RVN sisters on tour

ABSTRACT

We have always enjoyed travelling and last year we decided to combine this passion with our love of veterinary nursing, taking our careers abroad. We spent a year saving and planning before jumping on a plane at Heathrow for the six-month long adventure of a life time! This article explores all the amazing charities we worked with across five different countries and we hope our words inspire those of you considering volunteering abroad to take the leap - there are so many wonderful opportunities out there - just book that plane ticket!

Keywords:

• volunteer
• charity
• travel
• wildlife
• conservation
• rehabilitation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gemma Crowley

Gemma graduated from The Royal Veterinary College with a BSc (Hons) in Veterinary Nursing in July 2016. Throughout her degree, she developed a strong passion for wildlife and exotics nursing, which led to her undertaking a master’s degree in Wild Animal Biology at The Royal Veterinary College in collaboration with The Zoological Society of London. During her masters she spent three months completing a veterinary wildlife internship in the Eastern Cape, South Africa working with wildlife such as rhinos, giraffe, lions, cheetah, buffalo, antelope, elephants and hippos. As well as her passion for exotics, Gemma has a strong interest in emergency critical care and has experience working in both out of hours services and a referral hospital intensive care unit. Now back in the UK Gemma is working at St David Veterinary Centre, a small animal first opinion practice in Cardiff, and hopes to complete her advanced programme in exotics nursing in the near future. Email: [email protected]

Lisa Crowley

After graduating with a degree in Equine Science from Aberystwyth University in 2013, Lisa began working in a first opinion small animal practice in South Wales and completed the VN diploma with Abbeydale College, graduating as an RVN in 2017.

Lisa spent the past 5 years in practice developing a passion for medical nursing and now back in the UK, Lisa is working at St David Veterinary Centre in Cardiff and hopes to complete the Medical Nursing certificate in the near future. Email: [email protected]