India Vet Clinic
India
The India Vet Clinic is a charitable foundation that accepts vet/nurse students and qualified vets and nurses. People join us from around the world to use their abilities for the good of animals in need, and to gain medical and surgical experience. The clinic works closely with the local vet school and are busy from the start to the end of the day helping animals whose owners live in poverty. They employ 7 vets, 40 staff and one vet solely to host volunteers, allowing ample one-on-one training and chances to develop your abilities.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
Gain valuable experience in veterinary care and animal welfare
Learn about animal rescue, care and treatment in a developing country
Your mentor will ensure you one training surgery every working day
Work alongside a friendly and encouraging team of vets and para-professionals
Make a huge difference to animals and owners living in poverty
Feel the warm hospitality of India as you try delightful foods and learn about the culture
Enjoy weekend trips to temples, national parks and yoga retreats
Project video
This project is for clinical year veterinary students and qualified vets. Volunteers assist and learn from the vets as they provide free and vital medical care to animals in need. You will help the team rescue abandoned and injured animals, operate, treat and nurture patients back to health.
The animals that come to the clinic are a mixture of stray dogs and cats, pets, rabbits, birds (especially during the kite flying festival, when they come in injured in their hundreds) and the occasional wildlife species such as snakes and monkeys.
Despite a great commitment from the team at the clinic, there is never a day when we reach every animal that needs our help. The clinic runs Monday to Friday at the hospital, and a separate team treat animals out on the road with 3 mobile clinic vans. The mobile team bring back emergency cases for hospital treatment. Volunteers often see a wide range of cases when in India, many of which are not seen in more developed countries.
The clinic has four key goals that they work hard to achieve. Firstly, they offer free vet treatment to stray animals and those whose owners who are living in poverty. Secondly, they strive to maintain a high quality of vet care to all species. They aim to safeguard animal welfare and lastly, safeguard public health.
In recent years, the clinic has opened its doors to volunteers who want to use their knowledge and skills to give back to those less fortunate, as well as those who want to gain experience from their busy practice. It is a fantastic placement for anyone wanting to develop clinical confidence and learn from the huge caseload (around 4,000 patients per month).
The ability of the vet mentors to teach in a positive and reassuring manner is second to none and with both private and charity clients walking in through the door all the time, they can offer an amazing experience to volunteers.
CLINICAL CASES SEEN
Routine sterilisation (spay and castrate)
Vomiting and diarrhoea (poisoning, infectious diseases or foreign bodies from eating at rubbish dumps)
Potential rabies cases
Birds brought in after injury during the kite flying festival
Broken legs (often road traffic accidents)
Infectious diseases like parvovirus, corona virus and distemper
Malnourished or dehydrated animals
Skin parasites (ticks, lice and mites)
Wounds from wire collars, snares, fights. Many are infected.
SURGERY
In order to provide optimal learning experiences for vet students and vets wanting to gain experience, there is one vet employed solely for the teaching of volunteers. Your volunteer supervisor will ensure each volunteer carries out one surgery a day with full supervision and guidance. This is key for developing surgical skills and confidence in a low stress and encouraging environment. Volunteers who have done little or no surgery will scrub in with the vet, learning tissue handling skills and anatomy. Volunteers with more experience will be encouraged to carry out the surgery with less assistance. The vet will always be on standby to help when needed.
WELFARE EDUCATION
Volunteers are encouraged to help with educating school groups when they visit. Teaching local children how to better care for and respect animals is vital to improving the life of animals across the country and leaves a longstanding legacy that will continue long after your stay in India comes to an end. Roles include helping give short tours of the clinic, animal handling sessions with primary school children, and discussing the 5 freedoms in a fun and interactive manner.
Project Photos
ACCOMMODATION
The clinic and the accommodations are situated conveniently close to a variety of shops and restaurants. It is safe to wander the streets, discovering Indian culture and day to day life outside of working hours. Your accommodation will be either on site at the clinic in the practice flat, or in a nearby hotel. If you are in the hotel, the team will collect you and drop you off each day.
Rooms are shared and single sex (unless you are coming as a married couple). Both accommodations are basic and clean, with single beds and en suite bathrooms. Bedding is provided, though you are asked to bring your own towel. Don’t forget to bring a toilet roll to get you going, it is not commonly used in India! Don’t panic though, you can be easily buy some from the local shop round the corner. There are hot showers and traditional Indian ‘squat’ toilets. Please note, the tap water often gives people stomach upsets, so you will need to provide your own bottled water.
You will be provided with 3 meals good a day. Breakfast and lunch are served at the clinic. Dinner will be brought to you at your accommodation. The food consists of a range of Indian dishes, which are most often curry based and will be selected for you (in line with dietary requirements). Please remember 99% of Hindus are vegetarian so you are unlikely to be served meat during your stay. If this is not to your liking you are welcome to buy and cook your own meals, but it will not be covered in your project fee. If you have any dietary requirements, please make us aware of them when booking and if you wish, the team will try and get you out for at least one ‘western’ style meal each week.
There is free WIFI available in your accommodation. Outside of the house, your options are to utilise an internet café in town, or to unlock your SIM card for international use and then buy a local sim card and data package on arrival.
LOCATION
'Incredible India' has long been renowned as one of the best travel destinations in the world. The city of Ahmedabad is the sixth largest city in India, sitting in the north west of the country.
Founded by Sultan Ahmad Shah in the 15th century, the ancient walled city of Ahmadabad has just been marked as a UNESCO world heritage spot (in 2017), and it is no wonder why. The city, and surrounding state, is stuffed with breath-taking monuments and historical relics. Hriday Kunj, the very place Mahatma Gandhi resided and initiated the non-violent freedom struggle for India being just one. Volunteers often stay on to travel to other states and see world renowned Ganges river, Taj Mahal, Amer Fort or attend a yoga retreat.
The clinic forms an oasis of calm amid the hustle and bustle of the city. It is built around a large shaded court yard, where a large pond provides cool refuge to the recovering birds. This is a place where animals come to heal.
PROJECT COST
2024 cost
2 weeks: £1,210
3 weeks £1,800
4 weeks £2,420
Want to know what’s included? Great news, it is pretty much everything! Including your:
Pre-departure assistance
All airport collection and returns
All accommodation
3 authentic Indian meals a day
24 hour support on every project and at the volunteer accommodation by onsite staff
OUR PRICES EXCLUDE:
Visas (free to most nationalities)
Personal medical insurance
Flights to Ahmedabad in India
PROJECT SPECIFICS
AGE: 18 +, no upper limit.
QUALIFICATIONS: 3rd year vet or 2nd year vet nurse, qualified vet/nurse welcome
EMS (other), CEMS, CPD, CE
START DATES
This project starts every Monday of the year, with volunteers arriving at Ahmedabad airport on Sunday or Monday.
Volunteer feedback
Nicola Harrison
July 2023
"The staff at the clinic are exceptional. They all made us feel very welcome, and helped us in any way possible. They couldn’t have done more to make us feel special and help us to learn. As well as this, they were happy to help us get involved in all cultural activities possible and make sure we had a very authentic experience"
Elena Gherman
August 2023
"I appreciated the help I had with all the information provided prior to my travel.
I enjoyed the fact that I could do surgeries and the vets were nice and they let me scrub in with them in non routine surgeries as well (I already had one year of experience with surgeries and I am a vet, so everything was safe), showing me new procedures. I had the chance to learn new skills.
I also liked the food and the cook we had, she was a great host. They suggested places we could visit on Sunday and they were very keen on providing information.
The staff was involved in our well being. They made sure I had someone coming with me when I needed to change money or do laundry. I felt safe when I was in the campus and in the activities they organized."
WHAT NEXT?
Does a trip to India to work with our team sound right up your street? If you think you can assist this project, please click the "apply now" button and we will be in touch with you shortly.
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