Northern Animal Health Initiative | Veterinarians Without Borders
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dog at northern clinic

Improve health. Save lives.

Many communities in Canada’s far north have little or no access to veterinary services. Animals in these northern regions tend to live shorter lives, dying from diseases and causes that are either treatable or preventable. This can put communities at risk as unvaccinated dogs can transfer diseases – including rabies – to people.

You have the power to make a profound difference in the lives of animals in northern Canada. With the generous support of people like you, Veterinarians Without Borders North America (VWB/VSF), in partnership with local communities across Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, can provide essential veterinary care through the Northern Animal Health Initiative.

Whether it’s vaccinating dogs to prevent disease, performing spay/neuter procedures, training members of the community to give vaccinations or charting a flight to a remote community for a volunteer veterinarian, you’ll have a real, life-saving impact that addresses the needs of a community, creates sustainable veterinary care and promotes safe, positive human-animal interactions.

Give now to have a real, life-saving impact for animals and communities in the northern regions of Canada by providing them with the vital veterinary care they need to stay healthy.

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Veterinarians without Borders values our donor relationships. We adhere to the standards published by Imagine Canada's Ethical Code Program, which lays out a set of principles for charitable organizations, and assures that they manage and report their financial affairs responsibly.

Canadian Charitable Registration Number: 84146 9547 RR0001

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Stories From Around The World

VETS Volunteer Voices: The Doctor Who Kept Coming Back to Ghana

VETS Volunteer Voices: The Doctor Who Kept Coming Back to Ghana

Posted Sep 3rd, 2026

#VETSVolunteerVoices brings you stories of our passionate VETS program volunteers from the field. Meet Dr. Joseph Ansong-Danquah, a Ghanaian-Canadian veterinarian who has volunteered with VWB in Ghana since 2017. In 2026, Joseph is completing his final VETS placement after nine years of supporting farmers, communities, partner organizations and fellow volunteers across the country.

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Register now to join us for "VWB Live 2026: Stories, Impact and What’s Next"

Posted Aug 20th, 2026

Join the VWB community for a virtual look at the stories, people, partnerships and progress that shaped our work this year — and hear what’s ahead for Veterinarians Without Borders as we continue working for healthier animals, people and communities around the world.

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Ask an Expert:

Ask an Expert: "What Does Sustainable, Community-Led Animal Health Care Look Like in Northern Canada?"

Posted Aug 17th, 2026

In this edition of Ask an Expert, we spoke with Hannah (Tsai-Ping) Liao, whose MSc research at the University of Guelph examined what decades of Community Animal Health Worker (CAHW) programs can teach us about building sustainable, community-led animal health systems in northern Canada.

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  • My voluntary assignments in Ghana for the past three years have dramatically improved animal production in terms of reducing mortality and increasing the size of the herd/flock.
    - Joseph Ansong-Danquah

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