Week 3- The Home Stretch


With one week remaining ere the return of our regular clinic director, volunteer departures had depleted the clinic crew down to four this week (myself included). Outnumbered more than six to one by the resident animals, we had our work cut out for us. Feeding and cleaning, medicating and assessing, consulting and operating … it was lucky that we were such an awesome foursome. I owe a great deal of thanks to the team (Petra, Kathleen and Justin) for all their hard work and long hours- their dedication kept the clinic running smoothly.

As the days blurred in a haze of work, there were a few special patients that did stand out. Delivering a dog to the airport for export in the middle of the night was certainly a new experience; stitching up a piglet after a dog attack, only to have it remodel part of our backyard was also entertaining; but my personal favourite would have to be the dog that presented with a can stuck on its’ tongue. No two days are the same when you work at a vet clinic!

As the week wrapped up and Gregg’s return drew nigh, it was time to celebrate the small victories … the successful replacement of our defunct clinic computer (many thanks to the Computer Man for donating our new machine!!); the safe arrival of little Rico (our export Chihuahua) in New Zealand; and the happy rehoming of another 3 kittens and one dog from our menagerie. And so it is with a sigh of relief I return the reigns to our official clinic director, and leave to him the job of keeping the clinic standing …

The good, the bad and the (kind of) ugly.


My second week as substitute clinic director at the EHF has left me feeling a little like a drunken sailor, reeling from one crisis to the next. They say whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger, and so I reckon after another week of this I should be all set for my first body building contest … if such things actually exist in Raro.

The good.

That’s not to say the week has been all trials and tribulations. One of the highlights was a visit to the clinic by Maree and Griff Lash- owners of a Christchurch veterinary hospital that was hit hard by the recent earthquakes. Travelling to the Cook Islands for a wedding, they brought with them a box of supplies (amazingly containing many of the items we were running short on) to donate to the EHF. Hearing their personal account of the impact of the earthquake was truly humbling, and a powerful reminder of how much we have to be grateful for here in sunny Rarotonga. The generosity of the Lash’s during such a challenging time is a testament to their spirit, and they have our profound thanks and best wishes for the future.

The bad.

There’s been a myriad of minor catastrophes this week, none of which really bear dwelling on. There was the clinic computer that crashed, and which (despite our best efforts at resuscitation) was pronounced dead by the local expert. The EHF internet connection of course promptly went out in sympathy. There were a string of setbacks related to our attempts to export peoples’ prized pets out of the country, and the piles of associated paperwork continue to clutter my desk. There were roster mix-ups and runaway animals; slight health concerns and a significant amount of sleep deprivation courtesy of some insomniac dogs. To top off the frustrations there were a number of futile and fruitless search and rescue missions trying to locate ill and injured animals that had been reported to us. There’s nothing like wandering in circles for half an hour to make your day feel less productive.



The (kind of) ugly.

Not all car trips returned empty handed however. Currently at the clinic we are treating a couple of … how shall we say … canines with character. These guys- George and Manga- have a skin condition caused by mange mites and are picked-up once a week for a medicated bath and injection. They may not be the most attractive of fellows, but they make up for it in good spirits and good nature. We hope that their looks will soon match their personalities!