When asked what she thinks her biggest contribution is to her community, Kathleen Ramsay answers without hesitation: her Cottonwood Veterinary Clinic in Española, New Mexico. The clinic serves a fairly rural and quite impoverished area. “Probably 60% of people living there make $10,000 per year,” Ramsay says. “What am I supposed to say—’give me six months of your family’s food budget or I kill your pet’?”
Accordingly, she prices her services well below other clinics in the surrounding area. She has personally seen to it that her clients can afford the very best medical care for their animals, regardless of their financial status. If a family can only afford $10 per month toward their bill, so be it; Ramsay willingly carries a considerable debt to make this possible. When asked why she does it, she simply replies, “Because it’s who I am. I have a big heart.” To call that a hefty understatement would be an injustice.
Beyond medical care, the clinic serves as a hub where Ramsay mentors interns and volunteers, offering local youth opportunities they simply would not receive anywhere else. It is stunning to think how many of them are now out there applying her training across the state and beyond, likely mentoring their own local kids. National Geographic captured this impact perfectly, noting, “They repay her by taking a deeper understanding of American wildlife and respect for ecosystems back to their own neck of the woods.”
For these tireless efforts, the city of Española honored her with an appreciation award celebrating both the Cottonwood Veterinary Clinic and her extensive work with wildlife. Her expertise also caught the attention of Governor Bill Richardson, who appointed her to the Board of Veterinary Medicine, where she served for nearly 12 years. During her tenure, she helped codify numerous regulations for veterinarians around the state. She also collaborated with the Department of Game and Fish to establish standardized regulations for wildlife rehabilitators across New Mexico.
On July 15, 2012, she co-founded the Land of Enchantment Wildlife Foundation (LEWF). Through this non-profit, Ramsay offers her extensive knowledge of wildlife management, alongside hands-on assistance, to other rescue programs across the state. While this support primarily focuses on rehabilitation and facility construction, it also allows LEWF to award financial grants to various wildlife operations. Ramsay will give whatever help is within her power to provide. Education and outreach are also central to LEWF’s mission; as their mission statement notes, they are “… open and willing to provide assistance and wildlife education throughout the state of New Mexico.”
In 2016, Ramsay was named one of five recipients of the Governor’s True Hero Award. She was recognized for helping low-income families care for their pets, as well as for her dedication to training the next generation of animal caregivers.
Despite her experience, navigating the bureaucratic web of rules and protections set by different agencies remains difficult. Ramsay must constantly coordinate with various counties, the state, the federal government, Game and Fish, and New Mexico’s several distinct Native American Nations. Staying on the right side of regulation is challenging when an animal is suffering—a sight Ramsay absolutely cannot tolerate. She will do whatever it takes to save a life, even when it threatens her own professional license.
To say that Dr. Kathleen Ramsay is a visionary is not enough; simply put, she is irreplaceable. Fortunately, she has worked hard throughout her career to ensure there will be plenty of capable hands to take over when she eventually retires.
But it is the personal moments that truly define her legacy. I was there when she handed a rehabilitated Great Horned Owl back to the man who had saved it, ready to be set free into the forest where it was found. I was present for the release of three fat, healthy bears—overhearing a Game and Fish officer note with immense satisfaction that “Ramsay always releases fat bears.” And I was in attendance for the freeing of a screech owl in my own small village, high in the mountains of northern New Mexico.
Personally, I cannot imagine any of us doing without her. I have often referred to her as a force of nature, and I do not think that is far off. She is living proof that the troubles of the world, as horrific as they can be, are being steadily chipped away at by people like Kathleen Ramsay. And maybe, just maybe, that is enough.
Love to you all,
Jeane