Our Green Committment
"Green" has certainly become the buzzword of the current times, and as horse owners, it is important that we remember the environmental impact that we and our animals have on the hill country and its ecosystems. We are fortunate to live in the Austin area, which has a nationwide reputation as a green energy leader, as well as a population dedicated to conservation and education.
At Austin Equine, we work hard to be more environmentally conscious in our daily routine, and we have made several changes in our practice to meet this goal. The latest and most obvious change is that we have downsized and upgraded our ambulatory vehicles! Huge, gas-guzzling trucks are a thing of the past for Austin Equine, so look for us to show up at your farm now in VW Jetta sport wagons that run on diesel fuel. We currently get gas mileage in the high 30s per gallon, with expectations to reach around 50 mpg once the diesel engines fully break in. We still carry everything we need for farm calls, but we have had to reduce the number of extra materials to accommodate the smaller vet boxes. If you know you need to purchase supplies from us, please just call ahead of time so we can be sure to pack extra!
When you visit the hospital, you will notice the large rainwater collection tank in the middle of the circle drive, but you may not know that this is our only source of water on the property. Wells in this area routinely run dry in times of drought, so we opted not to dig one here. Our system catches 3000 gallons per inch of rain, so with careful conservation, we can use our large roof space to catch most of the water that we need. We conserve water by using waste water from buckets to water our plants, plus Dr. Evans has carefully chosen natives for our landscaping that are drought and heat tolerant. We also use a special floor cleaning machine to clean our exam rooms that uses significantly less water than the old standard of hoses and squeegees.
We would like to encourage all our clients to think "green" and evaluate their horsekeeping habits. Consider the small changes you can make, such as composting manure, or using a sponge and bucket instead of hosing your horse when possible. This year’s extreme drought situation has made us all aware of how precious water is in this area, and we hope you will all do your part to recycle and conserve!
Dr. Evans Goes to Honduras!
In June 2008, Dr. Evans traveled to Honduras on a veterinary mission trip. The primary goal of the trip was vaccination, specifically against rabies, since many people in that part of the world still die from this disease. In the course of a few short days, Dr. Evans and his two partners vaccinated over 900 cats, dogs, and horses. Horses in Honduras are used for transportation and as pack animals and work very hard for a living. In addition to rabies, one of the biggest issues the horses there face is the tick problem. According to Dr. Evans, even the ticks had ticks! Though a physically demanding trip in extremely hot and humid conditions, it was a great experience, and Dr. Evans hopes to go back next year as well.
AEA and LOPE Texas
Austin Equine Associates is a proud sponsor of LOPE Texas and provides veterinary care for the retired racehorses at the LOPE Ranch. LOPE (LoneStar Outreach to Place Ex-Racers) is a non-profit that partners with the Texas racing industry to help find racehorses new homes through adoption. The LOPE Ranch is in Cedar Creek and offers a place for a handful of horses that need special rehabilitation before they go on to permanent homes.
On April 19th, 2008, the Austin Equine technicians visited the LOPE Ranch to give a presentation about veterinary care to members of the Hill Top Pony Club. Our knowledgeable techs demonstrated a complete physical exam, lameness assessment, and bandaging skills. They also taught advanced pony clubbers how to draw blood and give injections. Many thanks to Sally and General for being model patients and a huge thank you to LOPE Texas Founder and Executive Director, Lynn Reardon, for inviting us to come out!