It is safe to say that 2020 has been a year of challenge and change. In our 41 years of service, the Wildlife Medical Clinic has never closed to new patients. Yet for the last several weeks, despite this being the start of our traditionally busy season, we did just that. The decision was heartbreaking and difficult, but for the safety of our staff and community, and to preserve resources for the response to this pandemic, we felt it was the best choice to make. We continue to have a core team caring for our ambassador animals and the patients we currently have in the Wildlife Medical Clinic.
I am proud of our team, including those on site and those who continue to assist from afar. The exhibition of resiliency, flexibility, and compassion they have displayed is a beacon of light in this troubling time. Our students, despite the additional stressors of navigating a pandemic, living in isolation, and having to learn via a whole new online platform, continue to send encouraging notes, offer their support, and create resources which will benefit the Wildlife Medical Clinic’s patients and student volunteers for years to come. Their enthusiasm for learning, for caring, and for community support is remarkable. I hope each of them are fortunate enough to be surrounded by such a selfless team throughout their careers.
We, the global community, are continually learning about the coronavirus known as COVID-19. It is an uncomfortable place to be, in a time when we are so used to having experts and years of research to lean on for a given disease. It seems recommendations are changing daily, and anxieties in general are high. I find myself coming back to a quote by Maya Angelou: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” With each day, we learn more about this virus, its spread, and how to best protect ourselves, our families, and our communities. For now, we are together in our separateness. The act of solidarity and community in distancing represents yet another inspiring part of my day. I thank each of you for your efforts to that end – for putting your own social conveniences aside for the good of everyone. I am also thankful that we endure this pandemic in a time when the internet, phones, and video conferencing are so accessible, keeping us socially distanced but not socially isolated.
For now, the Wildlife Medical Clinic will remain closed to new patients. We are anxious to get back to work just as soon as it is safe to do so. As you may imagine, given the ever-changing conditions, it is impossible right now to put a timestamp on our return to full function. What we do know is securing the safety of our community, ensuring doctors have the resources they need to care for their human patients while protecting themselves, and advocating for the physical distancing and safety of our volunteers is a small contribution we can make toward an investment in our future. We are hopeful we will return to normal soon; that the warmth of this summer will have us reflecting on a challenging spring and appreciating that time has passed.
I wish you well and hope your families, friends, and community remain healthy and safe.
~Samantha Sander, DVM, Dipl ACZM
Director, Wildlife Medical Clinic
