Nestled in the Andean highlands of Cotacachi, Ecuador, Amici Cannis is more than just a veterinary hospital—it’s a movement for compassionate, culturally sensitive, and accessible veterinary care. As a nonprofit organization with deep U.S. ties and a bold vision for the future, Amici Cannis is rewriting the playbook on what’s possible in low-resource, high-impact animal care.
Founded and led by Dr. Heather Steyn, a seasoned U.S.-trained veterinarian and pioneer in veterinary software, Amici Cannis blends advanced clinical practice with public health, education, and community empowerment. The organization serves both Indigenous rural communities and urban populations, addressing the urgent need for animal healthcare across northern Ecuador.
In 2025, Amici Cannis made a pivotal decision: to adopt Digitail as its practice management system (PIMS), aligning technology with their rapidly expanding vision. With a generous donation from Digitail, the organization transitioned to a modern, AI-powered platform that supports bilingual care, efficient workflows, and the training of future veterinary leaders.
Dr. Steyn brings a legacy of innovation to the helm of Amici Cannis. Having worked with major U.S. veterinary software companies and been an early adopter of paperless systems as far back as 2002, she knows the transformative potential of the right digital tools. Dr. Steyn has consistently embraced forward-thinking solutions to elevate animal care and community health, so when she began searching for a new veterinary practice management software to support Amici Cannis’ growth, she knew what to look for.
The nonprofit was preparing to transition from its current 1,200-square-foot clinic to a brand-new, 12,500-square-foot hospital slated to open in December 2025. With a team of 4 doctors and 8 veterinary technicians, a robust externship program, and growing outreach efforts, the need for a cloud-based, AI-integrated, bilingual system became urgent.
Digitail checked all the boxes:
“We’ve always been a progressive hospital, but we needed something more agile,” said Dr. Steyn. “Digitail’s AI tools, cloud functionality, and bilingual capabilities made it the clear choice.”
One of Amici Cannis’ most impactful initiatives is its year-round externship program for fourth-year veterinary students from top-tier U.S. schools including UC Davis, Tufts, and Cornell. These externs arrive in Cotacachi to gain hands-on experience in both high-quality clinical care and public health-focused outreach.
Digitail enhances every part of this educational experience:
This isn’t just about better training. It’s about changing the expectations of what veterinary care should look like. When these externs return to the U.S., they carry with them real-world experience with a powerful digital platform—often influencing the clinics they join to adopt more advanced, efficient systems like Digitail.
“We don’t just teach students to be better vets,” Dr. Steyn explains. “We prepare them to be adaptable and forward-thinking professionals.”
Many of the animals treated by Amici Cannis live in rural or Indigenous communities, where access to veterinary services is almost nonexistent. To reach them, the Amici team runs regular mobile clinics and door-to-door vaccination campaigns.
Here, the power of Digitail’s mobile-friendly, cloud-based infrastructure becomes essential.
“Digitail allows us to document patient care wherever we are,” says Dr. Steyn. “It’s no longer about doing the work and catching up on paperwork later—we can provide seamless care in the moment.”
Using tablets and mobile devices, staff can:
Digitail is the all-in-one veterinary software that runs your entire practice—saving you time, keeping clients happy, and helping your business grow.
Cotacachi is a bilingual community, about half of Amici Cannis’ clients are Spanish-speaking Ecuadorians, and the other half are English-speaking expatriates. That linguistic diversity presents unique challenges for communication, documentation, and education.
Digitail’s multilingual capabilities offer a solution to the language barrier challenges that arise. Vets can write SOAP notes in Spanish and generate discharge instructions in English, or vice versa. Along with this feature, the software allows toggling between languages in the same record. Lastly, the clients can receive printed or digital summaries in their preferred language.
“Spanish and English fluency is essential for us,” says Dr. Steyn. “Digitail’s flexibility helps our doctors communicate more effectively and provide better care.”
This functionality isn’t just convenient, it’s essential for improving outcomes and building trust with pet parents.
The transition to a larger hospital facility is a monumental moment for Amici Cannis. The new clinic will offer expanded surgical capacity, dedicated diagnostic suites, and more space for training, outreach, and collaboration.
Digitail is being implemented ahead of the move, allowing the team to:
Amici Cannis has become a place of learning and innovation. Introducing Digitail to these professionals strengthens the platform’s visibility and reinforces its value in real-world, high-volume settings.
Digitail’s decision to donate their software to Amici Cannis represents more than corporate generosity, it’s a strategic collaboration that creates value for both parties.
This kind of partnership is a model for how veterinary software companies can align with mission-driven organizations to make a difference, not only for animals and communities, but for the profession itself.
“Digitail helps us work smarter, faster, and more compassionately,” Dr. Steyn said. “Together, we’re building a model of care that can inspire and educate far beyond Ecuador.”
Amici Cannis is proving that veterinary care in low-resource settings can be efficient, innovative, and deeply compassionate. With the right tools, they’re building a future where veterinary professionals are supported, communities are empowered, and every animal receives the care it deserves.
By choosing Digitail, Amici Cannis is not just keeping pace with modern veterinary standards, they’re leading the way in how digital tools can support real-world impact. And with a shared vision between these two organizations, the future of veterinary care—both in Ecuador and abroad—is looking brighter than ever.
