Mission Trip
Baylor Pre-Vet Guatemala
All Videos
We began our first ever pre-vet mission trip in 2018 to Antigua, Guatemala. In Guatemala, we worked with a local shelter, Animal AWARE. Animal AWARE is the largest animal rescue and welfare organization in Guatemala, and one of the largest in Latin America. AWARE aims to shelter homeless animals and educate communities on proper animal healthcare and responsibilities.
Through PVMA's mission trip, we take a team of students to help AWARE accomplish that goal. Whether it be walking (or, rather, hiking) dogs, organizing offices, or applying medication, our team assists AWARE in whatever capacity we can.
To learn more, keep an eye on Baylor Missions page.
If you have any questions feel free to reach out to our Mission Trip Chair Danielle Thurman.
To learn more about Animal AWARE check out their website here.
Testimonies
Kaley VanValkenburg
Baylor introduced me to Guatemala and showed me the dire needs that communities have there. During my first two trips, I remember being so captivated by the populations of street animals and the seemingly apathetic disposition locals had towards them. I knew that something needed to be done about it.
I did a lot of research about the attitudes toward animals in Latin American countries, and discovered that the culture is just not nearly as obsessed with them as ours is in the States. Regardless, nothing justifies animal neglect. During my search for solutions, I stumbled upon an organization called Animal AWARE: a rescue, education, and welfare group in Sumpango, Guatemala.
Their mission aligned so much with mine that I just knew I needed to go. I had heard of other Baylor students organizing mission trips, but I was not sure that Baylor would approve a trip to a foreign country to work with foreign animals. To my surprise, they did. Enthusiastically.
While I had known that I wanted to be a veterinarian, I struggled with which aspect of the career I wanted to pursue. I had a preconception that veterinary medicine standardly dealt with domestic cats and dogs and horses and that that was the most exciting it would ever be. However, when I stepped foot in that shelter, I knew that there was a side to the field that I had not yet considered: public health.
I knew that the lack of regulations on animal healthcare in Guatemala was dangerous, but I hadn't quite realized that it contributed to a cycle of illness and injury in both animals and humans. This shelter was trying to put a bolt in the wheel: educate the communities to realize the importance of spaying, neutering, and vaccinating animals, despite the animal living inside or not.
Veterinarians are critical in the success of this process, and I want to be a part of it. The animal/human interface of health is broadening every day, and because of this trip and AWARE, I was able to understand it better and to understand my calling better.
Megan Boenicke
The thing that stood out the most to me about the Guatemala mission trip was knowing that we were giving the staff the ability to work on other projects while we helped them with the daily task of caring for the dogs. While Animal AWARE has over 400 animals, they only have 4 or 5 full time animal care staff members. So it was really nice to know we were making a difference for those loyal staff members.
the other great thing about the mission trip is being exposed to another culture and learning more about how they live but also their view of animals. It really made me hope I have a similar opportunity once in or after vet school because there is such a need.
Colby Angell
For me, the Guatemala Mission trip was very
eye opening. One memory I will not forget was
walking 'into" the shelter on the first day.
The team was surrounded by what felt like
hundreds of neglected dogs, and they were
all barking for our attention. a sense of duty and purpose overwhelmed me and i would be lying if I said I wasn't emotional. this is just one experience. the trip offers so many more of these, not only related to animals, but to the culture as well. I cannot recommend going on the Guatemala mission trip enough. it can be truly heartbreaking at times and a blast at others. No matter what, the trip is absolutely unforgettable and is an experience any pre-vet student would cherish.
