HERE - the Santa Fe Animal Shelter and Humane Society

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Dr. Rebecca TomasiC: ‘Lucky’ to be at the Shelter As a longtime veterinarian in private practice, Dr. Rebecca Tomasic said she thought she understood the plight of homeless animals. But since joining the clinic staff in November, the extent of the pet overpopulation problem has been stunning. “I was aware there were some animals not getting spayed or neutered and there were unwanted puppies and kittens every year,” she said. “But I don’t think I knew a tenth of the problem. Everybody knows, sure, there are cats running around having babies, but I don’t think they realize just how bad it is.” Dr. Tomasic, a Pennsylvania native, always knew she wanted to be a veterinarian. Her father was a doctor, and she was aware of medicine and medical practice. “I was 5 years old when I found out that dogs and animals had their own doctors and they were called veterinarians, and that’s what I wanted to do,” she said. “I took a circuitous route to get here, but I did.” After 28 years in private practice, mainly at a Santa Fe clinic, Dr. Tomasic decided to try her hand at animal sheltering. She knew the pace would be busy, she said, but the number of animals that come to the clinic for altering or injury is still surprising. But the work is rewarding, she said, relating the story of stray cat who came in recently with a broken leg. “We decided to get some x-rays for a full assessment and it turns out she was pregnant,” she said. “She wouldn’t have been able to deliver those with a broken pelvis. Every day it feels like you’re doing something good – maybe just being kind to an animal that hasn’t had anyone be kind to it before. I just feel lucky.” body do a lot of the healing on its own.” The variety of cases at the Shelter keeps Dr. Snook hopping. “I saw more trauma here in my first few weeks than I did during my entire four years in Los Angeles,” he said. “The people who work here are amazing. They have a lot of compassion for animals. It’s great to be around them.” U U U All animals that come into the Shelter get a veterinary examination, no matter what their circumstances, and vaccinations. Keeping infectious diseases out of the Shelter is critical and something the entire staff considers one of its primary duties. Hands are washed often, towels are plentiful and clean, and trays of disinfectant are spread throughout the Shelter for people to step in to coat the soles of their shoes. That helps stop the spread of disease. “You take a bunch of animals that are previously unvaccinated and you put them together in a shelter environment, you’re going to have some type of infectious diseases,” said Dr. Steketee. “Obviously sanitation is really important and trying to keep the stress levels as low as possible, because stressed animals, just like people are going to get sick.” Few people realize just how much effort goes in to the well-being of every Shelter animal, Dr. Steketee Marcia Krebs, left, and Jane Lively are two longtime clinic volunteers who enjoy the fast-paced environment. The former medical workers find their volunteer work rewarding. “You really are helping animals,” Marcia said. Added Jane: “The staff here is super.” said. That’s why keeping companion animals healthy and in their homes is important. She encourages people to have a relationship with their veterinarian to prevent health issues from becoming serious and expensive. “There are a lot of people who really care about animals,” Dr. Steketee said. “But there definitely needs to be better education about how to care for animals appropriately.” Aside from a healthy diet and protection from weather extremes, making sure an animal is safe and not roaming about is equally important, she said, along with spaying and neutering. Animals that are inside or in a secure yard are safe animals. “That’s how most animals end up here,” she said. “They went out wandering, got hit by a car or got in some trouble and are at the shelter. If you take an animal that’s not spayed or neutered and they are not contained, they will roam. That’s their nature; it’s going to happen and they will be putting themselves in harm’s way.” Every department in the Shelter works hard to care for each animal that needs attention, Dr. Steketee noted. “We are a team, and I hope people realize just how many people it takes to take care of animals here,” she said. “From the kennel workers to the behavior team and to our technicians who run all over this place transferring animals from the clinic to adoptions to the intake building. It’s a major effort.” 6 | Animal TRACKS
a break for Nicholas It wasn’t hard to fall in love with Nicholas, a Chihuahua mix puppy found abandoned with three shattered legs off a busy Santa Fe street shortly before Christmas. We’re not sure what happened to him, but when he arrived at the clinic, our staff knew this little guy was in pain. Despite several surgeries and gallant efforts to save a severely damaged front leg, this 6-week-old survivor never seemed to be in a bad mood; he was always ready for a quick kiss or comforting hug. Cody, a Santa Fe acupuncturist, followed his remarkable story on our Facebook page and knew he was the dog for her. After several weeks in foster care, Cody came to visit Nick and it was love at first lick! The lack of a front leg has not slowed this little guy down - like many “tripods,” he doesn’t even seem to know he’s missing an appendage. We know one thing for sure – he’s not missing any love! Meet the Staff Our clinic team is made up of dedicated professionals. Here’s a look at those who work on the front line of animal care: Megan Rodriguez Megan’s been at the Shelter off-and-on for 10 years, starting at the old Shelter on Cerrillos Road. She’s worked in private practice, and loves helping animals and their owners. But she’s drawn to the Shelter‘s homeless animals: “They need the love,” she said. “They need the people to help them.” tommy archuleta A locksmith by trade, Tommy has been at the Shelter four years and has been working at the clinic for more than two of those years. He’s become a strong proponent of spaying and neutering and loves working at the clinic, where he learns something new just about every day. “I think we are very lucky to have the facility here and the veterinarians,” he said. “Very lucky.” carol amador Carol started at the Shelter as a kennel care worker and was drawn to the clinic because of her love of animals. The direct help she and everyone at the clinic can give to homeless animals makes her proud of her work and of the Shelter. “It’s always busy, but as a team we can really make a difference for all the animals that come through our doors.” dora montano A Shelter employee for five years, Dora started in animal care, cleaning kennels. She was encouraged to work in the clinic and has never looked back. She’s often the first person at the Shelter the animals see, and helping them be healthy and happy is important to her. “I love it here,” she said. “I love helping the doctors in surgery and helping the animals get healthy for a new family.” THE TEAM also includes Lauren Aston and Danielle Meza, who recently joined the staff. Spring 2013 | 7
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HERE - the Santa Fe Animal Shelter and Humane Society

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