IPAN: Volunteering

Animal Welfare means Human Welfare

Volunteering

Graduated veterinarians with adequate work experience who can join in the field work (animal birth control surgeries/ large animal internal medicine and traumatic wounds mostly) even independently are welcome to volunteer in this category.

There will be always someone to help you with the language and local treatment practices but in this program you do not necessary always work with another veterinarian. There is no participation fee for the volunteers in this category.

1. Graduated veterinarians

Vet training trips are arranged in collaboration with Worldwide Veterinary Service (UK) for recently graduated vets without much working experience. This is a three week long trip with a team that consists of 1-3 vet students/recently graduated and 1-2 experienced vets who will teach the students in field practice. UK vet students willing to participate in this program are adviced to contact the Worldwide Veterinary Service (www.wvs.org.uk) for more information.

Generally the participants in this program make a standard donation to IPAN through WVS. In 2008 the standard donation was GBP 350. This donation helps to cover the extra expenses of food and accomodation and medicines used by the students while volunteering at IPAN.

Vet students from outside UK/ outside of the WVS program can also apply directly to IPAN for a three week long volunteering program to gain experience in veterinary practice. A standard minimum donation is to be paid directly to IPAN in this case and a notice of 3-5 months should be given in order to ensure the placement.

2. Vet training volunteers

Non-veterinary volunteers (including also veterinary nurses and early year vet students without any clinical knowledge) is a third possibility to volunteer. Here the volunteer arranges her/his accommodation and food independently, covering all the costs. There is a possibility to stay in the simple guestroom, the SheepShed, in the Animal Refuge for Rs. 500/day without meals.

Non-veterinary volunteers help by grooming the dogs and horses and by assisting the vets in the treatments. Special skills are occasionally also needed in designing animal welfare activities for children or in developing our fundraising/publicity programs. This type of volunteering does not require staying in the shelter nor being available 24hours a day as we expect from the other volunteer groups and it is suggested as an extra 1-4 day long activity on your traveling plans through the Nilgiris.

3. Non-veterinary volunteers

Volunteer vets; Dr. Andy spaying a dog and Dr. Suzi surgically removing plastic from a bullock’s rumen (2007 and 2008).

Vet training team from WVS; Dr. Sophie and Dr. Katherine with IPAN team attending working donkeys in Mettupalayam (2008)

Photographer Teresa Ramos volunteering at IPAN in 2006, assisting IPAN’s resident veterinarian, Dr. Selvaraj (2006).

INDIA PROJECT FOR ANIMALS AND NATURE

We want to thank ALL the volunteers who have helped and supported us!