I was asked to join the spay and neuter campaign trip to Fort Hope First Nation in October of 2024. With experience in working in the veterinary field as an assistant, I still wasn’t sure on what to expect. As an Indigenous woman, I have seen first-hand what it’s like for “rez animals”, who live mostly outside, with little food and water. Although their life can be difficult, they each have their own pack to depend on.

The trip started at 5am on October 15th, 2024, when our amazing team all met at Allandale to head off to the airport. When we arrived in Fort Hope, we had set up our surgical stations to make sure we were prepared for the next day. We had the opportunity to meet the Chief and band members, to discuss the overpopulation and issues that the community was having with the dogs.

The next morning was intense. We started at about 8am, and it was nonstop until 7pm. Almost everyone in the community came with their animals, whether it was to spay/neuter, get vaccines, or just to have a wellness checkup. Our amazing doctors took their time with each case, giving the community a chance at hope. Although most of these animals have never had any veterinary experience, they were quite friendly no matter how nervous they were.

Although the community knew we were here to help, some were hesitant at first. Judy Cannon personally went around the neighborhood daily to introduce herself and explain the benefits of spaying/neutering your pets. Eventually community members came to see our work for themselves. Our team worked so hard to make sure that these people felt understood and valued. Even though we are here for the animals, we also have compassion for the community and eventually gained their trust.

Over the 5 days, we helped over 200 animals. I can truthfully say that it was the most amazing experience. As Fort Hope is a fly-in only community, the people were so generous to us – from cooking us meals daily, to driving around all day to find animals in need of help and helping us gain the trust of the community.

On October 21st, 2024, it was unfortunately time to head back home to Barrie, Ontario. We had made so many friends (human and animal), but most importantly the community was safer. I had the pleasure of working and learning alongside Dr. Lechten, Dr. Owens, Dr. Syjueco, Dr. Kaur, RVT Sarah, Melissa, Angie, Natalie and Heidi. I was also fortunate to work alongside other organizations as well as the GAAP. Many volunteers came from all around Ontario to help make a positive difference in this community. We are so proud and grateful to everyone who volunteered to join us, it was an unforgettable and humbling experience for everyone who was involved!

-- Kylee