BIG CATS ARE HER CAUSE LOCAL VETERINARIAN SELLS CARDS TO PAY FOR NEEDED SURGERIES.Byline: Nicholas Grudin Staff Writer Veterinarian veterinarian /vet·er·i·nar·i·an/ (vet?er-i-nar´e-an) a person trained and authorized to practice veterinary medicine and surgery; a doctor of veterinary medicine. vet·er·i·nar·i·an n. Jennifer Conrad has taken her lifelong fight for animal rights into a new arena - greeting cards See e-card. . The exotic-animal doctor has been selling cards reproducing her acrylic paintings in order to benefit the Paw Project, an organization she founded to save big cats from the pain of declawing declawing surgical removal of the claws of Felidae and Canidae. Not a universally accepted procedure except where there are specific health implications for the patient. Can happen accidentally in penned wildlife, e.g. anteaters. Called also onychectomy. . With proceeds from sales of the $3 cards, Conrad helps fund surgeries on tigers, lions, jaguars and other captive big cats to repair the injuries left by declawing. ``When you declaw de·claw tr.v. de·clawed, de·claw·ing, de·claws 1. To remove the claws from: declaw a cat. 2. To strip of power, potency, or strength; make harmless or less threatening. a cat, you take away its life,'' Conrad said. ``They cannot take a step without pain.'' The cats that Conrad treats are rescued from illegal captivity or potentially fatal situations and housed in sanctuaries in Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, , including the Wildlife Waystation in the foothills above Sylmar and Wildlife on Wheels in Sunland. ``What Jenny does for these animals is truly amazing,'' said Doug MacLeay, the volunteer services coordinator for the Wildlife Waystation. Drifter, a 550-pound Siberian tiger at the Waystation, has been transformed by the surgery. His paws, once floppy and almost useless to him, are now tight like they should be, Conrad said, and he pounces and plays with ease, where he used to be find walking painful. Aside from raising money, Conrad said she hopes the cards will help educate people about declawing. ``It would be like cutting off the tips of a human's fingers and toes Fingers and Toes See also anatomy; body, human; hands. adactyly a birth defect in which one or more fingers or toes are missing. dactyl a digit; a finger or toe. See also measurement. , but leaving little bits of bones sticking out at the end,'' Conrad said. Conrad has conducted 17 free surgeries on large cats, which cost her and her team of vets more than $50,000. She has already raised more than $3,000 with her greeting cards, enough to conduct one surgery, which she will be doing on a 5-year-old lynx at her Glendale office Oct. 30. In the next month, Conrad will be speaking about declawing to the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians Veterinarians and veterinary surgeons (vets) are medical professionals who operate exclusively on animals. Well-known and notable veterinarians include:
UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX Student Legal Defense Fund at UCLA Law School. Conrad's greeting cards are available at www.LaLaCards.com or by calling (888) 828-4959. The Paw Project Web site is www.pawproject.com. CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) Veterinarian Jennifer Conrad holds cards that she sells to support the Paw Project, an organization she founded to benefit big cats. Her own acrylic paintings are reproduced on the cards. Proceeds pay for needed paw operations. (2) Drifter, a 500-pound Siberian tiger is one of the big cats to have damage to its paws repaired. Proceeds from card sales help pay for the surgeries. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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