How does a cup of coffee with friends turn into a worldwide organization?
When it comes to the passion of our founding members, big dreams were just part of the territory.
Starting with our five founders meeting in a Guelph, Ontario café in 2005, Veterinarians Without Borders has become a full-fledged veterinary organization in Canada that is working to better the health of animals, people, and the environment in Canada and around the world.
From day one, the passion, dedication, and commitment of our organization has ranked off the scale. and within the first few months, Aeroplan committed to providing Aeroplan Miles for much-needed travel support for our projects, allowing us to work with communities in person, with on the ground, grassroots initiatives.
Within the first year, Veterinarians Without Borders received significant government funding in recognition of our ecohealth approach, and validation that it is a good strategy for communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America and for people back home.
By working to decrease disease prevalence in developing nations, we can thereby lower the incidences of zoonoses—diseases that are passed from animals to humans, like Avian Bird Influenza and SARS—around the world. The net result is a healthier planet for everyone, including Canadians.
Thanks to the dedication, commitment and generosity of our volunteers, our donors and our sponsors, and our Board and staff, we’ve come a long way toward big picture solutions.
Today, we work in over a dozen countries around the world. Our projects are supported by individual donors, foundations, government, and corporations. You can be a part of our successes; join the big picture and help us create: healthy animals, healthy people, and a healthy planet.
#VETSVolunteerVoices brings you inspiring stories from the field, showcasing the impactful work of our dedicated VETS program volunteers. Meet Dr. Riley Bauman (DVM), an Animal Health Advisor who spent two months in Kenya (April–June 2025), working alongside smallholder dairy farmers and Meru Dairy staff to promote animal health, gender equity, and sustainable livelihoods.
This article explores the persistent threat of anthrax and the critical need for community-led surveillance in preventing zoonotic outbreaks. It highlights how VWB’s One Health approach—through the COHERS program, CAHW training, and gender-responsive outreach—strengthens local capacity to detect and manage neglected diseases, protecting both human and animal health in vulnerable communities.
#VETSVolunteerVoices aims to bring you stories of our passionate VETS program volunteers from the field. This blog was written by Guy Audet, a Business Development Advisor who supported our VETS program partner, WIPVaC-Apex, in Ghana from March to May 2025.
