Abigail Starich was plagued by circumstances during her first two winters at Northern Michigan University and was unable to volunteer at the U.P. 200 Sled Dog Competition.
Starich signed up to volunteer at the U.P. 200 during her freshman year but a week before the races was told she couldn’t attend because a senior member wanted to volunteer instead. Last year Starich again signed up to volunteer but a case of bronchitis kept her from even going to class. “And sleeping outside for a weekend was not an option,” said Starich the vice president of the Pre-Vet Club.
The Pre-Vet Club has assisted the veterinarians at the vet-checks during the U.P. 200, providing students with hands-on experience in a fast-paced setting. This year, nine members of the club will participate.
Volunteers camp out at the three vet-checks in Deerton, Wetmore and Grand Marais along the U.P. 200 course and help administer aid to the sled-dogs and help veterinarians with various tasks.
Anne Scott, president of the Pre-Vet Club and a junior at NMU, said club members will manage medicine at the pharmacy and run the medicine to the veterinarians in the field. Members will also take notes on the vital statistics of every dog in the mushers’ log books, and hand implements to veterinary technicians during a surgery, added Scott.
Pre-Vet Club members have a strategy to get to make sure they are at all of the three check points throughout the race. “We have three cars with three volunteers in each that will ‘leap frog’ one another as they stop at the vet check stations,” said Scott. Deerton is the first mandatory vet-check station for the Midnight Run and UP 200 followed by Wetmore and Grand Marais.
Because Pre-Vet Club members are not technicians or veterinarians, they can only assist with minor tasks, such as running medicines.
“We can’t legally let them do a lot,” said Jeanie Wilcox, head veterinarian of the races and owner of Gwinn-Sawyer Veterinary Clinic. Instead, members, will provide an extra set of legs to run medicine and help log information, added Wilcox.
This year, among the nine Pre-Vet Club members participating in the U.P. 200, four are returning volunteers and five are new.
“Repeat volunteers have been outstanding help,” said Wilcox. Returning volunteers already know what to expect and know what is going on, she said.
“We appreciate all their help,” said Wilcox.
Not all members of the Pre-Vet Club get to volunteer at the U.P. 200 each year. “Everyone should be able to volunteer if they want too,” said Starich. “But you don’t want to have too many volunteers because it will get messy and cluttered.”
Even though the members of the Pre-Vet Club are helpful throughout the race, things become hectic, said Wilcox. “Downfall is, when it gets busy, it’s sometimes easier to do it yourself,” Wilcox said.
The veterinarians volunteering at the UP 200 have even come up with a name to call their Pre-Vet Club helpers. Their name is “Vet-lings”, said Scott. “[Members are] very proud to be called that,” added Wilcox.
One of the veterinary technicians from Green Bay decided that the Pre-Vet members needed an official designation, added Wilcox.
“I was not there for the actual process, but I am thinking ‘vet-lings’ (as in future vets like ducklings being future ducks) sounded better than ‘vetties’ (as in puppies being future dogs),” said Wilcox.
By volunteering at the U.P. 200, members of the Pre-Vet Club gain exposure to veterinarian practices and the feel of what their profession can lead to.
“The more variety creates a better transition and more opportunities that will open to you,” said Starich.
Students seeking admission to veterinarian school must complete animal handling hours, she added. These hours can be obtained numerous ways, and helping out at the U.P. 200 is just one place to get started. “Every bit of volunteer experience in the field you get helps,” Starich said.
“Serving as a ‘Vet-ling’ for the U.P. 200 provides a hands-on job shadowing experience,” said Scott. “I have the opportunity to observe the veterinarians in action as they do routine vital checks and perhaps medication administration or a surgery.”
All volunteers spend two nights in the cold at the three check points.
“If you do get sleep it will only be a few hours because dogs are constantly coming throughout the night,” said Starich. “I mean it is a rough weekend.”
“I know it’s hard to come back after spending two nights in the cold and frozen,” said Wilcox. “I hope they still have an interest in future years,” added Wilcox.
Volunteering at the U.P. 200 is a very rewarding experience for members. This event provides members a close-up view to what veterinarians can do with their degree.
“Even though it doesn’t always sound like it will be fun, it definitely will be,” said Starich.
