neutering schemes abroad

Re: neutering schemes abroad

Sal the 1st — Mon, 06 May 2013 09:32:54 GMT

[quote user="Ian_M"]

On a connected note - I've had a bit of contact from people that have volunteered on welfare projects with charities large and small and been disappointed with the outcome. So my ten tips for you when you are looking to volunteer with any neutering charity are:

(1) research the charity, find out if it is run or coordinated by vets or nurses or well meaning individuals, and adapt your expectations to suit.

(2) if you are handling stray cats and dogs, a crush cage and a dog grasper as a minimum should be provided. If the charity doesn't provide this, walk away. Some of the established and well known volunteering groups are as guilty of this as the smaller ones. Legally, it is the responsibility of the UK charity that sends you abroad, not the local one at the other end.

(3) if you are making an approach directly to an organisation or shelter based overseas, check, check and double check your expectations and what they are getting from you. They may think they are getting mini-vets, and while this might be something you want to do, it may not be legal. WHich reminds me...

(4) in a lot of countries, there is no vet nursing profession, so no Schedule 3. So be absolutely sure what you are allowed to do and what you are not, and on what basis you are doing it. In most cases, working under the vet's instructions covers it. Additionally remember it's usually not legal to operate on animals in a facility that's not a veterinary establishment, so be aware of this.

(5) Stray animal population management is a complex and multi-factored area and one where the experience gained in private practice or charity work with owned animals isn't going to be enough on its own. Accept that even the most competent VN is not an expert in this area, and be prepared to accept the input and practices of those that are. For example, rehoming of animals via the internet may be frowned upon in the UK, but in a lot of countries it is a much more welfare-suitable option than overcrowded poorly run shelters. If in doubt, don't offer an opinion without checking the facts.

(6) any project should have the means to sterilise kits properly (e.g. a coal fire and a steel bowl of water will do in extreme) and if there isn't the ability to sterilise with heat, chemical sterilants can be used, but these need to be able to be rinsed off thoroughly. Check this is happening, and what the arrangements are.

(7) don't bring animals home - there are lots of strays in the UK at high risk, and importing animals from abroad presents a significant disease risk to the animal travelling and the animals in the UK, may be of high welfare challenge to the animal travelling (especially cats), and does not solve the local problem. Use the money to buy some equipment for a local neutering charity instead. And equally, understand that euthanasia is necessary, the threshold is lower than for pets, and decisions need to be made quickly.

(8) take things with you if you can - cannulas are a godsend if you are using injectable-only, to get titrated top-ups into long ops. Take a box of blue short needles - you'll be glad of these when an IV is needed and all the local needles ar 1.5 inches long. Take some extra sterile swabs or drapes, maybe some 15 blades, a calculator, and a formulary. You shouldn't need to be doing this, it should be covered by the charity sending you, but they are not always on the ball on such stuff.

(9) if you have an IPad or tablet, fill it with dose rates, drug info, and anything else you can think of.

(10) be prepared to rough it - to room-share, and for dodgy food - and the most important one - it's not a holiday, if you treat it as a holiday it won't meet your expectations. So travel with the expectation that it'll be work, if you get to the beach or to tourist spots, that's a bonus.

Ian MacFarlaine RVN

Head of Operations (Welfare)

International Cat Care - formerly the FAB

[/quote]

absolutely

Havn't done one for years but thoroughly enjoyed the one I did in Rome, we bunked 3 to a caravan. Hard work but well worth it, the keyword for me was adaptability

Re: neutering schemes abroad

paula morgan — Mon, 06 May 2013 06:07:24 GMT

I went to corfu to a donkey rescue, it was fantastic and met loads of nice people, very friendly and soo hot! they have a facebook page and a website, it was really cheap for flights and accomodation was 75 euro per week x

Re: neutering schemes abroad

Ian_M — Sat, 04 May 2013 09:17:37 GMT

Hello - I am the artist formerly known as Ian at Kismet, and am now Ian at International Cat Care (formerly known as the Feline Advisory Bureau).

We're always on the look out for qualified and experienced nurses to volunteer at our training unit in Portugal. It's definitely not a "neutering trip" - we work principally to develop all aspects of cat population management - so we're training local vets in handling feral cats and surgical neutering if needed, improving charity skills and capacity, training trappers, and working closely with governments and municipal bodies. It's very orientated away from the traditional model of British vets flying in on a plane to save the day, and more toward supporting and developing the local talents and skills, This way lots more animals get neutered after we go home.

Our training centre in Portugal is designed to offer a high level of teaching time to vets and TNR volunteers from Portugal and around Europe. We want them to return home with the skills and motivation to help improve animal welfare without needing to rely on foreign aid. We don't use the centre for training of undergraduates or new graduates from UK vet schools, as we are an animal welfare project and our efforts are targeted at improving the welfare of street animals.

It includes surgical and classroom time, and workshops and problem-solving. The centre is run from an animal welfare facility owned by the town's local council. It's pop-up, and we pack it all away into the on-site store at the end of each course, but we are well equipped with lifting tables, inhalation anaesthesia x 2, surgical lamps, an autoclave, and 100% cages and traps that all sliding-door-match so there is no direct handling of feral cats needed and no risk of escapes. The centre is in a lovely environment, despite being in the middle of town, it's quiet and tranquil, but manages to be 5 minutes walk from a shopping mall at the same time.

Enough of the advert - here's a bit more information specifically about volunteering on our volunteer microsite http://eftc.moonfruit.com

The website about International Cat Care's welfare work is at http://www.icatcare.org/in-action

And our facebook album from the last course we ran is here https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.482743708447922.1073741826.101043119951318&type=3

I'll fess up now to say - we actively favour nurses with experience of teaching, charity work, with experience of neutering feral cats and with an interest in making a placement with us more than once - in other words we're after people that will come along once a year or so. Our aim is to build a small group of trainers who will be used to the way the project works, so can get into the routine quickly. That makes a more relaxed visit for the volunteer and a more efficient course. We are also looking for people with a high level of cultural awareness, and respect for other people's beliefs, as we may have course delegates from countries as diverse as Russia or Sudan on the same training week.

If you are interested in volunteering, please drop me an email attaching the form available on the microsite.

(1) research the charity, find out if it is run or coordinated by vets or nurses or well meaning individuals, and adapt your expectations to suit.

(9) if you have an IPad or tablet, fill it with dose rates, drug info, and anything else you can think of.

Ian MacFarlaine RVN

Head of Operations (Welfare)

International Cat Care - formerly the FAB

Re: neutering schemes abroad

Jo Mackenzie — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:22:21 GMT

The BVA website has a list of overseas charities:

http://www.bva.co.uk/overseas/Overseas_contacts.aspx

Re: neutering schemes abroad

Robocop — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 10:25:05 GMT

Have you looked at WVS?

http://www.wvs.org.uk/

Re: neutering schemes abroad

Donna France — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 20:34:33 GMT

thanks guys, will have a look at the places you mentioned. x

Re: neutering schemes abroad

Charmaloo88 — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 13:58:32 GMT

I know you wanted schemes closer to home but I've just got back from nursing at Soi Dog Foundation in Phuket, Thailand. Was a fantastic challenge but the flight is about 11hours, however if you could fly on a Friday and start there on a Monday it gives you a chance to get over jet lag. Once you're out there accommodation and food are very cheap! Plus it's not just neutering, also involved a lot of treatments, I got to do loads of dentals on dogs being rehomed and blood sampling which, in a run of about 30 dogs, is quite entertaining!! Let me know of you want more info :)

Re: neutering schemes abroad

James Kilgour — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:52:24 GMT

I've been twice with Greek Cat Welfare UK on neutering trips, and i'd definitely recommend them. I've just got out of Nursing now, and I think they may have been planning a few trips this summer/autumn so there will at least be a place that I may have filled!

http://www.greekcatwelfare.moonfruit.com

PM me if you need any more info, I have lots!

Re: neutering schemes abroad

JaneRVN — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 19:13:12 GMT

Try Ian M at Kismet. Great guy, loads of schemes,