Veterinary Skills in Action

Soaring high above the South American landscape is the magnificent Andean Condor, a creature with a wingspan exceeding 10 feet. As the largest raptor in the world, this stunning bird is on the cusp of endangerment. In May, Regan Peercy, a veterinary assistant from Laughery Valley Veterinary Hospital and an incoming senior at Purdue University, had the extraordinary opportunity to not only see a condor, but to provide care for one during my trip to Cusco, Peru.

Her journey to Peru was part of a veterinary outreach internship with the VAW Global Health Alliances chapter at Purdue. This South American mission allowed a group of students to provide free veterinary care to communities around Cusco and volunteer at a local animal sanctuary and zoo.

“The day we went to the zoo was a truly out-of-body experience,” I said. “I had the pleasure of working with some amazing animals that I may never work with again, and I met some amazing people along the way. Opportunities like this are once-in-a-lifetime, and I am incredibly grateful for the experience and for the people who have helped me believe that I belong in the veterinary field.”