Our Journey So Far
One Health Society for Animals was created to address the challenges many remote and underserved communities face when trying to access veterinary care. For families living far from veterinary clinics, the cost of care, long travel distances, and limited transportation options can make it extremely difficult to obtain even basic veterinary services for their pets.
Our work is grounded in the One Health philosophy, which recognizes that the health of animals, people, and communities is deeply interconnected. By helping families care or working animals for their pets, we aim to promote healthier animals, healthier people, and stronger communities.
Our journey began through the work of One Health Mobile Veterinary Services, which pursued accreditation in British Columbia to legally provide mobile veterinary care outside of traditional clinic settings. After becoming accredited as a mobile veterinary business, we were able to begin travelling to remote communities to provide veterinary services directly where they were requested and needed.
Early outreach visits took place in communities such as Spences Bridge and Antko21 near Merritt, where mobile veterinary services were provided for pets who otherwise had limited access to care.
One of our most meaningful partnerships has been with the community of Xa’xsta (Tipella). Through multiple visits beginning in 2024, we worked with community members to provide veterinary services including vaccinations, parasite treatment, microchipping, and health assessments for pets.
Through this collaboration we have provided veterinary care to 32 animals, supported 21 families in caring for their pets. We have vaccinated animals against rabies and common canine and feline diseases, completed parasite treatment and prevention programs, microchipped animals, and provided health certificates and vaccine records. We also worked with veterinary clinics and volunteers to arrange spay and neuter surgeries at no cost to families.
By establishing veterinary patient-client relationships with the animals and families we serve, we are now able to provide ongoing telemedicine support and veterinary guidance, expanding access to care for pets living in this remote community.
As these programs grew, it became clear that a nonprofit structure would allow us to expand this work and seek funding to support communities more effectively. In 2025, our secretary Auni Dayton began the process to establish One Health Society for Animals as a registered society in British Columbia, enabling us to pursue grants, accept donations, and develop programs that support veterinary access, outreach, and financial assistance. We then became a Canadian charity.
While our journey is just beginning, the relationships we have built with communities and their animals continue to guide our work. We remain committed to learning from the communities we serve and working together to improve the health and well-being of both animals and people.