A local veterinarian is on her way to Poland to help animals affected or injured during the war in Ukraine.
Dr. Melanie Moore of Corunna works at Bright's Grove Animal Hospital. With a flight scheduled to take off on Wednesday, Moore will spend 10 days helping different animal species with the Centaurus Foundation.
Moore said the ability to provide free care to animals in need allows her to fulfill her "life's purpose."
"When I saw a lot of the images of people trying to flee Ukraine and having their animals with them, and a lot of them not even wanting to flee the country because they couldn't take their animals, that for me was an indicator that I needed to go abroad," she said. "I'm very much aware that veterinary medicine is a very pricey profession and it's not easily accessible to everybody and that is something that I try to tackle every day."
Moore is not unfamiliar with travelling abroad to provide veterinary services. Originally from the Cayman Islands, Moore watched her philanthropic father help others within the community.
"I was always very into giving back and doing what I can," she said. "My last vet trip abroad was to Nepal and Thailand which was back in 2018."
The trip to Poland will be the first time Moore is travelling overseas to offer vet services since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Moore said she's going to Poland with an open mind in terms of what state the animals in need will be in.
"I've been keeping in contact with a lot of the organizations and they're seeing a lot of different things. A lot of animals just need generalized wound care, to more serious things that have lacerations. [There's] a lot of animals that are in pain because of broken bones or fractures," said Moore.
The local vet will also see different species including horses, rams, and alpacas.
Luckily, Moore will not have to dip into her own savings to help animals. Thanks to donations from some clients and financial support from the Bright's Grove Animal Hospital and Sarnia & District Humane Society, Moore is taking $5,000 worth of medical supplies, or about four suitcases full of items.
"I feel like the support and love has been very overwhelming," she said. "I'm not sure what I am going to be stepping into when I get off the plane but I know that I have so much support and so much love behind me." The Centaurus Foundation is a non-profit organization that has spent years rescuing animals.