Isla Mujeres Veterinary Clinic
Dr. Delfino Guevara is the Director of the Clinic and has provided care to the owned and stray animals of Isla Mujeres for the last twenty years. He previously practiced with his team in a building across the street from the new clinic, but outgrew the space. With assistance from HALO, a new building was constructed by Clinica Veterinaria de Isla Mujeres and opened its doors in September, 2015. The Clinic is the only full service veterinary hospital on the island, and is also the only provider of 24/7 emergency veterinary services. The clinic offers high quality, low cost services to owned animals and free care to homeless animals. The Clinic is an Association Civil, the Mexican version of a not-for-profit. The Clinic team includes two additional veterinarians, Dr. Rossely Gonzalez and Dr. Gabrela Flores.
The population of Isla Mujeres has increased significantly and is now about 18,000 people. This has resulted in more human/animal conflicts, more car accidents, and more pets to care for. The Clinic sees over 2,000 cases every year, and of these cases, about 25% are emergencies.
Homeless animals make up about 20% of the volume of the Clinic. These homeless animals are treated free of charge, and intact homeless animals are sterilized in an effort to address the problem of overpopulation. While conditions for the island animals are improving, the burden of care is huge. HALO provides ongoing operating support to Clinica Veterinaria de Isla Mujeres to assist with this burden.
Approximately 90% of the island dogs are owned, and most of the Clinic clients are families with dogs. The key issue with the island dogs is education of the owners of the importance of basic veterinary care and of sterilization. Only about 10% of the island cats are owned. The Clinic has a Trap-Neuter-Return program in which free-roaming cats are humanely trapped by volunteers and sterilized free of charge with the goal of humanely controlling the cat population. In recent years, over 2,500 cats have been sterilized.
The Clinic has welcomed multiple visiting veterinarians from the United States, Canada, and other parts of Mexico who work along-side the team in the quest to improve the conditions of the island animals.
In addition to his work at the clinic, Dr. Guevara has also worked in the schools to provide a curriculum of humane education. By mentoring young people, he hopes to cement values of kindness and compassion in the community.
D. Guevara was trained at the University of Paris and the UNAM University of Mexico. Prior to arriving on the island in 2000, he worked at the Paris SPCA and in private practice in France for ten years. He has participated in multiple voluntary clinics for the sterilization of cats and dogs and is universally highly regarded.
The new animal hospital has much expanded capacity and capability over the former clinic.
The new hospital provides:
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expanded and environmentally safe space for humans and animals
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an xray machine
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two blood chemistry analyzers
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two consultation rooms
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a surgery suite with gas anesthesia
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cages for hospitalized animals, including those recovering from surgery
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an adoption center for animals seeking homes, and
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a sanctuary in the back garden for the "clinic cats" awaiting homes
HALO funded the construction of the new hospital and provides ongoing operating support.
Clinica Veterinaria de Isla Mujeres
HALO was established in 2013 as a 501©3 not-for-profit in the United States so that donations from our friends in the U.S. will be tax-deductible. The Association Civil in Mexico will enable tax benefits for those paying tax in Mexico.
To find out more about the work of the clinic, Click Here to visit its website.
The clinic was designed pro bono by architect Josefina Rodriquez, an Isla Mujeres resident and longtime volunteer with the clinic and board member of Clinica Veterinaria de Isla Mujeres.
Websites for both Clinica Veterinaria and HALO were designed pro bono by Kai Creamer, a longtime volunteer at the clinic since its opening. Kai was born and raised on Isla Mujeres.