While many people spent their summer vacations relaxing on the beach, a group of Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) students traveled to Central America to help animals in need.

In June, Katie Cooley, Brolin Evans, Brittany Fisher, Kellie Horton, and Stephanie Starling, all second-year CVM students, participated in a Volunteers for Intercultural and Definitive Adventures (VIDA) veterinary mission trip.

VIDA partners with volunteers to provide basic veterinary care, owner education, and free spay/neuter surgeries to the pets and livestock in remote and isolated communities. The VIDA veterinary program is open to all preveterinary and veterinary students and those who have an interest in animal welfare and care.

"We found out about the program through some veterinary students at the University of Pennsylvania," said Starling, of Live Oak, Fla. "They needed some additional vet students to complete a group for their mission trip to Costa Rica and Panama. We all thought it would be a good opportunity