Vets Wendy Furness and Michael Colgan operating in one of his temporary clinics. 

The team treated over 750 animals in the remote Seronga region of Botswana.

Volunteer veterinary surgeons from the UK have helped deliver one of the first-ever veterinary outreach programmes to six isolated villages in Botswana.

Vets Wendy Furness and Michael Colgan joined veterinary charity Maun Animal Welfare Society (MAWS) to establish temporary veterinary clinics in the remote Seronga region – a panhandle of the Okavango Delta, where access to veterinary care is extremely limited.

Working alongside local village leaders and community partners, the team travelled more than six hours over rough terrain before completing the journey by boat. Much of their work also took place in the heart of major wildlife corridors, so the team had to be wary of potential wildlife, including elephants and wild dogs.

The team treated over 750 animals during the course of the week, and the cases were rich and varied. From dog and cat neutering and parasite control, they also provided essential preventative healthcare and welfare advice for owners.

The veterinary team included MAWS veterinary support team, Carmen and Vasco, and volunteer Ansie and Thomas, a local farrier.

Dr Wendy Furness said: “This was the third time we have volunteered with MAWS, and it was by far the most logistically challenging project we have undertaken. Once we reached the villages there was no possibility of returning for forgotten equipment, so every aspect of the clinics had to be meticulously planned by Carmen and Vasco.

“In addition, the local team from conservation charity Communities Living Among Wildlife Sustainably (CLAWS) had put in a lot of work in advance on the ground to ensure we could work alongside them, and that the people from the villages we were visiting were able to make the most of what we had to offer. Cases were rich and varied – from straightforward rabies vaccinations to more unusual cases such as a horse that had been attacked by a crocodile, severe eye injuries and a kitten that had been attacked by a monitor lizard.”

She added: “Many of the routine operations are more complicated than normal as tick-borne disease increases the risks of bleeding. All part of a day’s work in such a remote location without access to regular vet care, often with an impromptu audience.”

Dawn Torre, Chair of MAWS, said: “We are so grateful for the support and expertise of people like Wendy and Michael who become part of our team for a short space of time and really help make a difference to our communities.

“We are also delighted the outreach programme has enabled us to assess community demand for future preventative veterinary care, particularly rabies vaccination and sterilisation. The exceptional attendance demonstrated strong local demand, while also highlighting the limited availability of rabies vaccines and post-exposure treatment for people in these remote communities - an important public and veterinary health challenge.”

Image (C) Wendy Furness.