OklahomaHorses Magazine November 2022

24 OklahomaHorses • November / December 2022 Humane Treatment for All Kirkpatrick Foundation Senior Program Officer Focuses on Farm Animals by Heide Brandes I f you spend any time talking with Lesa Staubus, DVM, the fact that she cares deeply for the welfare and treatment of animals — any and all animals — becomes as clear as a rallying cry. As the new senior program officer at the Kirkpatrick Foun- dation in Oklahoma City, Dr. Staubus will serve as a veterinary ethicist focusing on Oklahoma farm animals’ well-being. With almost four million Oklahoma animals living in harsh and torturous con- ditions such as battery cages and gestation stalls, it’s no surprise when Dr. Staubus gets passionate about her mission to make the lives of farm animals as humane as possible. “The extreme confinement of animals, es- pecially sow pigs, in this state is inhumane,” Dr. Staubus said. “One of the solutions that big meat processors in this state have is to squeeze the cages tighter and tighter. These animals can’t turn around, and some of the confinement is so tight, they can’t even lie down properly.” Dr. Staubus’ concerns reflect the Kirkpatrick Foundation’s commitment to the well-being of Oklahoma animals, including those raised and slaughtered for food, which made her a natural choice for the position. Before joining the Kirkpat- rick Foundation, Dr. Staubus served as a practicing veterinarian, academic, and rescue veterinarian. After she completed her bachelor’s degree in zoology at the Univer- sity of Oklahoma, Dr. Staubus received her doctor of veterinary medicine degree from Oklahoma State University. She practiced small-animal medicine before returning to OSU-Stillwater, where she served as a clini- cal assistant professor in surgery and shelter medicine and interim department head of veterinary technology at OSU-OKC. Finding NewWays To Help Animals “We were teaching the students all their surgical skills while providing necessary spay and neuter to the animals and shelters and rescues. So it’s really a wonderful learn- ing model. But during that time, I came across the University of Florida’s Operation Catnip program, which provides spay, neu- ter, vaccinations, and all that to the feral cat community,” she said. “I brought that concept back to Oklahoma and brought Operation Catnip to Stillwater. That pro- gram continues to this day in association with the vet school.” A grant from the Kirkpatrick Foundation helped to create the 501c(3) organization, which started Dr. Staubus’ long association with the Kirkpatrick Foundation and its executive director, Louisa McCune. A tip from McCune eventually led Dr. Staubus to a position as an American Humane rescue veterinarian. Dr. Staubus supported communities and their animals after natural and man-made disasters and reunited retired military working dogs with their former handlers. “I was with American Humane rescue for six years. It was very, very physical and potentially a little bit dangerous position for me. I decided it wasn’t in my best long- term health interest to work in that kind of a dangerous environment because we’re literally in floodwaters and such,” she said. Dr. Staubus has volunteered her time and expertise as a board member of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians and is a founding member of the Oklahoma Link Coalition, an initiative that uses multidisci- plinary programs, training, and research to Lesa Staubus, DVM, new veterinary ethicist and senior program officer at the Kirkpatrick Foundation, works to ensure the humane treatment of animals in Oklahoma, especially farm animals. Photo courtesy of the Kirkpatrick Foundation.