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Wearing a head torch to assist with surgeries when the power went out was just one of the challenges Warkworth vet nurse Natalie Knight faced during her recent stay in the Kingdom of Tonga.
Natalie was one of six vets and vet nurses who undertook a week-long field clinic treating several hundred animals this month. The trip was organised under the auspices of South Pacific Animal Welfare (SPAW).
“On our first weekend, we were invited to Pangaimotu, one of the small outer islands, about a 20-minute boat ride from Tongatapu,” Natalie says.
“Two male dogs, Coconut and Uzi, needed desexing so we packed up all our gear and the surgeries were our first two of the week. As well as desexing, the dogs were vaccinated and given flea, tick and worm treatment, which they desperately needed.
“Their owner was extremely grateful and put on a beautiful lunch for all of us as a thank you. We all came away feeling very happy and it gave us a positive vibe to start our busy week.”
In total, the team performed 149 surgeries and 213 consultations.
“There is no permanent vet in Tonga so being able to provide much-needed veterinary care to the local animals was very satisfying.”
This was Natalie’s second tour with SPAW, having worked for a week on Vava’u last year.
She said this trip wasn’t such a culture shock and she was better prepared for the heat, adding that the although the conditions were challenging, the people were so grateful to the team that it was very rewarding.
“On one day, we had torrential rain for about 24 hours, which caused some flooding in our outdoor area, making it hard for people waiting with their animals before and after surgery. This rain also made driving home after clinic rough as some roads were full of water. When the power went out, we were left operating with only head torches for light.”
Natalie and the team were also involved in the rescue of a wild dog that had fallen down a concrete chamber.
“We had very limited resources, with no catch pole or anything that you would probably use in New Zealand. In the end, we tied two leads together and used a piece of wood to lower a slip lead down into the small hole and coax the dog into the corner where we slowly placed the lead over its neck. We then lifted the very frightened dog up and out of the hole. We couldn’t get near her, so the safest call was to release her wearing the slip lead, which would fall off, rather than trying to get it off ourselves and risk being bitten.”
Natalie said the whole trip was an amazing experience.
“You feel like you have really helped so many animals that would not have had any treatment if we had not volunteered our time and skills.
“The experience was invaluable and meeting the local people and learning a little about their culture made it doubly worthwhile.”
Caring for animals
South Pacific Animal Welfare (SPAW) provides free veterinary care to animals living in Pacific Island communities. It operates regular field clinics staffed by trained veterinary professionals on islands where there is no, or limited access to, regular veterinary care. SPAW is often the only lifeline to medical care for animals that are injured or sick. A key initiative is helping to reduce the stray dog and cat populations through regular desexing clinics. Last year, SPAW provided $1.3 million in aid to multiple island partners, treated 1958 animals for free and recruited 57 vet and vet nurse volunteers, who provided 2750 professional hours to the programme. SPAW was founded by Matakana resident Karen Schade in 2010 and exists solely on donations and some sponsorship.
Info: www.spaw.org.nz
