As our team of expert veterinarians prepare to leave for Armenia, we thought we’d pose them some questions to get to know them better. Thanks to the donations from our generous supporters, they are heading out to hopefully give Misha the bear some relief from the dental pain he would have been experiencing for years.
Gerhard Putter
How long have you been helping IAR?
I started to work with International Animal Rescue after an introduction from Lisa Milella. I assisted with the care of the rescue cats at Catastrophes Cat Rescue and also joined Lisa in Borneo to treat slow lorises, macaques and orangutans.
Do you have a favourite memory whilst working with IAR?
I became and remain very involved with the brown bear rescue programme in Armenia. One of my fondest memories was being involved in the rescue of Maximus (a very large Siberian brown bear) who lived in the same small and filthy enclosure as his much smaller companion Minnie (a much smaller female Syrian brown bear). I remember travelling with an anaesthetised Maximus in the back of a horsebox because he was too large to fit into any of the crates that we had available. With remote access video links we could observe them while in the quarantine facilities. To see these two bears roll around in the straw bedding brought a tear to my eye because they had never experienced bedding before!
Max had severe dental injuries that our team treated. A video of Max and Minnie eventually playing in their larger enclosure, frolicking in the pool and enjoying a freedom that they’d never had, made me proud to be involved with the project.
Why do you help IAR?
The recognition by everyone in IAR of the importance of oral and dental pain as a significant factor in animal well-being, for me as an animal dentist, is a great example to everyone involved in animal rescue and rehabilitation.
The fact that International Animal Rescue always addresses the underlying fundamental cause of displaced animals requiring rescue in the first place, is in my opinion one of the biggest assets of this charity. Good examples of this approach are the dancing bears in India, slow loris, orangutan and macaque rescue and release in Indonesia, the howler monkey project in Costa Rica as well as the brown bear project in Armenia
What are your thoughts on the upcoming dental procedure for Misha?
Misha, the brown bear that we are going to treat in Armenia, is a great example of the degree of tooth damage, tooth associated Infection and pain that often affects the bears rescued from squalid environments in this project. With a team approach many, if not all of the teeth affected could be treated during one single, albeit long general anaesthesia. Without the facilities and support of International Animal Rescue these animals would remain untreated. There are still many brown bears to be rescued in Armenia and public support is vital for the people that work to rescue these displaced bears on our behalf, in often very difficult conditions.
Aurora Mateo Román
How long have you been helping IAR?
Since soon after I started my residency programme in dentistry with Dr. Lisa Milella in 2013. She told me about her involvement with IAR and I was over the moon when she requested my help for a trip to Borneo where we were expected to treat 20 slow lorises and five orangutans. As a vet it was a dream experience and I feel privileged to be part of IAR since then.
Why do you help IAR?
IAR helps people, wild animals and their environment. I can’t think of a better way to contribute to a better world. As I said before I feel honoured to be part of the projects.
Do you have a favourite memory whilst working with IAR?
Sooo many: I can’t think of just one! When I first got a report from the team in Indonesia about animals that I had treated on a previous field trip and they were able to be set free back to the wild. With their teeth restored, free from pain and infection, that gave me a sense of purpose! Those animals deserved to be free, they were rescued from a black market to be sold with their teeth clipped so they wouldn’t bite the potential buyer - hard to believe but true.
What are your thoughts on the upcoming dental procedure for Misha?
I expect a long surgical time. Hopefully we will be able to restore function of some of the teeth but he will also need many surgical extractions which are quite challenging in a bear his size. I’m quite confident we’ll come up with a good working plan to allow us to treat all his affected teeth so he can wake up from anaesthesia free from pain and infection.
Dr Jonathan Cracknell
How long have you been helping IAR?
I have had the pleasure of working with the fantastic team at IAR for 17 years. My first trip was to Agra to assist in developing the anaesthesia programmes for the sloth bear rescue and rehabilitation. It was an amazing experience and to work so closely with the bears was extremely special. I never looked back and have been an active supporter of their work both nationally and internationally.
Why do you help IAR?
The diversity of their programmes is impressive and to be able to support and develop their health care programmes is a real opportunity to make meaningful change. I have seen numerous animals rescued from harrowing situations and to see the passion and love provided to the animals as part of their rehabilitation and future life-long care is special. To be a part of this is humbling and to meet like-minded people promoting and pursuing improvements in animal care is a rare thing indeed.
Do you have a favourite memory whilst working with IAR?
The people, the places and the animals, but undertaking a health check on the first trip back in 2007 on a conscious sloth bear is definitely up there in my memories but there have been many more since then. I thoroughly enjoy the small close-knit teams that go out and provide technical support - it’s really intensive but ultimately develops capacity so we are not needed in the long term. This is so much better than going out repeatedly, building capacity in country is definitely the way forward and IAR has demonstrated what is possible .
What are your thoughts on the upcoming dental procedure for Misha?
I cannot wait to provide him with an anaesthetic and dental procedure to allow him to wake up pain free with functional use of his teeth again. The pain relief and analgesia plans are my area of interest. He is a challenging case but we have a great team and I look forward to helping IAR do what they do best and provide Misha with a quality of life and a life worth living.
Paul Cassar
How long have you been helping IAR?
I became a trustee of IAR in 2000. I teamed up with my dear friend and veterinary dental specialist Lisa Milella in 200⅔ and with her help and her enormous support we began our bear rescue project in Agra, India in 2004. This bear project eventually saw the freeing of nearly 650 dancing bears and the setting up of bear sanctuaries in Agra, Bannerghatta and Bhopal. We also have primate sanctuaries in Indonesia and Borneo and a bear sanctuary in Armenia. Lisa and I visited our sanctuaries in Indonesia and Borneo, working on slow lorises, macaques and Pingky the orangutan.
Why do you help IAR?
As a dentist and trustee I was in a very fortunate position to be able to help in this way. With Lisa and Gerhard and Aurora along with other Vets we have built up a very successful treatment model and we all feel very privileged and proud to help these magnificent animals.
What is your favourite memory of working with IAR?
Every trip over the last 20 years has been special and memorable - how could they not be! Training the local Indian vets to continue working on the bears in our absence is a very proud and rewarding experience. Truly a highlight!
What are your thoughts on the upcoming dental procedure for Misha?
Misha appears to have multiple dental problems and we won’t know what is achievable until we assess him clinically and radiographically. But with Jonathan on anaesthetics and working with Gerhard and Aurora we have a powerful and experienced team and I imagine Misha will benefit hugely from our interventions!