The hands-on approach of this programme offers participants a unique and invaluable opportunity to gain experience within the veterinary medicine field, through mostly practical work in the field, and some lecture-based learning. Based in Chintsa East, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, participants travel to a different location each day to work with as many species of animal as possible. Students can attend the programme for 2-12 weeks, with each day being completely different.

Participants will experience the ‘real’ South Africa; working in poor communities to provide treatment to a variety of species that otherwise receive no veterinary treatment, and discovering different South African cultures, and working on game reserves with African wildlife, and visiting commercial farms in the area.

The objective of the programme is to provide hands-on experience in as many areas of the veterinary field as possible, including the following main areas:

• African Wildlife
• Farm
• Community

Your stay may also include some other programme activities such as:

• Lectures on a wide variety of veterinary topics
• A trip to the zoo to provide enrichment
• A visit to the reptile park to learn about health and husbandry of snakes and other species
• Dart-gun practice
• Game counts
• Aquarium – learning about diseases and husbandry of sea birds
• Visits to a school to educate children on how to care for their animals.

These activities are mainly for rainy days when other work is cancelled.

Participants may, on occasion, also get involved with any sterilization drives in the area. This is not guaranteed as it depends on what is available at the time.

Most veterinary work and activities while on the programme are field based, rather than in a clinical setting.

The programme is designed to accommodate a wide range of backgrounds, interests, and levels of experience.

Pre-Vets: Students in high school, on a gap year, or in an undergraduate college/university considering a career in veterinary medicine are classified as “pre-vet”. These participants will gain experience that will help them to decide if they want to go into veterinary medicine, give them a unique experience to set them apart on applications, and provide an opportunity for practical experience that may not be otherwise available to them.

Vet Students: Students already enrolled in vet school. The programme makes great husbandry EMS hours, and gives vet students extra experience.

Vet Nurses, Vet Techs and Student Nurses: Qualified and student nurses are always welcome on the programme! These participants will be given more responsibility and their skills are always appreciated. The programme offers a unique experience that you cannot get at home. These participants make a big difference by giving veterinary care and treatment to underprivileged animals in poor communities.

Animal Lovers: These participants don’t have a lot of experience with veterinary work and may or may not be interested in veterinary medicine. Focus is more on an exciting and unique opportunity to work with exotic wildlife and to help diseased and malnourished animals in local communities.

The programme runs all year, with the start day being each Monday.
Participants can choose their dates within this time.

The program runs from 2 weeks to a 6 month internship

A 30% deposit is required to secure you place on the project.
The remaining balance needs to be paid in full 8 weeks before your arrival date.
Your final destination when booking flights needs to be East London Airport.

The project starts every Monday, so fights need to land and depart on Mondays in order to include transfers.

Flights can land and depart at any time on Mondays.

For arrivals or departures on other days there will be a transfer fee of around £30/R50O.

Summer months in South Africa:
November – April

Winter months:
May – October (mornings and evenings are cold).

Please note that immigration in South Africa now requires you to have two completely empty pages in your passport alongside each other. Passports must be valid for at least six months after your arrival in South Africa.

Visas: Please check whether you need a visa depending on your home country. Most countries are issued a tourist visa stamp at the airport, valid for 90 days.

We advise that you take £100 – £200 per week as spending money depending on what activities you would like to do in your leisure time.

I don’t have a lot of animal experience – will I be behind the other participants?
No experience is required- the programme accepts people from all backgrounds; including vet students, pre-vet undergraduates, students on a gap year, high school students, or anyone who just loves animals! There is no age limit. This programme is designed to give participants a hands-on veterinary experience that they might not get in their home country, whether it be to build up a CV/resume, to decide if veterinary medicine is the right path, or just to experience the wildlife of Africa while helping animals in need!

What does my programme fee include?
The programme fee includes accommodation, all food, transfers to and from East London airport, all programme activities and lectures, and transportation while on the programme.

How do I get to the programme?
A staff member will be waiting for you when you arrive at East London Airport. They will provide a transfer to your accommodation in Chintsa.

When does the programme run?
The programme runs from March – November each year.

I want to make the most of my programme, what length of time is best?
You can stay from a minimum time of two weeks. As a general rule, the longer you can stay the more you will get out of the programme; all of our work is dependent on what is available at the time so the longer you stay the more varied your experience will be. For periods longer than 3 months please check visa requirements for volunteers and plan early.

What is the accommodation like while on the programme?
You will be staying at Buccaneers Backpackers in Chintsa; a small, friendly village on the beach. The accommodation is both safe and comfortable. This accommodation includes kitchenette and bathroom facilities. Although you will be based in Chintsa, our work involves travelling to a different location each day, so you will see a lot of the Eastern Cape!

How many people sleep in a room?
This depends on how busy the program is, but expect 2 – 8 people in one room.

Will there be a possibility to go shopping (for snacks, toiletries, etc.) while on the program?
All meals are included in the programme fee but if you do need any extra goodies there are shops nearby. There is a small shop that sells basic snacks and toiletries within Chintsa. Larger shop visits usually occur when it is convenient based on where you are travelling to each day – the more notice you give the staff the better so they can plan ahead for you.

What animals might I see or work with on the project?
This varies from week to week. Expect to work with dogs once a week. Farm work may include cattle, pigs and sheep. Our game captures mainly consist of antelope species but we have also worked with zebra, giraffe, buffalo, rhino and lions over the last few years. The game capture aspect of the programme very much depends on what species of animals need moving at the time.

When do we work, and how long for?
Like most work with animals this largely depends on the activity available that day. We generally work Monday – Friday, although this can change. Hours vary a lot so be prepared for anything and always take plenty of water and snacks with you!

Will there be internet?
Wi-fi will be available at your accommodation, however ‘This Is Africa’ and we cannot always guarantee the wi-fi working smoothly!

Can I do laundry while on the project?
Yes, there is a laundry service at your accommodation, for a small fee.

What will I be doing?
This programme offers hands-on experience with small animals, farm animals, and wildlife. The goal of the programme is to provide veterinary care to animals that would otherwise have none, as well as to provide students with hands-on field experience.

• The wildlife element is mainly game capture- the tranquilization and transportation of wild game, usually for relocation. Occasionally, we will dart an animal to check or treat an injury. Participants help to monitor animals, inject medication, and physically transport the animal.
• Work with farm animals is focused on showing participants exactly what it means to be a vet. Farm work may include basic handling and husbandry, artificial insemination of pigs and cows, injecting, dipping and dosing large animals, pregnancy testing, sponging sheep and lambing.
• The community work section of the programme aims to create a healthier and more comfortable population of animals in the local communities by providing basic care, with focus on preventative measures against fleas, ticks and mange, as these are big problems. We also do our best to treat wounds and other minor injuries.