Courtesy Photo | Maj. Adam Wiechman, a veterinarian with the 407th Civil Affairs Battalion, vaccinates...... read more read more
RAPID CITY, S.D. - Members of the Army Reserve’s 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion are roaming the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation during Golden Coyote 2014 looking for dogs and cats to vaccinate against diseases such as rabies and distemper.
The Reserve Soldiers are headquartered in Eagle Butte, a small community on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, for the duration of this year’s Golden Coyote.
The 432nd is assisting the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in its efforts to reduce disease, particularly rabies, among its large dog and cat population.
Ethel Morgan, the animal control manager for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, said many of the reservation’s residents find it difficult to afford veterinarian visits. The 432nd is providing free vaccinations for dogs and cats during Golden Coyote.
“We’re trying to make our streets safe so that our children can play in the playgrounds and our older people can get out in their neighborhoods to exercise,” said Ethel Morgan, the animal control manager for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. “Rabies has been a problem here on the reservation and the Army has been a really big help to us.”
This is the second year in a row that Reserve Soldiers have provided veterinarian services to residents of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe during Golden Coyote.
The 432nd, along with Morgan, expects to visit more than 20 communities on the reservation by the time Golden Coyote ends. The vaccination drive requires the Soldiers to conduct door-to-door visits with as many houses as possible in each community.
“If I were out here by myself, it would take me at least two days to go door-to-door even in a smaller community,” Morgan said. “The Soldiers help me do this so much faster. Plus, I’d probably miss a lot of animals if I were alone.”
At each house that has a dog or cat, the Soldiers take a picture of the pet and make notes on what type it is so that the tribe’s animal control office has a record of it. Each pet then receives a rabies and distemper vaccination.
Maj. Adam Wiechmann, a veterinarian with the 407th Civil Affairs Battalion who is attached to the 432nd for Golden Coyote, said the local residents seem very receptive to the immunization efforts.
“We’ve had a lot of success, especially in the smaller communities,” said Wiechmann, a resident of Summerset, S.D. “A lot of times when people see us pull into their town, we almost get swarmed by them wanting to get their pets immunized.”
The immunization team will vaccinate about 400 animals during Golden Coyote, he said.
“We want people here to see our uniforms and know that we’re here to help them,” Wiechmann said. “We’re providing pet vaccines for a lot of people who otherwise might not be able to afford it. Being able to meet that need is very satisfying.”
| Date Taken: | 06.16.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 06.16.2014 19:34 |
| Story ID: | 133300 |
| Location: | RAPID CITY, SD, US |
| Web Views: | 194 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Going to the dogs (and cats), by SSG Steven Reeves, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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