STEF Thailand welcomes its first Vet Volunteers
A Volunteer learns to insert and secure a drip
Our sister charity, STEF Thailand, recently welcomed its first veterinary volunteers to the elephant hospital at Klok Kloi. Students, vets and veterinary nurses are welcome to join the STEFT volunteer courses to gain hands-on experience in veterinary care and elephant management.
Our first two volunteers, Amy and Kate, both opted to stay for two weeks at the hospital (accommodation is provided), and afterwards provided us with some great feedback from their volunteering experience.
Kate, a qualified vet, said “the team could not have been more welcoming from the moment I arrived. The whole experience was great; we travelled to callouts [in the mobile clinic] and also treated elephants at the veterinary hospital. It was a fantastic opportunity, and I would highly recommend this project to both vet students and vets alike who want to gain practical, hands-on experience with elephants”.
Amy, a third year vet student, praised the staff at the veterinary centre for taking the time to carefully explain everything to her from the start. “We went out every day attending loads of cases, doing clinical examinations, taking blood samples, doing blood and faeces analysis, body condition scoring, and even a few emergency call-outs in the evenings. The staff also showed me around the area and took me to lots of new places to try new foods and meet so many lovely people! I would definitely recommend this as a clinical placement.”
Anyone interested in the volunteer programme should visit the STEFT website or email the volunteer coordinator: coordinator@stefthailand.org
[Click on photos below to enlarge]