Vets Beyond Borders

Right time, right place.

Our current team of volunteers on Thursday Island arrived at the right time to help one particular pup.

Loki, who’d been coming to the clinic run by the Thursday Island Animal Support Group Inc since he was a puppy, was hit by a car on the Sunday before the team arrived.

Scared and hurt, he ran off and wasn’t found until Wednesday.

This poor little pup, who is now three years old, was assessed by our team including Drs Billy Plumb and Sarah Bush and vet nurses, Shoallea Cooke and Alisha Seaton. They had no choice but to amputate his leg.

Thursday Island is one of the locations we visit regularly as the island has no permanent vet. This was our 12th visit since we started working with the Animal Welfare League Queensland to provide veterinary care to the dogs and cats that inhabit this island off the coast of Far North Queensland.

We’ve delighted to report that the surgery went well and little Loki is now on the road to recovery.

Australian Volunteers Program is seeking a Veterinary Support and Training Specialist based in Fiji.

It is a volunteer position for 12 months working with the Ministry of Agriculture. Flights, insurance, and a living and accommodation allowance are included.

Go to the AVP website for further details.

Veterinary Support and Training Specialist The Australian Government supports thousands of everyday Australians to volunteer overseas every year. Discover how you can be involved.

VBB’s Spring 2024 newsletter is now online. If you haven't received a copy in your inbox, you can view it here:

https://vetsbeyondborders.org/about/reports/

Head to our home page to sign up to our mailing list and read all about the many wonderful ways your support enables us to improve the lives of animals, and their communities, across the region 🐶

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Such lovely feedback 😊 Thank you Te Are Manu Vet Clinic ❤

Some fabulous new volunteers these last 2 weeks!

Dr Ilana - a busy locum vet from Australia 🇦🇺 giving up her time and expertise here at Te Are Manu. Tackling medical cases and tricky dentals for our Raro cats and dogs! We’ve loved your warm energy at the clinic. Thank you Vets Beyond Borders for sending her our way.

The dream team 💫Dr Yael and Nurse Dani coming from Taupo NZ 🇳🇿 having worked together previously, these two have hit their stride in the TAM clinic. This experienced duo have also volunteered in Tonga and we are so grateful for all their hard work and dedication to the animals they’ve taken under their care

Dr Paul from QLD Australia 🇦🇺 a fantastic emergency and critical care clinician. Paul is able to take all cases in his stride and put his fantastic ultrasound skills to use on his patients. Another fabulous Vets Beyond Borders volunteer 🐾

We hope you’ve had a great time meeting our islands people and pets 🐾 come back again soon!! 🌺

Sydney and Canberra peeps: Don't forget to register and join Flynn’s Walk

SYDNEY! Only 2 weeks to go!

CANBERRA! We'll see you in 4 weeks!

Register for both here: https://linktr.ee/flynnswalk

🐾🎉 Happy International Dog Day from Vets Beyond Borders! 🐶🌍

Today, we're celebrating our loyal, loving canine companions who bring so much joy to our lives. At Vets Beyond Borders, we're also celebrating the incredible work done to ensure every dog, everywhere, gets the care and love they deserve.

From providing essential veterinary services in underserved communities to supporting local animal welfare initiatives, we’re committed to making a difference in the lives of dogs around the world.

Join us in honouring these amazing animals by sharing a photo of your furry friend and telling us how they’ve impacted your life! Let’s spread the love and support for our four-legged family members.

Volunteer Opportunity in the Gili Islands 🌴🐠

Are you a compassionate veterinarian or vet nurse looking to make a difference in a beautiful tropical paradise?

Dates: 1-14 October
Location: Gili Air, Indonesia

LUNI Lombok Indonesia is looking for a:

Volunteer Veterinarian: Bring your expertise in flank spaying to help control the cat population and improve animal welfare on the island; and a

Volunteer Vet Nurse: Assist with pre-op and post-op care, ensure smooth and safe procedures, and provide essential support to our veterinary team.

You will be working with dedicated animal welfare professionals and local volunteers and have the chance to enjoy your downtime on the stunning beaches and vibrant culture of Gili Air.

For more information: https://vetsbeyondborders.org/location/indonesia/

Spread the Word: Tag a fellow vet or vet nurse who might be interested!

Please note there is a visa charge for vets volunteering in Indonesia.

Volunteer Vets Required – Saturday 7 September

VBB Partner Organisation, RSPCA NSW have several Healthy Pet Days scheduled in coming months but are in desperate need of vets for their Northcote/Surry Hills event on Saturday 7 September.

You will be working alongside Sydney Uni vet students to treat the two hundred dogs expected to attend.

These events are held to offer extra support to people who need a little help caring for their pets.

To find out more, go to: https://vetsbeyondborders.org/location/nsw/

The Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash music festival wrapped up on the weekend and that means our two amazing volunteers, Dr Ellen McBryde and Dr Ian McBryde, are heading home after a week in the desert.

This wonderful father and daughter team from Salisbury Highway Veterinary Surgery in South Australia were on hand to provide consults at this dog friendly festival, and it looks like they had a pretty good time too. Thanks to Ellen’s partner Mark for lending a hand.

This is the first year we’ve been invited to provide veterinary services at the Big Bash Festivals - Dr Ben Purtle and nurse Jen Scott from BFP Equine Veterinary Services attended the Birdsville festival last month and are still washing off the mud 😆

We are so grateful to our volunteers for taking time out of their busy lives, driving miles along dusty roads and foregoing showers all so they could be there should any dog need vet care. The bonus was they helped raise awareness about the work of Vets Beyond Borders too!

Thanks Ellen, Ian, Mark, Ben and Jen and to the wonderful organisers of the events for inviting us along and for being such a pleasure to deal with.

A belated thank you to VetEducation for including Vets Beyond Borders in their recent "Paws for a Cause" charity trivia night and donating $550 to help us continue to make a world of difference to animals and their communities across the Asia Pacific.

Have your say and help shape the AVA

You can help shape the future of the Australian Veterinary Association by completing their brief survey and letting them know what matters to you.

The survey is open to everyone in the veterinary profession, whether you are an AVA member or not.

By sharing your unique perspective and experience, you will help the AVA better understand what you appreciate, what could be improved and what matters most to you as a community member. You could also win one of 7 great prizes!

Please share this survey with your veterinary friends and colleagues and let’s help shape the future of the AVA.

Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NMNL25G

Deadline: 2 Sept 2024

For those keen to read about Dr Andrew Nicholson and his work with Te Are Manu Vet Clinic, the full story is below.

Update: All vacancies have now been filled 🌴

Greencross Vets
Fondation Brigitte Bardot

Great feature on Dr Andrew Nicholson, a Tassie vet who just completed his second deployment at Te Are Manu Vet Clinic in the Cook Islands 🌴

“We were not infrequently paid in mangoes or bananas or paw paws”:

Meet the retired Tassie vet enjoying winter escapes, and new cultural customs, as a volunteer at a Cook Islands vet clinic 👉 https://bit.ly/4fCvTtw

Lovely way to end the week - with news of our incredible volunteers making a significant difference, this time in Samoa with our friends at APS Samoa

You're all amazing!

🐈🐈‍⬛🐈 Happy International Cat Day 🐈🐈‍⬛🐈

VBB is committed to promoting the health and welfare of cats across the Asia Pacific. From providing veterinary care to advocating for responsible pet ownership, we're dedicated to ensuring every cat receives the love and care they deserve.

Join us today to celebrate our feline friends who bring so much joy and comfort into our lives.

More great photos of the VBB volunteers working alongside our partners at APS Samoa Well done guys!

VBB is seeking one more volunteer veterinarian for our next clinic in Vanuatu from 24 September – 9 October. You should have 10+ years’ experience and preferably spent some time doing high volume desexing in developing countries.

Flights* and accommodation are included. If you are keen to be part of a high performing team of six making a real difference to the health and welfare of the animals and communities in and around Port Vila, contact Sylvana to find out more [email protected]

*conditions apply

Wonderful coverage about our team of volunteers working in Samoa with VBB partner organisation APS Samoa

Clinic helps pet owners Up to 20 dogs a day are being seen at the free clinics by Vets Without Borders working in partnership with the Animal Protection Society (APS) of Samoa to help de-sex dogs to reduce the stray dog population.The...

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Next in our volunteer profiles is vet nurse Alana Dent who is the Regional Manager at Sydney Animal Hospitals. Alana is one of our fabulous frequent flyers who has completed FOUR deployments. We asked her a few questions to understand what keeps her coming back.

What made you decide to volunteer?
I worked at the RSPCA for many years and loved being able to help animals and people who were less fortunate or did not have access to vet care (for whatever reason that may be). After looking at volunteer projects both in Australia and overseas, I found Vets Beyond Borders could help me give back and allow me to travel to new places at the same time.

What was the most rewarding part of your trip?
Definitely helping the animals, their owners and the communities. Many overseas communities don’t have access to vet care and being able to provide that care, and educating their owners and the communities on how to care for the animals after we have gone, improves the quality of life for the animals and keeps them happy and healthy.

What was the biggest challenge of your trip?
Working in the field has many challenges, but certainly not always having the equipment or medications required that could solve an issue quickly or effectively is one of the biggest. Critical thinking does help!

Please give an example of any challenging surgeries or cases you dealt with.
It can be challenging when dealing with different cultural or religious views on the appropriate care of animals. The aim is always to keep an animal pain free but amputating limbs and even euthanasia is viewed as a negative in some communities. Education is important in these cases, but not having the manpower to reinforce that education on a regular basis provides a real challenge.

What benefit do you think VetMatch provides to the local community and their animals?
VetMatch brings skilled veterinary staff to areas that are in real need of veterinary assistance, changing the lives of the animals and their people within the communities we go to.

Do you feel you personally benefited from the experience? If so, in what way.
These trips are hugely beneficial for me. I love to feel like I am making a real difference to animals who wouldn’t usually have access to veterinary care. These trips are great for developing your critical thinking, experiencing different cultures and developing new skills.

Find out more about VetMatch and our current volunteer vacancies at: https://vetsbeyondborders.org/program/vetmatch/

The Gili Islands are an archipelago of three small islands off the coast of Indonesia and include Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air. VBB partner organisation, LUNI Lombok Indonesia is seeking a vet and a vet nurse for two upcoming clinics to treat the islands’ animals - one on Gili Air from 1-14 October and the other on Gili Meno from 24-30 November.

These clinics are a wonderful opportunity to spend some time in a pacific paradise while helping the islands animals (mostly cats), meeting likeminded people and experiencing all the positive benefits of volunteering.

Find out more or apply at: https://vetsbeyondborders.org/location/indonesia/

# volunteer

We ❤ volunteers!

It's not too late to be part of this wonderful project.

Local dogs invited to be a part of global book project to help animals in need Check out photo sessions in your area and get your dog involved

POSITION FILLED

VBB's GM, and her rather lovely collection of equines, has been featured in the latest newsletter from EthicalJobs.com.au

Career Journeys: Anne Lloyd-Jones is bringing animal care to communities in need - EthicalJobs.com.au Career Advice This story is from Anne Lloyd-Jones, who found her role as Programs and Administration Manager at Vets Beyond Borders, on EthicalJobs.com.au which has now developed into a General Manager role!

POSITION NOW FILLED. 🌴

Sun, sand, snorkelling…it’s easy to understand why the Cook Islands is such a popular destination.

If you’ve always wanted to go, you’re in luck…VBB Partner Organisation, Te Are Manu Vet Clinic, is seeking a volunteer vet nurse from 30 September – 19 October to help in their well-equipped clinic in Rarotonga.

This placement includes accommodation.

More information on the program can be found on our website - https://vetsbeyondborders.org/location/cook-islands/