Volunteer Work
Kelly, One of our veterinary nurses, donated 6 weeks of her own holiday time during April-May to volunteer at the Esther Honey Foundation (EHF) in the Cook Islands. Wilston Vet generously funded her return air fare, and many of our clients also kindly donated funds which were used in a direct monetary donation to the foundation. The EHF is the only veterinary clinic for the Cook Islands’ thousands of companion animals and it treats all of the companion and stray animals free of charge. Wherever EHF provides service, all animals, whether homeless or with owners, receive comparable care and no healthy animal is euthanased
Kelly, one of our veterinary nurses, donated 6 weeks of her own holiday time during April-May 2010 to volunteer at the Esther Honey Foundation (EHF) in the Cook Islands. Wilston Vet generously funded her return air fare, and many of our clients also kindly donated funds which were used in a direct monetary donation to the foundation. The EHF is the only veterinary clinic for the Cook Islands’ thousands of companion animals and it treats all of the companion and stray animals free of charge. Wherever EHF provides service, all animals, whether homeless or with owners, receive comparable care and no healthy animal is euthanased.
The Esther Honey Foundation (EHF) is the first 501 (c) (3) international organisation to work exclusively to control animal populations on islands. The difference that EHF makes for animals and their communities can be permanent.
EHF works in concert with local government officials, businesses, community members and EHF’s partners, to bring compassionate and affordable veterinary services to South Pacific Island companion animals in need.
EHF improves the health conditions and quality of life for these animals by developing the partnership programs, raising the funds and recruiting the volunteers necessary to fulfill the Foundation’s mission.
Since the Foundation established the Esther Honey Foundation Animal Clinic in 1995, hundreds of EHF volunteers including veterinarians, technologists and interns have travelled to the South Pacific island nation to treat between 2,000-2,600 animals each year.
Services are provided free of charge, in return for donations if possible of both monetary and goods (eg bananas)
EHF’s patients are primarily companion animals, but their veterinary teams have also treated pigs, goats, horses, birds, fruit bats, one seal and a hawkbilled turtle. Since opening The Esther Honey Foundation Animal Clinic doors, EHF has treated more than 26,191 animals and sterilized more than 11,448 animals.
For more information please visit the EHF website: www.estherhoney.org
Kelly’s Photos and Trip Info:
I would like to say a big thank-you to all of our clients who donated funds to the organisation. I got to see first hand how this money and veterinary supplies could provide so much help for the veterinary clinic there. The clinic manages to provide care for all of the animals, both owned and strays, on the islands virtually free of charge. Their resources are incredibly limited, and every little bit of supplies helps. I took over with me a lot of veterinary supplies such as bandaging material, drugs, and other disposable supplies, which were so gratefully received. Please consider making a monetary donation to the Foundation so that they can continue their invaluable work. Without them, there would be no facility to treat injured pets or injured wildlife. Whilst I was there I helped with many cases but the most memorable and sad were the dogs and cats with fish poisoning. They would be completely paralysed and many would die. It was very rewarding nursing the ones that responded back to full health. I also aided the vets with many complicated surgical procedures such as broken bones and tooth extractions. The broken bones were very severe and complex cases and yet the vets had very little equipment available to perform the surgery, so it was very challenging. I will leave you with some fond memories (photos) of my trip. Thanks again to Wilston Vet for funding my air fare and to those of you who donated funds as well!!
