Jessi Steere, DVM – Chief of Staff
North Laurel Animal Hospital, North Laurel, MD
Dr. Steere received her veterinary education at St. George’s University with clinical training Louisiana State University. She currently serves as chief of staff at North Laurel Animal Hospital, a team that has been helping to care of the dogs and cats of the greater Laurel area for over 40 years. Dr. Steere first traveled to east Africa in 2019, when she and her husband successfully climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. That ignited her passion for Tanzania — and her learning Swahili — and for helping make a difference at the community level.
Why is being involved with Rabies Free Africa important to you?
My initial interest in Rabies Free Africa was to improve the health of our canine companions around the world. Throughout my participation, I learned about the impact that it also has on the human population (especially children, who tend to be more often the victims of dog bites) and the very precious wildlife of Tanzania. As health care professionals, I think we have a responsibility to treat the world with a “One Health, One Medicine” approach, and this was a fantastic way to get involved.
Tell us about your experiences seeing the vaccination programs and meeting people in the community.
Participating in the “boma to boma” vaccinations in the Maasai pastoralist region of norther Tanzania was a really interesting experience. I was happy the communities were willing to allow us in, and in many cases very excited to have us there! I was really excited to be able to reach those communities that would otherwise be too isolated to benefit from central vaccination clinic efforts. The central point vaccinations were overwhelming at first. I actually found myself tearing up with joy when looking at the massive numbers of children with their dogs who had walked so far in order to receive vaccines for their pets. The community really embraced the presence of the Rabies Free Africa team. I left both experiences really feeling like we were making a difference.
How is your hospital involved with the program?
North Laurel Animal Hospital is committed to providing $1 from each rabies vaccination given to provide funding for the program. Since I have returned from my travel to Tanzania, I have been able to really be an ambassador for the cause, having experienced first-hand the work that is being done.
What do you do when you are not at the clinic?
In my free time, I am an avid trail runner and enjoy spending time outdoors. My husband and I also really enjoy traveling and attending live music events.