Kathy Hamblett of Alaska is visiting Saipan to provide veterinarian services.
Dr. MJ Wixsom, who operates a private clinic in Kentucky, is on island to provide spay, neuter, and urgent care veterinarian services.
From left, Boonie Babies co-founder Aria Keilbach, volunteer Emily Chmela, Dr. MJ Wixsom, Yumi from Saipan Cares for Animals, and Kathy Hamblett pose with puppies at the SCA clinic on Middle Road.
VISITING veterinarian Dr. MJ Wixsom and veterinarian technician Kathy Hamblett have performed veterinarian services — mostly spays and neuters — to around 70 cats and dogs since March 21.
Saipan Cares for Animals said the clinic has already filled all available slots with appointments.
Wixsom and Hamblett were flown over to Saipan through funds raised by Grace and Aria Keilbach, the co-founders of Boonie Babies.
Wixsom and Hamblett said they have also performed dental cleanings, tooth extractions, and urgent care.
“I do whatever they put in front of me,” Wixsom said. “One of the very first cases [I saw] was a leg injury [on a dog] that also had an ulcer on its eye that was about to rupture. And if I had not come along and seen that, then probably the dog would have been without an eye.”
Hamblett said they have also searched for intestinal parasites, which aid in proper diagnoses.
Saipan does not have a full-time veterinarian, despite a population of stray animals that number in the tens of thousands.
Wixsom said the CNMI needs laws that support veterinarian services performed only by licensed professionals.
“We [in Kentucky] don’t have lay people who are allowed to dispense and prescribe medicine at a much less cost than it costs a veterinarian to do it,” she said. “[Here] if somebody opens up a shop and says I’m going to start doing spays and neuters there’s nothing to stop them.”
She said the island’s climate and natural beauty could be a benefit to veterinarians interested in moving to the CNMI.
“You have an absolutely, positively gorgeous island here,” she added.
She was grateful for the support the Boonie Babies provided.
“I’m in awe of how much time and effort these young women have put in towards this,” Wixsom said, referring to the Keilbach sisters. “Most young women are more interested in things related to themselves and vanity and those kinds of things. But they have devoted their lives to this.”
For her part, Aria Keilbach said she hopes for increased local support for veterinarian services on island.
“We’re really lucky with our social media to get donations,” she said. “That being said we’re always struggling. We’re never completely funded. We’re run completely based on donations, so we can’t do what we do without that continual funding from people.”
She added, “Every time we do a fundraiser we really struggle … because people assume that we’re doing just fine.”
