Timeline
• 2020: Animal Balance was contacted by the WMAT Chairwoman, Gwendena Lee Gatewood, and Founder of Tailsof Love, Lance Matthews, for assistance in Whiteriver, AZ on the Fort Apache Reservation.
• 2020-2021: AB began working with Gwendena and Lance to pass a tribal resolution supporting spay/neuter, usingtribal funds to bring AB MASH clinics to the area.2021: After nearly two years of pushing, the resolution supporting spay/neuter was passed.
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June 2022: Animal Balance prepared for its first clinic in Whiteriver.
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2022-2023: Animal Balance conducted 4 clinics in Whiteriver.
Fall 2023: A domesticated dog tested positive for rabies after biting a child in the central residential area of Whiteriver. This led to the roundup and killing of over 60 free-roaming dogs for testing.
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2023: Animal Balance began working with the CDC and the RMSF department of Indian Health Services to protect all beings on the reservation from the impact of diseases like rabies and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
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2023-2024: Animal Balance planned 3 more clinics for 2024 and made plans to expand services to include
widespread vaccination and flea/tick prevention.
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March 2024: Another resolution was passed allowing Animal Balance to request approval from the FDA to use the injectable sterilization Suprelorin.
Ongoing: Animal Balance continues its efforts to make Suprelorin available for temporary sterilization of dogs on the reservation and to conduct spay/neuter clinics and provide vaccination and flea/tick treatment through "Fast and Furious" drive-through clinics.
Help support our ongoing work on the Apache Nation!
