AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Belize Life Living in Belize one more last word on saga

I don't take issue with SAGA hiring its own vet. I am only concerned that animals are going without because of the feuding among people. Even with all of the 'bad blood' between the two entities, it can be put aside to reach a solution until such time SAGA is able to employ a vet. SAGA has funds to pay the private vet's discounted rates. Maybe this is not what SAGA wants to do - I am sure they do not want to pay Laurie anything because 'they don't like her anymore' but seriously people, wake up and serve the needs of those innocent animals!

I really think that SAGA has enough funds to continue operating as a shelter and to pay discounted vet fees to the private vet until such time as SAGA may employ its own vet (which SAGA never seems to be able to treat properly or retain for any length of time due to its mismanagement of a clinical practice).

Maybe you should make an appointment to see the books before you make such a statement.

again, here i agree. (not so sure about the funds part, tho, or what the 'discounted rate' is. some free donation of her time in exchange for referrals would be a compromise idea too.)

LMAO now that is rich! I have attempted to 'see the books' with no success whatsoever, as have many of my friends. I stand by my statement in any regard.

I'm not suggesting SAGA pay to take all its animals into see the private vet - only those in need of medicine or treatment until SAGA has another visiting pro bono vet onsite to do mass spay/neuters again. For SAGA to allow one animal to suffer due to its refusal to refer it to the private vet is just awful. So far, no one from SAGA or its supporters have stated what SAGA intends to do with regard to referring or getting sick or injured animals treatment. Is it now SAGA's policy not to pay Laurie Droke one penny even if it means life or death or suffering or treatment to an animal?

Agreed Jane. Laurie did do something like 40 free spay neuters in January... of course that already shaky relationship with SAGA has totally burned to the ground after the chicanery SAGA engaged in trying to sabotage her new vet practice, trying to have her deported, arrested, stealing and vandalizing her clinic signs, etc. That aside, I still think both groups could put the animals first and the discounted rates were affordable - i could be wrong but I think the spay was discounted to $50 BZ and a neuter to $30 BZ or something like that. I believe SAGA simply will not pay her a dime out of spite - which sux for the animals.

I suggested that donations be made to FOSP and earmarked for spay/neuter by the SPAH - that way SAGA would not have to pay but they would have to take sick and injured animals to the private vet - which i'm not even sure they would do - they refused to refer a sick dog just last week that by the time Laurie saw the dog, it was too late and it died unnecessarily.

Peter Jones posted this earlier - it is a letter from Dr. Droke, the private vet with a surgical clinic in San Pedro. Apparently she sent it on Monday to as many SAGA officials as she could identify. It sure looks like she is willing to put animals needs first over feuding. As a licensed vet she has the ethical charge to report illegal activities to preserve the strength of the licensing of all vets in Belize. She has also stated she has offered discounted rates of medical treatment and free spay/neuter services from time to time.

Hi,

I'm sorry to send this to so many people. I am only guessing at who the Saga Board of Directors is now composed of. I think it is important for you to know that one of your patients, who was treated by Ingrid on Saturday, died in my hosptial last night. By the time I saw him it was way too late. He was severely anemic with a Hct of 7%. Normal is 40%. The owners told me that your vets were too busy on Saturday so Ingrid treated him. They said that she barely even looked at him and sent home some pills. He was very sick and had been for some time. The owner showed me the pills. They were not even labeled with what they were. One I recognized as some ancient Deramaxx which are so old they are decomposing and do not even resemble tablets any more. I do not know if they were charged or given for free, but obviously this is malpractice.

I do not know why this patient was not referred to me. I am much better equipped than the Saga clinic and this client could afford it. If you are so busy that you are overwhelmed, why is Ingrid practicing veterinary medicine instead of sending clients who can afford it to a real vet?

At some point your actions are hurting animals, not helping them, and you really need to reassess your crusade against me. I am not against humane societies. I think that Saga has done a great job over the last 10 years at improving the condition of the dog population here. However, Saga has not done well at taking care of people's pets. Your clinic has always struggled at staying properly equipped. When I arrived it had almost nothing. You cannot justify hurting other people's pets to support your humane society work. I know that you have seen how other humane societies work. They function just fine without trying to be a full-service vet clinic. I wish you would consider the possibility that Saga has its limits of what it can do well. Saga has always tried to do too much because there was no other veterinary care here. Things have changed and if your organization continues to try to fight this progress it will only be to the detriment of your organization and the people and animals you are trying to serve. Your position that San Pedro Animal Hospital should not exist is just frankly wrong. I am offering services that Saga has never been able to offer and I am saving animals' lives.

Once again, I fully support your work as a humane society. I have offered you discounts and free spays and neuters. I have not damaged any signs that belong to the humane society despite your group's repeated vandalism of mine. But I will continue to complain to the Veterinary Board as long as you continue to function in a way which is illegal and is hurting people's pets. If you do choose to continue to run a full service vet clinic IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to refer patients to me when they can afford it and you cannot properly diagnose and treat them. If you cannot handle this responsibility you should not be running a full-service veterinary hospital.

This is not personal, despite all my personal issues with the people at Saga. You can choose to believe what you want about me personally. But I think it is time for you to move past this and do the right thing for your community. I will continue to make formal complaints against Saga Humane Society to the Veterinary Board as long as you continue illegal activities. If this means you are having trouble gettinig licenses for your vets you need to stop blaming Peter and take a look at your own methods of operation. I know that there are a lot of people that will believe your position as the generous charity against the money-grubbing private clinic run by the evil Pedro. But this does not make your position true. I just hope that more people's pets will not suffer before you realize that the way you are working is wrong.

Sincerely,
Laurie Droke, DVM

(this is to your post above the letter:)
...and i heard the something like that but in a totally different way. that's why i dont want to, will not and can not get into the he said she said. i believe they both probably acted childishly.

in my fantasy world, i'd love them put all the past behind - as i am sure there were major mishandlings of situations from both parties - and sit down & bang out a compromise, for the animals' sake. kum-by-ya and all that.

but again, can someone explain why dr laura (the new vet - did i get her name right?) can't get permission to practice? i don't really understand...

I'd love to see them reach a compromise.

I think Laurie Droke is extending an olive branch to treat the animals, begging that SAGA STOP INGRID FROM PRACTICING VET MEDICINE, and put the animals' needs first by referring them to proper medical care. SAGA is not even referring those who can pay for vet services to Laurie out of spite.

I think the Vet Board is and has been reticent to give anything more than limited licenses to most of the country's humane society vets (all of them not just SAGA). SAGA has compounded this issue by having Ingrid give out meds and illegally practice vet medicine on sick vulnerable animals when there is in fact a licensed vet available.

At one time we all had to engage in medically treating our own animals and some of the strays because there was no viable alternative and thank God there was some euthanol around to put down suffering terminally ill or injured animals in an emergency when Dr. DeShield was not available to fly over from the city, and more than a handful of spay/neuters were done by nurses and lay people out of desperate necessity. But that was over a decade ago, things have totally changed - there is a top notch surgical clinic and vet on the island. A return to the dark ages is so unnecessary!

I believe SAGA is now referring appropriate cases to the private SPAH clinic.

I have already been demonised by some people for my determination to tread a middle ground here. For the record, I very greatly want SAGA to survive and continue its invaluable humane society and animal shelter work and I have no objection whatsoever to them having their own unrestricted licensed vet if that is what they feel they need. I have accordingly signed the petition - though I still harbour doubts about how much influence that petition will carry.

Contrary to some people's belief, I have no hot line to the "dark lord", but I believe SPAH actually has no objection to SAGA having its own vet and I do not believe they have tried to persuade the Licensing Board not to approve one. I understand they have indeed written to the Board on a number of occasions, but each time was specifically to report illegal or unprofessional veterinary procedures being performed by unlicensed staff within SAGA.