Dear Editor,
On Sunday, October 25, my dog, seriously ill, spent a day between life and death. With no answer from the emergency services, I finally found help with a vet whose dedication deserves to be praised.
From early morning, my dog’s condition worried me. I searched online for the on-duty vet and went to the clinic listed. A phone number was posted on the door. I called: they sent me to a second number. There, an automated message told me my call couldn’t be taken. Despite repeated attempts all day, nobody answered.
With no other option, I turned to a pharmacy on duty to try to relieve my dog. The announced on-duty pharmacy was Howell Center. Yet a note on its door said the on-duty pharmacy was Sandy Ground. Arriving at Sandy Ground, a sign sent me back to… Howell Center. My calls went unanswered. The gendarmerie, contacted in turn, couldn’t point me anywhere.
Early in the evening, my dog’s condition became critical. I then called the on-duty vet for the Dutch side and got a number. This time, someone picked up right away. Dr. Sherlene Samy gave me an appointment half an hour later at St. Maarten Veterinary Clinic, around 8:00pm.
For nearly an hour, she treated my dog with remarkable attention and patience, and took the time to explain the diagnosis: parvovirus, a very serious disease. She didn’t hide the situation: survival chances were about 50%.
Thanks to her care, my dog is saved today. The vet even took the initiative to call me to check on him.
This woman is extraordinary, and I want to pay her public tribute. On a day when everything seemed to be failing, her availability and humanity made all the difference.
Damahie Kanza
