Why Veterinarians Are Needed on the Galapagos Islands

Watch a documentary on
the Galapagos Islands &
you'll see a volcanic
archipelago surrounded
by clear blue water...
(www.boundlessjourneys.com)

...dry areas with cacti, lush
 subtropical forests & exotic
 animals like the Giant Tortoise.

(www.globogirls.com)

Watching theses shows is like stepping back in time to Charles Darwin's exploration of the region in the 1830s.   Darwin spent years analyzing of his observations of the plants and animals found on the Galapagos Islands and published The Origin of Species in 1859.

Sea Lions sunbathe on
the beaches.
(www.easterflorida.edu)






It's easy to see why the Galapagos Islands was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.

A Blue Footed Booby

& Marine Iguanas
(insightguides.com)

What isn't seen on documentaries on the Galapagos: the cities and towns, the cars and trucks or the dogs and cats that were brought to the islands as pets.

Dogs roam around town.
(galapagosdigital.com)

Cats hunt indigenous

animals.

(www.prweb.com)

Pets brought to the Galapagos aren't spayed or neutered and vaccinated.  They don't get regular veterinary care.  Left to roam, these pets breed, hunt, injure and kill native animals while spreading diseases like distemper and parvovirus to indigenous populations and endangering them.

Darwin Animal Doctors is sending veterinarians to the Galapagos Islands to provide necessary services to cats and dogs to slow and eventually halt cross species disease.  Horses on the archipelago are in need of veterinary care and Darwin animal Doctors has expanded its services to meet this need.

The Galapagos archipelago is a unique ecosystem that is made more fragile by the introduction of settlers and the animals they bring with them.  Darwin Animal Doctors, the Ecuadorian government and scientists are working to maintain and save native species while promoting the islands' wonders.