Nature of the Job

On a regular day at Esther Honey, volunteers start working at 8am feeding and cleaning all the animals that are either here for treatment or to be re-homed. Throughout the day there are many things to do to keep busy including extended care of inpatients, consultations, surgeries, maintenance of the clinic, administrative responsibilities, washing and more.

The day usually ends with afternoon feeding and cleaning of all the animals who will be spending the night with us and this process can take until five in the afternoon. EHF volunteers follow this routine every day, Monday through Sunday, 365 days a year, through rain, cyclones, summer heat, or even come Tsunami (We would be placing them all into cages and heading for higher ground!). These duties cannot be neglected by the clinic team regardless of the obstacles or challenges faced, as these animals are under our care.

Sometimes volunteers have to work well into the night or are awaken in the early hours of the morning to deal with emergencies. Evenings are usually the time when volunteers get to rest or go out to see the island, but if a patient requires urgent veterinary attention day or night all other plans are canceled as the needs of the local animals come first. The clinic has an emergency mobile number to contact in case the volunteers are out when help is needed. The phone number is on the door of the clinic (75310).

Although most days are pretty run-of-the-mill, it can get quite busy at times, and depending on the number of volunteers at the clinic, someone might have to wait whilst other animals are being helped. The Esther Honey Foundation and our volunteers are here for your animals, so call us.

This is the nature of the job.

(In the picture above is Michelle, Lauren, Cat, and Shann. All fully qualified veterinarians from Australia, England, and the U.S. The picture was taken after morning feed and clean while it was a torrential downpour)