Mitsie Vargas DVM, CVA, CVFT, CTP – Director, Paw Project-Central Florida

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    Dr. Mitsie Vargas

    Dr. Mitsie Vargas is Director, Paw Project-Central Florida.

    Dr. Vargas received her DVM from Tuskegee University in 1994. In 1996 she established her AAHA accredited Orchid Springs Animal Hospital in Winter Haven, FL. In 2009 she started her studies at Chi Institute, eventually garnering certifications in Acupuncture, Chinese Herbology, Food therapy and Tui Na. She is an assistant teacher at Chi Institute and has worked as a consultant for Disney Animal Kingdom.

    Dr. Vargas is also a frequent speaker at veterinary meetings, including the AVMA convention in 2011 and the World Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) Congress in 2015. She is a certified veterinary journalist and has published hundreds of articles including her Monthly Lakeland Ledger newspaper pet care column, and is a guest blogger for “Better Homes and Gardens.” She served as an AVMA Spokesperson for Hispanic market and has recorded many PSAs and radio interviews promoting responsible pet ownership. Her love for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine manifested in her book Alt-Vet: The Revolutionary Pet Care and Longevity Solution.

    Dr. Vargas writes, “After much soul searching I stopped declawing because I realized I was doing so under false beliefs. For example: I thought I was helping kitties stay with their owners while in reality many declawed cats end up in a shelter or euthanized due to behavioral problems. The Paw Project movie allowed me to clear my mind, to re-evaluate what I was doing, and to re-ignite my passion to heal animals and honor my Veterinarian’s Oath. I vow to help botched declawed cats be pain free again and to educate as many people about the reality of declawing. Our efforts must reach our colleagues and our legislators so we can end this cruel, senseless procedure.”

    Dr. Vargas’s passion for helping animals and her voluntarism has awarded her state and national recognition including the Purina National Pet Care Award, Bay News 9 Medical Hero Award, Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce Business Award, Bright House Regional Business Finalist, Girls Inc “She knows where she is going award,” and the Florida VMA Gold award. She was honored by the American Veterinary Foundation as “America’s Favorite Veterinarian” in 2015. She lives in sunny Winter Haven, Florida, with her husband, two daughters and a menagerie of pets.