A world of compassion: How Humane World brings veterinary care to animals in need around the globe

Marian Arpășanu/Humane World for Animals

In Romania, our vet partner, Dr. Ștefan Aurelian, performs a spay surgery as part of a community engagement effort.

To meet the challenge, Roseti and her team launched the Compassion for Companions program, a network of dedicated veterinarians and nonprofits, in 2022.

One partner, Nomad Vets, operates a mobile clinic funded by Humane World Europe, under the leadership of Dr. Cornel Stoenescu. He and his staff provide free vaccinations, spay/neuter surgeries and other lifesaving treatments. “Thanks to Humane World for Animals Europe,” says Stoenescu, “we can go where the animals and people need us the most.”

For many animals, it’s the first time they’ve received any veterinary care. His team safely sterilized Boba Fett and treated her for worms and fleas. The good news is that she has been adopted—by the family whose children used to feed her.

So far, over 5,000 animals have received care through the program. It’s a huge achievement, but the team is also engaging local authorities and policymakers to improve the lives of Romania’s stray dogs.

In late 2024, Humane World Europe and the Ilfov County Council hosted Romania’s first roundtable on humane, sustainable solutions for the stray dog population. More than 80 people attended the event, the first of its kind to take place at the Romanian Parliament.

“This is the first time that real cooperation is happening,” says Hilde Tudora, an animal protection official in Ilfov County, which surrounds Bucharest, Romania’s capital. “We are putting our entire heart into this work, and I am sure that this partnership will bring so much good for the animals in Romania for years to come. By working together, all of us, we can work miracles.” —Helen Lucas

Barbara Morales/Humane World for Animals

Irma with one of her dogs

Despite the complexity of communicating animals’ needs to these communities with longstanding traditions (punishment is still used as a training method in some places, for example), our team has observed that the message of care still resonates. One such success is Irma, a resident of a neighborhood known as Gotham City. The area, racked with high rates of crime, addiction and poverty, lacks basic services—the community did not have electricity until 2023. Despite having very limited resources herself, Irma has a strong desire to help animals and frequently cares for local street dogs.

When our team arrived, Irma brought three adopted animals to receive vaccinations and deworming. After we provided metal tags to hang around her puppies’ necks—indicating that they had been vaccinated against rabies—she brought two more dogs to get vaccinated later that day. To our surprise—and delight!—she had already made collars with blue ribbons and placed the tags around the necks of her other three pups. “You told me it was important and that this would protect my kids, so I put the collar with the tag on them,” she said.

Stories like Irma’s continually lift our spirits and affirm the importance of providing assistance in areas where animal welfare resources are limited. —Bárbara Morales, program manager, companion animals and engagement for Humane World for Animals Mexico

Sofía Herra/Humane World for Animals

Pets in Tortuguero receive essential veterinary services such as vaccinations and deworming.

According to Andrea Borel, director of Humane World for Animals Costa Rica, “Tortuguero was selected for the pilot [program] because access to veterinary care is very limited and, given its proximity to Tortuguero National Park, negative encounters between companion animals and wildlife are common. These include dogs causing disturbances with sea turtle nesting sites and jaguars preying on dogs or cats.” As part of the project, her team identified locals interested in leading animal welfare initiatives. These “animal ambassadors” receive tools and training to help make the program sustainable.

One of these ambassadors is Barbara Hartung, a German biologist who, 30 years ago, arrived as a volunteer at Tortuguero National Park and decided to stay as an ecotourism guide. She brought Milu, the eldest of her two rescued dogs, to the September clinic.

“I see this project as something that is very good and necessary for Tortuguero, because there are many people who love their animals, and it is very difficult for us to access veterinary services, [including] in case of emergencies,” Hartung says. “People in the community are grateful for the campaign and eager to improve their animals’ care.”

The pilot program is being developed in collaboration with Costa Rican government authorities, including the National System of Conservation Areas and the National Animal Health Service, as well as the National University’s School of Veterinary Medicine, the Tortuguero Environmental Committee and the Sea Turtle Conservancy, among other organizations. —Alejandra Zúñiga

Meredith Lee/Humane World for Animals

For about two decades, we’ve combated this crisis through our Pets for Life and Rural Area Veterinary Services initiatives, which have brought veterinary care and other essentials to people and pets in under-resourced areas.

Amanda Arrington, vice president of access to care for Humane World for Animals, says more animal welfare organizations are embracing their role in ensuring that all pet owners have access to resources.

There’s still more work to do in getting organizations and advocates to feel empathy and compassion for people in tough spots, she says. “In the majority of situations, people are not facing barriers and challenges because they’re bad people or because they’ve made bad decisions,” Arrington explains. “It’s because, as a system, we have a lot of work to do around creating equity. And while it might not be easy and we might face some bumps along the way, I feel like we’re gaining momentum.” —James Hettinger