>> CATHY: 85 DOGS AND CATS WERE SPAYED OR NEUTERED FOR FREE IN GRAND PORTAGE RECENTLY.

MORE THAN 200 PREVENTATIVE VACCINES WERE ALSO GIVEN OUT.

IT WAS PART OF WEEK-LONG TRIBAL VET CLINICS.

REPORTER KAOMI LEE WENT TO COOK COUNTY TO FIND OUT HOW ONE GROUP IS FORGING A RELATIONSHIP WITH MINNESOTA TRIBES THROUGH ANIMAL WELFARE.

ONE NOTE: KAOMI ALSO VOLUNTEERS FOR THE GROUP IN HER SPARE TIME BUT NOT FOR THESE CLINICS.

>> Kaomi: FOR 20-YEAR-OLD ABRIANNA JENKINS, IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.

>> HE'S A BLACK AB, GERMAN SHEPHERD MIX.

>> Kaomi: IT STARTED OUT AS AN IMPULSE.

>> I'VE SEEN A POST ON FACEBOOK.

I WAS GOING THROUGH A LITTLE ROUGH SPOT FOR A LITTLE BIT THERE.

AND WAS KIND OF ALREADY LOOKING AT PUPPIES AND STUFF.

AND THEN I SEEN HIS PICTURE.

AND I WAS JUST, OH, MY GOD, LIKE, I JUST WANT HIM SO BAD.

>> Kaomi: AT THE TIME, ABRIANNA SAID SHE SUFFERED FROM DEPRESSION.

SHE IS A DESCENDANT AND AN ENROLLED MEMBER OF THE LAKE LAKE SUPERIOR BAND OF CHIP SUPERIOR BAND OF CH CHIPPEWA.

>> I JUST FEEL LIKE HE GIVES ME PURPOSE.

>> HI, WHO IS THIS ADORABLE PUPPY.

>> Kaomi: BUT IT CAN BE EXPENSIVE.

SHE CAME HERE TO A -- THE GROUP OFFERED A WEEK OF FREE VET SERVICES TO THE RAND PORTAGE BAND AND RESIDENTS OF COOK COUNTY.

SPAY AND NEUTER SURGERIES WERE PROVIDED BY MN-SNAP.

IT WAS A WELCOME RELIEF FOR ABRIANNA WHO MAKES 15.70 AN HOUR AS A RECEPTIONIST.

>> 300 I THINK FOR THE NEUTERING AND THE SHOTS AND DEWORMING, IT ALL JUST WOULD HAVE ADDED UP TO BE SO MUCH.

>> Kaomi: BUT THE NEAREST VET IS IN GRAND MARAIS OR SEVERAL HOURS AWAY IN DULUTH.

FOR PEOPLE LIVING ON TRIBAL RESERVATIONS, THE DRIVE FOR SERVICES CAN MAKE THEM OUT OF REACH.

>> WE'RE NE OF THE SMALLEST TRIBES OF ALL THE MINNESOTA CHIPPEWA TRIBES.

IT'S VERY VITAL.

OUR MEMBERS, THEY CAN'T GET TO GRAND MARAIS FOR THE SERVICE.

SOME OF THEM ON'T HAVE VEHICLES.

OR THEY DON'T HAVE MONEY TO PAY FOR THESE SERVICES.

SO THEN THE POPULATION JUST KEEPS EXPANDING FROM THERE.

>> Kaomi: TWO YEARS, SORENSON GOT IN TOUCH WITH THE BOND BETWEEN.

SHE SAYS THERE'S BEEN A SHARP INCREASE IN STRAY CATS ON THE RESERVATION.

THIS YEAR, SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES WERE ADDED.

>> THERE'S BEEN A HUGE RESPONSE AND THERE WAS A COUPLE HOUSEHOLDS THAT WE WERE INTERESTED IN GETTING DONE.

>> Kaomi: THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR THE BOND BETWEEN HAS PARTNERED WITH HE GRAND PORTAGE TRIBE.

IT HAS RELATIONSHIPS WITH SEVERAL OTHER TRIBES IN THE STATE TOO.

HOW DO YOU APPROACH THIS IN WAY THAT'S CULTURALLY SENSITIVE?

>> IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO US.- IT.- IT'S THE FIRST THING WE TALK ABOUT WHEN VOLUNTEERS ARE INTERESTED IN THE PROGRAM BECAUSE UILDING THAT RELATIONSHIP AND THAT PARTNERSHIP LONG TERM WITH THE TRIBE IS SO IMPORTANT.

>> Kaomi: SHE SAYS THEY TALK SPEAKERS TO TALK WITH THE VOLUNTEERS.

>> THEY HAVE OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF HISTORICAL TRAUMA AROUND WHITE FOLKS COMING IN, RIGHT, AND DOING THINGS, AND SO BEING AWARE OF THE PHYSICAL SPACE AND EMOTIONAL SPACE YOU TAKE UP IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

>> Kaomi: SHE SAYS THE IMPORTANT PART IS NOT TO SEPARATE THE -- WHEN POSSIBLE, NATIVE VOLUNTEER VETS ARE THERE TOO.

>> IN MY CULTURE IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT, YOUR GIFTS IS NOT YOURS TO KEEP, IT'S YOURS O SHARE.

>> Kaomi: DR. TAYLOR IS A DESCENDANT OF THE RED LAKE NATION AND TEACHES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA.

SHE SAYS THERE'S NO RESERVATION IN MINNESOTA WITH VETERINARY CARE AND THERE'S A STATEWIDE SHORTAGE OF PEOPLE WITHIN THE PROFESSION AND EVEN MORE SO, VETS KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT NATIVE CULTURE.

>> ESPECIALLY WITH A DEEP-ROOTED CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH ANIMALS.

>> Kaomi: CAME WITH HER TWO DOGS AND TWO CATS.

THREE OUT OF THE FOUR DID VERY WELL.

SO THE ONE WAS JUST FIXED THE OTHER DAY, SO HE'S NOT HAVING IT TODAY.

>> Kaomi: HER PETS GOT EXAMS, RABIES AND DISTEMPER VACCINES, DEWORMER, HEART WORM AND FLEE AND TICK PREVENTION.

>> WE GOT TO GO SO FAR AWAY