Vets Beyond Borders Australia

VetTrain in India 2012

VOLUNTEER VET TRAINERS URGENTLY NEEDED FOR VETTRAIN DELHI in 2012

Through our supporter’s donations and a successful collaboration with the University of Queensland (UQ) VBB are very pleased to announce that the VetTrain Programme will go ahead in regional training centres in India in 2012. 

UQ were successful in their application for a Public Sector Linkages Programme (PSLP) Grant from AusAID. The purposes of the PSLP grant are to to transfer capacity-building skills and expertise from Australian universities, federal, state and territory government departments and agencies to public sector counterpart institutions in partner countries, and to support the strengthening of sustainable and development-focused public sector bilateral and regional linkages. The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) will be the counterpart organisation and VBB will be the implementing partner in India.

So in 2012 VBB, with support from UQ and the AWBI, plan to run 15 day VetTrain courses in Delhi (at the Jeevashram Foundation) and Gangtok (at the VBB SARAH project in Sikkim). VBB also hope to collaborate to train with Worldwide Veterinary Services (WVS) at their International Training Centre (ITC) in Ooty (Tamil Nadu) and also hold VetTrain courses in Jaipur (Rajistan) in collaboration with Humane Society International (HSI).

The purpose of these courses is to produce increased skills and knowledge for veterinarians, para-veterinarians, project managers and animal handlers in the areas directly relevant to an Animal Birth Control –Anti-Rabies (ABC-AR) programme. The project aims to significantly impact animal welfare in India by promoting the use of accepted surgical, anaesthetic and pain management protocols and humane animal capture and handling techniques. In addition, we aim to reduce or eliminate inhumane culling as a means of dog population control by promoting the use of ABC. It will allow the AWBI to implement and enforce its Standard Operating Procedures and increase the capacity for rabies control work in India.

VBB requires volunteer veterinarians and veterinary nurses with at least 2 years practical experience to assist us with the training courses. The course length is 15 days and volunteers can attend more than one training course in a different location if desired. At each location basic accommodation and meals will be provided. Training materials, presentations and English speaking specialised support staff will be available at each centre and VBB have a local Project manager to assist all volunteers. Volunteers are also encouraged to present to the trainees a topic of their choosing.

Ideally volunteers will have some training experience and have worked previously in an ABC programme in a developing community.

Each regional training centre is located in an interesting and unique region of India and joining one of our VetTrain projects is a great way to explore the country whilst meeting local people and contributing to animal welfare on a large scale.

For more information please see our Volunteer information document, contact our Executive Officer of Indian Projects, Dr Helen Byrnes or simply register your interest to volunteer.

Please note you must be a VBB member to volunteer in one of our projects but that membership does not guarantee the success of your application to volunteer. Join VBB now.