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Community Contributions
Dr. Laurie Walmsley is passionate and dedicated to improving the lives of animals and their owners. She is a warrior for the forgotten homeless and abused animals in our community. Tirelessly, she gives back and nurtures all animals that cross her path. Dr. Walmsley focuses on the following animal care organizations.
Please watch
this video from
Animal Rescue
Coalition's
10th GALA
Animal Rescue Coalition
Animal Rescue Coalition is a 501C3 non-profit organization whose mission is to end the killing of adoptable dogs and cats in Sarasota and Manatee Counties by means of a proactive spay/neuter program, comprehensive adoption program, and other programs designed to recognize and protect the human animal bond. ARC’s programs include a 38-foot self-contained mobile spay/neuter clinic, adoption and foster program, as well as Buddy’s feral cat program. Dr. Laurie has been on the volunteer advisory board of directors for Animal Rescue Coalition since 2002. When the need arose in 2006, she became the volunteer medical director. The program has grown under her direction and her dedication is to helping the people and pets in Sarasota and Manatee Counties through Animal Rescue Coalition (ARC).
Dr. Walmsley donates after hours parking space for the mobile hospital, land for a storage shed, and a walk in closet for medical supply storage. She manages all the doctors, and mobile hospital technicians.
The mobile state of the art surgical facility spay/neuter program offers low cost spay/neuter services to income-eligible families throughout Sarasota and Manatee Counties. The ARC mobile spay/neuter clinic has spayed and neutered more than 21,000 dogs and cats since 2002.
ARC’s foster and adoption program strives to save animals from euthanasia. ARC sponsors Adopt-a-thons in Sarasota and Manatee Counties; providing volunteers, marketing publicity, and underwriting some of adoption fees for our local shelters.
Buddy’s feral cat program is the most humane way to keep the feral/free-roaming cat population in our communities under control. It is ARC’s humane solution to an inhumane problem. This program is a free 
service to the community and follows the national model of trap-spay/neuter-release. To-date nearly 3,500 feral cats have been altered through Buddy’s feral cat program. The conservative estimate of feral cats in our community is 60,000. An unaltered female cat and her offspring can potentially produce as many as 420,000 kittens in seven years.
Sarasota K-9 Search and Rescue
Since 2006 Dr. Laurie has been the team veterinarian on deployment for the Sarasota K-9 Search and Rescue Team. Dr. Laurie operates on an on call basis, donating the emergency veterinary services for the search dogs if injured. These highly trained dogs protect each and every member of the state of Florida. Dr. Walmsley post injury has treated and saved these service animals lives. She is committed to their missions and the safety and well being of the K9’s who work for the praise, love, and emotional support of their handlers.
The Sarasota K-9 Search and Rescue is a nationally recognized group of highly trained volunteers with their K-9 companions that assist in the location of missing persons. Each member of the team as volunteers maintains an integrity and commitment to our fellow mankind. Their goals are to be organized in their training, skills, and to form a strong bond of teamwork to bring about the safest and most positive outcome on each search mission. Sarasota County Emergency Management, the State of Florida, the Division of Forestry, the Florida Fire Chiefs Association Disaster Response, and FEMA recognize them. Their services may only be formally requested through Sarasota County Emergency Management or the Division of Forestry. In 2003, they recieved the distinguished FLA Governor’s First Responder Award. On average annually they donate more than 10,000 man/K9 hours.
Southeastern Guide Dogs
Southeastern Guide Dogs provides K-9 freedom and independence to the visually impaired. The dogs are bred, raised and trained at no cost to the blind. Dr. Walmsley and Ashton Animal Clinic is a platinum veterinary partner providing 100% donations of routine and non-routine medical services; and provides necessary medical products at cost for all puppies and dogs in training.