The Motorcycle Veterinarian
- Jul 31
- 2 min read
The staff at United Kenya Rising (UKR) travel to families on motorbikes, and one team member who puts serious mileage on his odometer is Dennis, the staff veterinarian. Dennis travels across every community we support, training families on preventative care while assessing and curing livestock illnesses.
On any given day, you can find Dennis out in the field vaccinating, diagnosing, and treating. It is a muddy, demanding, and often icky job, but it is deeply rewarding.
Farm animals are many UKR families' largest financial investments, offering a path to economic security as herds and flocks multiply. But that formula only works when the animals stay healthy, and that's easier said than done.
Income-generating projects like raising chickens or dairy cows look excellent on paper. However, even with proper feeding and hygiene, many startup efforts fail due to devastating local disease outbreaks, like Newcastle Disease in chickens or anthrax in cattle.
While other local vets operate in these villages, knowing when and why to call them is rarely intuitive, and harder still when costs are considered. The cost of each vaccine or medicine dose ranges dimes to dollars, and a single household visit also requires several dollars for a private vet's service fee and transport. This is a massive hurdle for families who are starting out with just a few animals, but one that is overcome through growth and experience.
Historically, the UKR agriculture team focused on livestock hygiene and nutrition, referring families to outside veterinary services as needs arose. But new farmers often delayed calling a vet until it was too late, or fell behind on preventative care schedules.
To bridge this gap, our Family Care program leaned deeper into its "learn by doing" philosophy and brought a vet - Dennis Liazula - onto the team.
Falling under both our Agriculture and Livelihoods Guiding Stars, Dennis's role is as much about education as it is about medicine. Livestock require nuanced nutrition, strict hygiene protocols, routine spraying, and timely vaccinations.
Over their three years in the Family Care program, families are now mentored on the importance and timing of veterinary care. Dennis works side-by-side with farmers while the benefits of disease prevention and timely care become clear, and their livestock assets grow.
Eventually, as flocks and herds expand to yield better profits, family farmers are fully equipped to budget for and utilize independent local vets on their own.
By consuming crop waste and producing nutrient-rich manure, healthy animals are essential for the sustainability of small farms. They provide milk and eggs for growing children, complement crops, and serve as an appreciating financial safety net. Most days of the week, you can find Dennis on his UKR motorcycle winding down village paths from farm to farm, helping families turn that vision into reality.
