Community Outreach
Project Samana
Giving Back Through Compassionate Action
Community care doesn’t stop at our Cape Cod doorstep. It extends far beyond. Since 1992, we’ve proudly served as a founding participant in Project Samana, a veterinary relief mission that provides critical animal care to the underserved communities of the Dominican Republic.
What started as one trip by Dr. Labdon with a surgical kit in hand to the Samaná Peninsula has grown into a long-standing legacy of outreach. Today, our team participates in two trips annually, joining veterinary professionals from across the United States to offer hands-on medical care, compassion, and education to animals and families in need.
What started as one trip by Dr. Labdon with a surgical kit in hand to the Samaná Peninsula has grown into a long-standing legacy of outreach. Today, our team participates in two trips annually, joining veterinary professionals from across the United States to offer hands-on medical care, compassion, and education to animals and families in need.
More Than a Mission - It’s a Commitment
With over 40 trips completed by our team over the past three decades, Project Samana is woven into the heart of who we are. It's one of the many ways we live out our values by offering care with purpose, compassion without borders, and a steadfast promise to always give back where we can.
What We Do
- Mobile Spay & Neuter Clinics: Performing over 200 surgeries per trip, helping reduce overpopulation and improve the health of local animals.
- Care for Working Animals: Providing on-site veterinary support for equids (horses, donkeys, and mules) essential to the region’s family livelihoods.
- Medical Supplies & Training: Donating resources and sharing veterinary knowledge with local caretakers to empower ongoing wellness for animals year-round.
Why It Matters
The Dominican Republic is a country where access to veterinary care is limited due to widespread economic hardship. Daily survival often takes precedence over animal welfare. Yet, pet ownership is widespread, and working animals remain vital to household income. Through Project Samana, we’re able to make a tangible impact, supporting both the animals who serve these communities and the people who rely on them.
The Sampson Fund
Veterinary Associates of Cape Cod is proud to support The Sampson Fund, a local nonprofit with a powerful mission: to provide financial assistance for critically ill or injured pets on Cape Cod and the Islands when their families cannot afford treatment.
The fund was named in honor of Sampson, a once-homeless yellow cat whose adoptive family made a small but heartfelt donation to help another pet in need. That one act of kindness inspired a larger idea: what if an entire community came together to ensure no animal is denied care simply because of financial hardship?
The fund was named in honor of Sampson, a once-homeless yellow cat whose adoptive family made a small but heartfelt donation to help another pet in need. That one act of kindness inspired a larger idea: what if an entire community came together to ensure no animal is denied care simply because of financial hardship?
Get involved, make a difference
How It Works
Since 1986, The Sampson Fund has partnered with dedicated veterinary hospitals, like ours, to make life-saving care accessible. When a pet needs substantial treatment that an owner cannot fully afford, the Fund helps bridge the gap. Pet owners contribute a small portion of the cost, and The Sampson Fund covers the rest through community donations. The Fund also assists sick or injured stray animals, giving them a chance at recovery and a better life.
We believe in the power of the human-animal bond and that every pet deserves a chance to stay with the people who love them. The Sampson Fund helps protect those relationships, ensuring that no pet is euthanized or left to suffer solely because care was out of reach.
We believe in the power of the human-animal bond and that every pet deserves a chance to stay with the people who love them. The Sampson Fund helps protect those relationships, ensuring that no pet is euthanized or left to suffer solely because care was out of reach.
Why It Matters
The Sampson Fund is entirely volunteer-run, with no paid staff or offices, so every donation goes directly toward animal care. In addition to individual contributions, the Fund holds local events throughout the year to raise support and awareness.
To learn more or donate, visit https://sampsonfund.org/ and help make a difference in the lives of pets and families across Cape Cod.
To learn more or donate, visit https://sampsonfund.org/ and help make a difference in the lives of pets and families across Cape Cod.
Supporting Future Veterinary Professionals
At VACC, we are proud to partner with several local high schools—including Barnstable High School, Monomoy Regional High School, and Dennis-Yarmouth (DY) High School—to offer hands-on internship opportunities for students interested in veterinary medicine.
Through these partnerships, students work alongside our technicians and doctors, gaining real-world experience in patient care, teamwork, and the daily operations of a busy veterinary hospital.
These internships give young learners the chance to explore their passion for animals in a supportive, educational environment while becoming part of our hospital community. We’re honored to help inspire and guide the next generation of veterinary professionals.
Contact UsThrough these partnerships, students work alongside our technicians and doctors, gaining real-world experience in patient care, teamwork, and the daily operations of a busy veterinary hospital.
These internships give young learners the chance to explore their passion for animals in a supportive, educational environment while becoming part of our hospital community. We’re honored to help inspire and guide the next generation of veterinary professionals.
