This memoir describes the challenges a young man faces in achieving his dream of becoming a veterinarian. Even a period of homelessness and limited resources do not interfere with his commitment to achieve success. And this is only the beginning! Soon he is faced with the challenges of working in the jungles of Panama, facing the ravages of a roaming black jaguar and the defenses of a native village against the entrance of man or beast. Then, how about Haiti, where the Tonton Macoute militias believe in instant justice, rarely valuing life, or Columbia, where the drug lords have absolute rule. As if that isn't enough, consider working in the African continent, along the tales surrounding the first shipment of Charolais cattle to the United States or the many facets of working with the wild mustangs in Colorado. Each exciting adventure is told with suspense, drama, and humor! Enjoy! The Ark's Cargo For the Love of Animals By William W. Buisch Trafford Publishing Copyright © 2013 William W. Buisch, DVM All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-4669-7771-6 Contents Acknowledgements...........................................................ixPreface....................................................................xiii1. What a Beginning!!!.....................................................12. Learning the Business...................................................303. Just a Lot of Bull......................................................424. Noah's Ark???...........................................................605. The Dismal Swamp........................................................866. A Hen Pecked Life.......................................................1007. The Rose Garden.........................................................1388. Korea's Demilitarized Zone..............................................1579. "Voodoo" Piggy Bank.....................................................17310. "Heartwater"...........................................................19211. The Fly Factory........................................................20612. A Boiling Black Kettle.................................................23213. Centered for Success!..................................................24814. The Road to Timbuktu...................................................26015. The Maasai People......................................................27116. Land of the Drug Lords.................................................28817. "Mustang" Challenge....................................................30418. "Mad Cow" Disease......................................................32319. Fishing for Salmon and Carp............................................33620. Future Strategies!.....................................................352Epilogue...................................................................365 Excerpt CHAPTER 1 What a Beginning!!! What is there about adversity that prepares one toface the challenges of an International Veterinarian?Why do we have to face such challenges at a young age?Even a sense of homelessness at one point brought outthe frailty of life as well as the rewards of persistenceand dedication to the task at hand. It was 1962 and my first experience awayfrom my family. I was on my way to attendcollege in Manhattan, Kansas and it seemedlike a long way from my home in Rochester,New York. Now, as is often the case, I had more thanenough advice to help me in the process ofdeciding where to go for my education. Thebest example of what I had to deal with isthat of my Father's Aunt Grace. She made itknown that she had traveled to Kansas inthe 1920's and as a result knew the areawell. In her opinion it was a big mistake toeven consider going to that part of thecountry for an education. She noted thatlife in Kansas was not easy and that inmany respects the area might be considerednot up with the times when compared to whatwe were used to in New York. Even a littlerain would make the roads impassable andin some cases would put your car up to itsaxles in a quagmire of mud. And then withgreat emphasis, she would add that at timesyou could be stranded, unable to move yourvehicle for days. Nevertheless, as a grown adult (19 yearsold), I had already made up my mind; wassure that the roads had to have improvedsince the 1920s; and was determined thatKansas State University was where I wantedto be. I can still remember the day my parentsleft me off at the curb next to my dorm. Myroom was on the first floor right under thecement seats of the Kansas State University"Wildcats" football stadium. Six studentswere assigned to my room number 127 and asyou might imagine, I didn't know a singleone of them. While the rest of my roommateswere from Kansas, I was the foreigner. Iwas from New York and as a result, I got allthe usual New Yorker questions: What was a New Yorker doing in thispart of the world? Did I have all my Papers in order? DidI have a Passport? Did I