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Limited Time “Deposit Option” Available on Veterinary Field Projects

Jun 04

Volunteering on a World Vets veterinary field project just got easier! We are now offering a limited time “deposit option” on volunteer positions for select upcoming projects. At the time of registration, only half of the project fee will be due and the remaining half will be owed at a later date.

We are currently offering this opportunity on the following veterinary field projects;

Otavalo, Ecuador: August 8 – 15, 2017
Eligible for “tech/student” and “LVT/RVT” positions

St.Vincent & The Grenadines: August 16 – 23, 2017
Eligible for “LVT/RVT” positions

Our “tech/student” position may be filled by a licensed vet tech, non-licensed vet tech, vet student, pre-vet student, vet tech student and/or veterinary assistant. Read more about this volunteer position here

Our “LVT/RVT” position may be filled by a licensed, certified and/or registered veterinary technician and/or veterinary nurse. Read more about this volunteer position here

Volunteer this Summer! Veterinary Field Project Opportunities

Apr 10

World Vets operates countless veterinary field projects to help thousands of animals receive quality veterinary care each year. What’s more, all veterinary services on such projects are provided free of charge for local pet owners and the community.

We have two small animal veterinary field projects scheduled this summer in the following locations:

Otavalo, Ecuador: August 8 – 15, 2017

St.Vincent & the Grenadines: August 16 -23, 2017

Why don’t you join us!

Volunteer opportunities on veterinary field projects exist for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, students and assistants (those who do not have any previous veterinary or animal experience). Learn more about volunteer descriptions here

Requesting World Vets Veterinary Assistance

Mar 24

World Vets receives requests for veterinary assistance year round from locations all over the world. While we are not able to help everyone, we welcome inquiries and the potential to establish new partnerships for the benefit of animal health and welfare. One of the main ways we are able to assist animals worldwide is by sending veterinary teams to provide free veterinary services. In this way we operate veterinary field service projects that are either classified as small animal, equine or livestock and animal husbandry. Learn more about requesting veterinary assistance here

If you volunteer with or represent an animal welfare organization and are interested in welcoming a World Vets veterinary team to your location, we ask that you first investigate the following things before requesting assistance;

Are foreign veterinarians legally permitted to provide veterinary services in your location as a volunteer? For instance, are there any local laws banning veterinarians from other countries in performing surgery or practicing veterinary medicine.
If foreign veterinarians are allowed to volunteer their services in your location, are there any requirements for them to provide veterinary services? (i.e. credentials, specific documentation or permissions)

If you are a traveller or tourist, the best way to obtain potential World Vets assistance for a location is to provide our information to a local animal welfare organization operating in the area. Have them reach out to us directly to inquire about potential veterinary assistance. As a standard policy, we do not seek out project partners or work where we are not wanted. As such, in order for us to consider assisting anywhere, we require that a request be generated from within the location in question from a locally based stakeholder.

Special notes

Requests for veterinary assistance are only considered for locations outside of North America
Requests for assistance that involve the recruitment of individual veterinarians and/or volunteers for placements with other organizations are not considered
World Vets does not plan projects in areas that are at war or have a high threat of terrorist activity. For this reason, we are not able to consider project requests for areas that have major safety concerns and/or travel advisories per the U.S State Department. Specific regions of the world that we are unable to consider for assistance at this time (due to security concerns) include the Middle East, Central Asia and various parts of Africa.

Life Saving Work in Roatan, Honduras

Mar 04

Roatan is the largest of the Bay Islands located off the coast of Honduras in the Caribbean. Even though it may be the largest island of the archipelago, there is still more to be desired in relation to the health services provided for the small animal population. This is in part due to the limited number of practicing veterinarians on the island as well as the local population’s inability to pay for veterinary services.

To address the growing need for accessible veterinary care, World Vets has been sending veterinary teams to Roatan since 2008. Our teams not only provide much needed spay/neuter services to help control the small animal population, they also provide medical consultations, in addition to life saving procedures as is the case with Jasper, a dog that was treated on our most recent campaign.

Jasper came to be castrated, though also had substantial tumors in his scrotum that were also looked after during the surgery. While everything went well with the procedure, Jasper experienced difficulties with coagulation so he continued to bleed from the surgical site. Our team suspect this was likely due to erlichiosis (a tick-borne illness) that is highly prevalent on the island. To remedy this, our volunteers utilized pressure wraps around the area to stop the bleeding. This helped, though what he needed was more blood.

Luckily there was a large dog who had come for a consultation and whose owner was more than willing to allow our team to collect blood from him to give to Jasper. And so, in the midst of sterilizations and health consultations, our volunteers found themselves involved in an emergency a blood transfusion! We are happy to report that Jasper is doing great!

We thank Fondation Brigitte Bardot for their ongoing support of our small animal project in Roatan

Small Animal Field Projects: More than Spay/Neuter

Aug 02

World Vets operates multiple international field service projects throughout the year. These veterinary field projects provide direct veterinary services and care to animals in need on a large scale over a short amount of time, and may target small animals, equines and/or livestock. To aid in the delivery of such assistance, we have volunteer opportunities that not only facilitate quality veterinary care but also enable individuals to be a part of the work that we do around the world.

One big misconception about small animal field projects is that spay/neuter is the only service or surgery provided. While sterilizations do make up the bulk of surgeries performed, our teams encounter a variety of patient cases, which often times require emergency or special procedures to be undertaken. On our most recent campaign held in Peru, we saw and treated a variety of such cases, including but not limited to tumor or mass removals, a perineal urethrostomy, eye nucleation, and a complicated pyometra.

With that being said, our small animal field projects help to control the small animal population. However, they also provide much relief for patients in unique circumstances and lend expertise in tackling such special cases.

See more Peru pictures

A World Vets First: Veterinary Pilot Project Held in India

Aug 02

During the month of July World Vets sent a veterinary team to India to carry out our first campaign ever held on the subcontinent. Over four days our team worked alongside local veterinarians to provide free sterilizations as well as health consultations for the small animal population of Mysuru (formerly known as Mysore).

We’d like to thank our local partners as well as our dedicated group of volunteers who made this pilot project a great one!

Summer Volunteer Opportunities in Europe!

Jul 21

World Vets operates multiple international field service projects throughout the year, many of which have volunteer opportunities for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, students and assistants (those with no previous veterinary experience).

We would like to highlight two European small animal projects that still have volunteer openings this summer:

Shkoder, Albania (August 6 – 13, 2016) Student & Vet Tech Openings

Galati, Romania (August 24 – 30, 2016) Tech/Student & Assistant Openings

Multiple Campaigns Held over Spring Break

Mar 25

This past month World Vets had multiple teams in Latin America and the Caribbean providing free veterinary services. We operated small animal projects in Cozumel, Nicaragua and Ecuador, in addition to having a team work with exotics in Roatan, Honduras. Combined, these campaigns provided over 1000 free sterilizations and reached hundreds more.

We’d like to thank our local partners for hosting these campaigns, as well as our dedicated team members for choosing to volunteer and travel with us over their spring break!

Volunteer Opportunity for Veterinarians in Thailand

Nov 05

World Vets has a new partnership that will provide an exciting opportunity for veterinarians to volunteer in northern Thailand. The volunteer opportunity is located at an elephant sanctuary (about an hour north of Chiang Mai) that is home to ~ 40 elephants, ~80 water buffalo and 400+ dogs. The sanctuary is located along a river in a beautiful and picturesque valley where rescued elephants spend their days freely roaming. The 400+ dogs living at the sanctuary are mostly rescues from the 2011 Thailand flood, which World Vets assisted and provided disaster response.

This volunteer opportunity is for small animal veterinarians who can commit at least 1 month (up to 3 months if possible) to volunteering. Opportunities are available starting in January 2016 and will be available throughout the year with flexible start dates. Up to 2 veterinarians can be accepted during any time slot.

World Vets Continues Small Animal Project in Peru

Jul 01

During the month of June World Vets continued its small animal project in Peru. For several years we have been partnering with Pataz Pro-Animalista Cusco and local municipalities to provide free veterinary services for animals in need. Our most recent campaign facilitated over 200 sterilizations, and helped hundreds of animals. We return in August to benefit even more! We’d like to thank Fondation Brigitte Bardot for their ongoing support of these campaigns and to all of our wonderful veterinary volunteers who work very hard to provide great care for all of the patients.

See pictures