Media Contact: FOR RELEASE FOR JULY 11 AT NOON

Mary Tan

Whisker Media

Cell: (612)209-3303 

Email: mary@whiskermedia.com

GE-NIIGAANIZIJIG Veterinary Camp for Kids
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe hosts camp to educate children about animal welfare careers

(Baltimore, MD. July 11, 2022) — Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity (CARE) and the University of Minnesota School College of Veterinary Medicine is pleased to announce the first-ever GE-NIIGAANIZIJIG Veterinary Camp for Kids on the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Reservation in Onamia, Minn. It will take place Friday, July 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the District 1 Aquatic and Fitness Center, located at 18458 Minobimaadizi Loop Onamia, MN 56359.

It’s no secret that veterinarians in the United States are predominantly Caucasian. Very few are from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) backgrounds. CARE wants to change that. The mission of the Baltimore-based nonprofit is to encourage and support those who want to enter the animal welfare field, which has traditionally not been inclusive or welcoming.

CARE, as well as the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, believe educating children is the best way to expose them to careers they would not ordinarily think of.

The children will range in age from 12 to 18 and will have the opportunity to learn from fellow Native American, Summer Lara, who is a graduate of the University of Minnesota. She is currently attending Colorado State University where she is pursuing an M.S./Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. When she graduates, she will be one of only a handful of vets from an Indigenous background. Lara will teach the campers what a veterinarian does and some kid-friendly things they can do to take care of animals on the reservation.

The animal rescue side of the day will include a special presentation by former professional rapper turned cat rescuer, Sterling “Trapking” Davis, whose mission is to teach communities of color that “you don’t lose cool points for compassion.” As one of the only African-American men in cat rescue, he will not only share his story and his journey of making animal welfare more welcoming but will also explain how kids and teens can help cats in their own communities. Davis has his own nonprofit called Trapking Humane Cat Solutions, which also focuses on Trap-Neuter-Return, the only way to humanely control feline overpopulation.

The media is invited to attend the event. Please let Mary Tan know at the contact information above if you would like to attend.

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Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity is a 501©3 nonprofit that addresses organizational and personal biases within animal welfare. The mission is to bring diverse voices to the industry while also advocating for a more inclusive path to pet adoption. CARE believes in using evidence-based tools, narratives, and insights to inspire organizations to be more inclusive and less biased. It is all an effort to save more companion animal lives.