Please note: This article is about the RSPCA of PNG’s ‘Operation Wanted’ Campaign, which accepted veterinary volunteers in 2019-2020 (until international travel was limited by corona-virus restrictions). Keep an eye on the RSPCA of PNG’s facebook page and website for the latest updates on the volunteer situation.
Fast Facts For Volunteers
| The RSPCA of Papua New Guinea |
| Location: Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea Languages Spoken: English, PNG Pidgin Species: Predominantly dogs, some cats Type of Organisation: Shelter and Welfare Vet Clinic Aims of organisation: The RSPCA of PNG was established to improve the lives of animals by promoting education and welfare standards, as well as providing veterinary treatment and re-homing services to pet owners. Their recent outreach program, “Operation: Wanted” targets the root cause of PNG’s domestic animal overpopulation through large scale de-sexing campaigns and awareness programs in areas where veterinary care has not been previously accessible. Types of Volunteers Accepted: Veterinary Professionals: Competent Qualified Vets and Vet Nurses are required to assist in performing and monitoring surgeries at high volume, on-location desexing drives. There is no fee for volunteering, and accommodation and transport within the city is provided to volunteers. Read more below. Non-qualified volunteers: There is no need for non-qualified volunteers as part of this campaign. Research Links: There are no formal partnerships between this organisation and academic institutions, but there could be some scope for epidemiological research on the outreaches. Get in touch with the organisation to find out more. Funding: The RSPCA is an NGO, and is funded entirely on donations and income from their charity vet clinic located in Port Moresby. |
Read the second part of this series about my experience as a volunteer vet here.
Background of Organisation
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) of Papua New Guinea (PNG) runs the only private veterinary clinic in the country. Based in Port Moresby, the organisation also shares a site with the local pound, caring for surrendered pets as well as taking stray and injured animals of the streets.
There is no university offering veterinary medicine in PNG, so the veterinarians who work on-site come from a range of international backgrounds. During outreach programs, the organisation also takes on short-term volunteer vets to assist with high-volume spey and neuter surgery.
Facilities
The RSPCA of PNG has their own veterinary clinic and on-site dog shelter, which takes in unwanted animals as well as providing services to private clients.
The Operation Wanted outreaches take place on-location in and around the city of Port Moresby. Large marquees are set-up, which are divided into separate areas for admits, surgeries and recoveries. Some of these villages have no running water or electricity, so expect few facilities on-site. Shops and bathrooms may or may not be easily accessible.
Ethics
High volume spey and neuter drives offer a unique opportunity for locals to gain access to veterinary services near their homes, for a heavily discounted cost.
Dogs and cats in Papua New Guinea tend roam outdoors freely, meaning even owned pets are at high risk of injury from fighting and road accidents. Desexing these animals reduces their tendency to fight and to roam far from home, and also prevents unwanted litters being born which must compete further for limited food and resources. So the act of desexing animals themselves can be considered an important factor in the welfare of the individuals.
Although the operations are performed outdoors in less-than optimal conditions, they are only completed by qualified and competent veterinary surgeons. The operations are performed quickly allowing for a smooth and rapid recovery, and the animals are given pain releif as they would be in western clinics. On the rare occasion of surgical complications in recovery, animals were provided with additional care and nursing overnight until they were fully recovered.
Volunteer Roles
Veterinary Professionals
Qualified veterinary surgeons and nurses are vital to the success of the campaign, providing extra man-power in order to get through the high volume of surgery taking place.
The role of vets is primarily surgical. As such vets need to be competent and quick at routine spey and neuter surgeries. This is not a good opportunity for learning or practising surgeries, and you will be expected to work quickly and independently.
Veterinary Nurses and vet techs mainly assist in assessing animals before surgery, monitoring anaesthesia, and assisting in recovery. Only TIVA (total intra-venous anaesthetic) is available. There is no electronic monitoring equipment, so you will need to be confident working in more basic conditions than the average western hospital.
The conditions in the field are challenging. Be ready for hot, dusty and dirty work. Lunch breaks may be rushed, and bathroom facilities may be non-existent. So, be prepared to work harder than the average surgical day in a GP clinic.
Local Volunteers
There may be some scope for local volunteers who are friends of the RSPCA to offer assistance during outreach programs. Please contact the RSPCA directly to enquire.
Practical Information
Accommodation and Food
Accommodation for short-term volunteers is arranged by the RSPCA. It may involve a western-style home stay with local ex-pats, or hotel accommodation. Food may be provided, or you may be transported to the supermarket to buy what you need. Its best to discuss these details with the organisers when arranging your trip.
Food and drinking water should be brought with you to the outreach, as there is unlikely to be any shops nearby. Make sure you discuss with your driver ahead of time if you need to purchase lunch food before the outreach.
Working Hours
Days on the outreach program are long. There is no guarantee that the animals brought in will return later in the week. So we tended to continue working until all animals had been seen to each day.
I was picked up around 8am each morning and transported to the site of the day’s field clinic, where we generally started surgery by 9am. We worked as a production line, with each animal being prepped and ready for surgery as I finished the last, so there was not a lot of down-time in between cases. Each surgeon stopped briefly for lunch around midday, and we finished surgeries around 4-5pm.
We were working outdoors in hot, humid and dusty conditions with basic (but effective) equipment. Be prepared for challenges, and to go with the flow when things don’t go exactly to plan!
Safety in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea, and particularly Port Moresby, does not have the greatest reputation for safety. However I did not run into any issues during my stay at all.
During a volunteer trip to PNG, its best not to travel anywhere without your hosts or a member of the RSPCA team. PNG is generally not considered safe for foreigners to be walking on the streets alone, even in daylight, and public transport is also a no-go. Instead, the RSPCA will arrange private transport for you from the airport, and take you to and from your accommodation each day.
If you wish to take in some tourism sites while in PNG, ask the RSPCA team so they can organise a reputable guide or a local to accompany you.
During the campaign, we set up in the centre of a village which is generally barred to foreigners. I had a great experience and never felt unsafe, although I was asked not to bring any valuables with me, and not to wander out of sight of the campaign tents. The RSPCA team did a great job to ensure that there was never any issues so we never felt uncomfortable doing our work. In fact, most of the locals had never seen a vet, so we had an audience of friendly onlookers for most of the campaign, and I only had positive experiences with those who came to watch.
Location: Getting to the Shelter
The address of the RSPCA of PNG is: Kunai Street, Hohola, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
However, as we were working on community outreach programs, we didn’t spend much time at the clinic, and the location of our work varied each day.
The RSPCA will arrange transport by private vehicle to and from the airport, to work each day, and to the supermarket to buy supplies if necessary. It is highly inadvisable for foreigners to take public transport, or to walk around unescorted in Port Moresby, so its best to rely on the RSPCA to help you get around when you need to.
Further Information
If you’d like to learn more about how you can volunteer with the RSPCA of PNG on one of their High Volume Spey and Neuter campaigns, best to get in touch with them on their website or facebook page.
If you’d like to hear about my personal experiences as a volunteer in PNG, check out The 9 things I learned as a vet in Papua New Guinea!
If you’d like to read more about other organisations that are looking for veterinary volunteers, check out the Volunteer Page.
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