For 9 years now, the German vet Karl Sewastianiuk drives to Scooby to do voluntary work on site.  His family has joined him now for the 8^th time.  His wife Friederike assists Karl with his OPs and also co-ordinates and organises the work of the voluntary Scooby helpers and sometimes the vets from Germany.

Since the son Bennet has to attend school, the Sewastianiuk family uses the annual Easter holidays to travel together, including their own 4 dogs, on the outward journey of 1950 km to Medina del Campo.  At Scooby many dogs and cats will receive medical care from Karl.  The family has a long-term friendship with Fermín Perez, the head of the animal shelter.

In the spring GPI donated a used, dated caravan to provide the volunteers with better accommodation on site.  This caravan was now driven to Spain by Karl Sewastianiuk, packed with donations from GPI (medical equipment and four donated bicycles).  The bicycles were especially welcome as the helpers are now much more mobile.  Most of the volunteers come via airplane so that they have not been mobile.  Now they have the chance to drive into town to buy food and just have a look around.  Herewith, more thanks to the Bachmann, Benzing, Schulz and Sewastianiuk families.

Karl Sewastianiuk knows the animal shelter from the time it first started in a big, old hall.  He remembers very well the difficult circumstances under which he castrated 200 dogs within 2 months.  No comparison to the grounds and buildings of today, including the relatively modern medical centre, which could only be built with the donations and support of many animal protection associations.  Thanks to some GPI members, a complete narcotics unit, an EKG monitor, a collection of OP instruments, a rolling OP lamp, steriliser, as well as bandage and thread materials could be sent to Scooby.  The scale given by GPI to Fermín Perez during the summer festival 2006 has been very useful for the vets on site.  With the anaesthetic blowpipe donated by Sonja Gosejacob, it is now possible to sedate goats and sheep in order to castrate them.  This was always very difficult without this instrument as the Scooby grounds are big and the chasing and normal catching was very complex.  But also a shy Galgo could be caught with the blowpipe.  Karl and Fermín have shown good skills in handling and using the unit.

During the Easter holidays 2007, Karl could not only help dogs and cats.  Six goats and sheep, 2 pigs and 1 rabbit were also medically treated.  Last year during the Easter holidays another 70 greyhound bitches (ladies) from the race course in Barcelona were castrated by Karl and his volunteer colleague Kees Bakker.  But these are not always routine operations, some cases even get to haunt experienced vets.  Karl this year, for example, had to remove an eye from a dog who was brought in with severe eye damage.  The animal probably wandered around town for days with its injury until someone had the heart to catch it and bring it to Scooby.

On the trip back home, GPI had asked if it would be possible to bring back a Galgo in urgent need of a place in a foster home because perhaps he or she needed intensive medical care.  After several days, Friederike noticed a dainty wired-hair female dog who looked a bit lost and alone on the grounds.  She was being mobbed by the group.  Nunca, that’s what the girl is called, was very happy with a place next to Friederike’s feet during the trip home and she slept most of the time.  Even after short stops, she jumped straight back to her place.

With this article, we do not only want to tell a story, but we want to make aware of the definitely not to be taken for granted volunteer work for Scooby by people like Karl and Friederike.  Volunteer vets and vet assistants are urgently needed.  Experience shows that, unfortunately,  German vets are not available for such volunteer work, whilst Dutch and American vets and their helpers almost belong to Scooby’s “inventory”.  Craftsmen and people who are talented with using tools are also welcome at any time.  There is an urgent need for an electrician who can install a ceiling distributor and plugs above the OP table so that the cables are not lying on the floor.  Also, the FI switch jumps out when using the urgently required steriliser of the OP instruments.  Anyone interested can contact Friederike under volunteering@scoobymedina.com.  Also there is an urgent need of silver spray.  Animal hair cutter machines and catheters are already on there way to Scooby via GPI.

At the end of our article, we want to take the opportunity for a big, warm “Thank You”  for the super support from Karl and Friederike for the “donated” spare time, for the “donated” holidays of son Bennet and a big praise for Bennet’s extreme patience.  It surely has been boring for him at times and also considering that other families spend their holidays on beaches at the sea, he has been very understanding.

Last but not least, again a special thank you for the southern German branch of GPI for the intense “collection” of material donations and we hope that even more members will be recruited in the south and that they are just as enthusiastic in supporting our club.

The dogs (and, of course, also the other animals at Scooby) need this support urgently.  And they give back so much in return, proving daily their willingness to believe and trust people over and over again.  Any person who has adopted one of these wonderful dogs will confirm this.