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Team treats more than 2,000 Afghan animals during three-day assistance visit

  • Published
  • By Capt. Joe Campbell
  • Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team
PANJSHIR PROVINCE, Afghanistan --  A multi-service medical and veterinarian team from Combined Joint Task Force 76 set up operations at four locations here and treated more than 2,100 animals Jan. 15-17.

The 405th Civil Affairs Battalion conducted the Veterinarian Civic Action Program, or VETCAP, in coordination with the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team and provincial officials who determined which districts had the greatest need for assistance.

"It's been pretty amazing, the level of care needed by some of the animals we've treated," said Army Maj. Jessica McCoy, senior veterinarian on the Cooperative Medical Assistance Team. "This VETCAP is our third in Panjshir since September, and the number of animals we've reached is impressive."

The VETCAP, with stops in the villages of Dara, Bazarak, Froj and Rohka, was a cooperative outreach effort by the team, three veterinarians from across the province and members of the Panjshir PRT.

"The veterinarian assistance and vaccinations we provided were free," said Army First Lt. Sarah Rosnick, an operations officer on the Panjshir PRT deployed from Fort Lewis, Wash.

The workers also handed out flyers to the Afghans touting the benefits of preventative health care for their animals.

"Overall, the horses, donkeys, cows and sheep were in good shape, but the goats were thin," said Major McCoy, deployed from Fort Bragg, N.C. "We try to provide treatment and educate on the benefits of treating an animal before it is in bad shape, and I believe these ideals will catch on."

In addition to the large livestock treated, the team also dewormed dogs, chickens, a hawk and a pigeon, for a total 2,160 animals treated.

"Livestock is tremendously important in Panjshir as in all of Afghanistan. These visits help the locals keep their animals in good shape and also show them that their government and the Coalition is here to give them a hand," said Air Force Lt. Col. Neal Kringel, Panjshir PRT commander. "You don't see the Taliban out here vaccinating animals and ensuring that the populace has what it needs to get through the cold, hard winter."