Behind the Scenes
At Manatee County Animal Services. by Debra Starr
Y
Friends of Manatee County Animal Services (FOMCAS) Has Proven to
Be A Godsend. FOMCAS spent about $10,000 for enrichment items last year for dogs and cats, (Kongs, stuffable Nylabones, beds, cat scratchers, cat warmies and kitten milk replace- ment). With the help of Animal Network, they were able to purchase a new autoclave for Dr. Sarah. The two non-profits also teamed up to construct two new play yards.
There are amazing things happening at Manatee County Animal Services (MCAS). With an aging facility tucked away in Palmetto next to a ceme- tery and mosquito control, many residents have no idea MCAS is even there. Yet, despite the challenges, the dedicated staff and amazing volunteers cared for over 3,800 homeless pets in 2018. As a volunteer at MCAS, I am very familiar
with the adoption side of the shelter, but I wanted to know more about what goes on behind the scenes on the medical side and boy, was I impressed. The medical staff
With Dr. Sarah’s blessing and gratitude, FOMCAS spent $28,553.30 last year on outside shelter medical for orthopedic surgeries (animals hit by cars), two major mammary tumor surgeries and consultations with specialists.
Animal Network founded a heartworm treatment program which it turned over to FOMCAS who raised $16,914.00, last year, to treat 115 dogs, 90 of them treated “in house” by Dr. Sarah.
is led by Dr. Sarah Madaio whose pic- ture should be in the dictionary under “dedicated.” I have volunteered at MCAS for over eight years and the services she and her staff pro- vide are unprece- dented. Prior to her arrival, dogs and cats were sent out for sterilization only after they were adopted. In fact, on her first day at work, she was presented with 149 unsterilized dogs. Dr Sarah rolled up her sleeves and got to work and today, all adoptable pets are sterilized before moving to adoptions and the most adoptable are “fast tracked” to get them into adoptions as quickly as possible. Under Dr. Sarah, MCAS’s medical care has expanded to better care for each patient as
an individual in other ways too. For example, while a dog or cat is under anesthesia, staff might clip nails, perform dental extractions, dental scaling and polishing. or remove harmful masses which can be tested for cancers.
32 THE NEW BARKER The vet staff cares for a lot of trauma cases too.
Dogs and cats are routinely transferred over from emergency rooms. Dr. Sarah treats the cases she can and refers others to specialists, like orthopedic surgeons. Dr. Sarah empowers her staff and select volunteers to use photo biomodulation therapy to help their patients recover faster and with less pain.
On the day I visited, Dr
Sarah was caring for Maggie, (above) a kitten who had been hit by a car and was found with her maggot- infested leg hanging from her body. And then there was Tilt.
This young Chihuahua mix appeared to be suffering from head trauma. When I met him, he was still being evaluated. Dr. Sarah and her team
Dr. Sarah Madaio exams Nikon, a sweet puppy with demodex. Photograph by Anne Yarbrough.
don’t shy away from treating contagious diseases like parvo, scabies and ringworm. When the incinerator was removed from the grounds last year, that area was transformed into a room to save the lives of animals who need to be isolated while
they are treated. As you can imagine, funds to treat expensive
medical conditions are not always in the County budget. To bridge the gap, the all-volunteer 501c3 Friends of Manatee County Animal Services (FOMCAS) was founded in October 2016. The organization has proven to be a true godsend. In addition to life saving surgeries, FOMCAS
and Dr. Sarah work together to save the lives of the over 30% of dogs that arrive at the Shelter infested with heartworms. That used to be a death sentence for dogs, even though it’s treatable.
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