Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# veterinarian Volunteer Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea
jaciau 06:53 UTC 12 May 2011 | Hi All, Looks Like I may be be able to get some time off over the next couple of months and would like to do some traveling. Haven't quite decided on the exact destinations but would like to travel in the asia, pacific islands region. While I'm around I thought it would be good to be able to help out if I could. Can anyone recommend some good organisations this area which take veterinary volunteers? Wildlife would be a bonus but also happy with dogs and cats :) Thanks in advance :) |
agingaquarian 07:12 UTC 12 May 2011 | Esther Honey does very good work in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Mainly with cats and dogs - encouraging desexing amongst other things. They may also get involved in other aspects of animal welfare. This link may help. http://www.estherhoney.org/EHF_Clinic.htm | 1
ozziegiraffe 12:05 UTC 12 May 2011 | There was a recent episode of "Bondi Vet" on television here in Australia, where the vets did volunteer work in Fiji. However Tetepare or Arnarvon islands (scroll to the bottom), are local conservation areas in Solomon Islands which could probably use the services of a vet. As far as I know, there is only one qualified vet in the country. | 2
pago 15:11 UTC 13 May 2011 | Check out the Samoas, they've had dog problems for ever! | 3
hardnosethehighway 16:13 UTC 13 May 2011 | "Check out the Samoas, they've had dog problems for ever! " The judicious application of hot lead has alleviated some symptoms but the issue is chronic. | 4
agingaquarian 01:17 UTC 14 May 2011 | The poor dog ranger in Rarotonga is always receiving threats. Of course, dog is on the menu for some Rarotongans so numbers of desexing dogs will remain unpopular with some. I read somewhere (on this forum I'm sure) that the dog problem in Samoa would be solved if dogs were part of their diet. But they're not as I understand it. | 5
h2ooh 05:39 UTC 14 May 2011 | Dogs have been around for a long time in Polynesia, mainly as a food source. Capt. James Cook and his crew tried some in 1769 during his first contact with the Tahitians and judged it to be very good,comparable to lamb. | 6
agingaquarian 06:48 UTC 14 May 2011 | My comments were not intended to be judgemental - merely factual. As you say, dogs have been part of the diet for centuries. They are also part of the diet in many others countries such as China, Korea and, closer to home Tonga. They would be as nutritious and, probably, as tasty as many of the other creatures we consume. And in many European countries horse is widely eaten, but that's another story. I wonder why they are not eaten in Samoa. For that matter, I wonder why there are now no dogs at all in Aitutaki in the Cook Islands, which is completely different from Rarotonga. No-one seems able (or willing) to tell me the reason for this. | 7
pago 13:13 UTC 14 May 2011 | No dogs on Aitutaki....two reasons: 1. hot lead 2. hot bar b q Either way, problem solved. | 8
h2ooh 14:07 UTC 14 May 2011 | Same on Mauke... | 9
h2ooh 14:11 UTC 14 May 2011 | @Pago.. Aitutaki's absence of dogs...The reason we heard from the locals was that a child was mauled a while back and the island leadership decided to ban dogs altogether. Edited by: H2ooh | 10
pago 13:32 UTC 15 May 2011 | Yes, we agree. The hot lead (then big bar b q) took care of the dog problem after the chiefs gave the ok. | 11
Laszlo 19:23 UTC 16 May 2011 | I read somewhere (on this forum I'm sure) Was it here ? ;-) | 12