabies), and large scale spay/neuter services in areas where dog overpopulation contributes to a high incidence of bites and rabies transmission to people and domestic livestock.
  • Provide educational materials about the benefits of animal care to schools and to the animal-owning public
  • Sponsor licensed, qualified veterinarians from underserved areas to travel abroad for educational opportunities
  • Send veterinarians to lecture and teach current standard of care to veterinary students and practicing veterinarians in developing countries
  • Sponsor education costs for foreign veterinary students who will practice in underserved areas
  • Fundraise or identify financial assistance and/or facilitation of financing for veterinarians who open practices where there are no animal care services

How You Can Help

• Make a tax-deductible donation to Vet Treks Foundation
• Make an in-kind donation of veterinary equipment or supplies
• Participate in one of our service trips (a portion of your costs are tax-deductible)

Vet Treks Foundation is a 501(c)3 corporation registered in the State of Colorado.

 As of 2022, the Foundation has an operating Board of Directors, has hosted Five treks to Kenya and is experiencing significant growth. Vet Treks offers veterinarians and veterinary technicians the opportunity to give back using their skills and passion for animals. There are also opportunities for non-professional animal lovers to participate.

For additional information about upcoming trips, please click here. While you’re there, please sign up for updates and newsletters. If you need inspiration, please look through these images from past treks. You can contact the Foundation by clicking here on their website.