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Being an AWF volunteer on St. Eustatius
Veterinarians, Vet Assistants / Technicians
It is the aim of the St. Eustatius Animal Welfare Foundation to organize every year 4 spay/neuter clinics of at least one week duration. There are no fixed dates for these clinics so we can adjust to the possibilities of the volunteers (but of course we have to space the clinics well apart from each other). During these clinics, a team which ideally consists of a volunteer vet and a volunteer vet technician / assistant works in the mornings / early afternoons and is free afterwards for recreation. Apart from spaying and neutering dogs and cats the volunteers can expect to see some emergencies like accidents and poisonings and even some non urgent patients.
Requirements
Several years of experience in spay and neuter of pets, preferably with I.V. anesthesia is needed. We learned that most recently graduated vets lack the speed of work needed to spay a dog within the timeframe I.V. anesthesia permits. Mostly we use the protocol of the IVA (see also their website, www.dvmassist.org) but all protocols which are safe and not too expensive will do. Please realize not all animals will be in perfect condition and some will even be “just pregnant”, so “easy bleeders” will be encountered. There is no resident vet living on the island, but some very experienced vets on St. Maarten can be reached by telephone in case of urgent questions. The number of animals to spay / neuter per day will depend on the team. We want them to work in a relaxed way so the operation schedule is made after consultation with the team. The most ideal combination is that of a vet and assistant who know each other already and sign up together. In case you don’t know any other interested volunteers the SEAWF can try to find a companion for you but experience has taught us that this is not easy.
Operating Room Facilities
We have an air conditioned basic operation room available with bright general lighting (no operation room lights yet). As yet, no gas anesthesia is possible, only I.V. An autoclave is available as well as several sets of instruments and basic medication. Please contact the SEAWF for further details. A shaded porch directly adjacent to the O.R. will provide a place to relax between the operations. A refrigerator to cool your drinks is located in the adjacent office.
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Humane Education Teachers / Advisors
Our education programme is an important part of our mission on St. Eustatius. We want to teach the children on this island how to care for their pets and to be compassionate. We want them to understand the benefits of neutering their pets. We have started several education projects and are planning more. Please see our projects page for details. We plan to work with the local schools. We need teachers and advisors to help with these continued activities.
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General Volunteers
We also need volunteers who just love animals and are willing to spend at least two weeks on St. Eustatius helping us out. We need these volunteers to: transport animals to and from the vets, help with construction, garden, supervise children's activities, feed and care for animals at the adoption center, and help clean the property. |
Housing and Recreational Opportunities
Free housing is provided by the St. Eustatius Animal Welfare Foundation, either in private homes or in a hotel. Some free dinners can be offered as well. Limited free transportation around the island by mini truck is available. Volunteers interested in diving can get a discount to do a diving certification course. Sea kayaks are available for free. It is our experience that most volunteers have a very good time here, dividing their time between volunteer work and recreation. With our new facilities, working conditions have greatly improved and will help to make your stay even more pleasant. |
Getting to St. Eustatius
People from Europe or the USA will have to fly to St. Maarten first. Some major airlines are: KLM-Air France, US-Air, American Airlines and Continental.
For a full overview and current prices, please visit a website like www.travelocity.com.
Only local air carrier Winair (www.fly-winair.com) flies from St. Maarten to St. Eustatius; there is no boat transportation possible.
Return air fare is about $200 but check the website for any discount flights, especially in the low season (September and October).
Of course we will meet you at the airport in St. Eustatius upon arrival.
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