A fond farewell

Hey Esther Honey Foundation supporters, Marg here! If you follow our blog consistently, you’ll recognize me from the few posts I wrote while Jess was away on holiday back in January. As I wrap up my last week at the Clinic, I feel compelled to write a final entry and share some reflections on my experience as an Esther Honey volunteer. First, can I just say how time flies! I can’t believe it’s already been almost five months since I stepped off the plane at the Rarotonga airport. Since then, I have gained much invaluable veterinary-related insight and knowledge from the volunteers and staff around me. I have also developed a genuine respect for the hard work Esther Honey does every day in ensuring the health of the Rarotongan animal population despite the never-ending challenges of being a not-for-profit organization with very limited resources.

As a free animal clinic relying completely on the generosity of others in donating funds, supplies, and/or time, we learn to use what resources we have wisely, and often find ourselves devising treatment strategies that really put our knowledge and innovativeness to the test. Although it is difficult to not always have the capability to do what we would like, it has been inspiring to see what a difference we can still make for animals that just 17 years ago had absolutely no veterinary care available to them.

As someone with aspirations to become a veterinarian, I know that I will always remember the incredible vets that I have encountered at Esther Honey—Individuals whose compassion for animals and love of adventure has led them to leave paid jobs to volunteer on a remote island in desperate need of their help. If that doesn’t demonstrate a truly committed veterinarian, I don’t know what does!

Thank you Esther Honey for providing me with such a life changing opportunity, and to all of you supporters out there, whether it be through “liking” us on Facebook, volunteering , and/or making donations— keep it up! I can tell you from firsthand experience that the Esther Honey Foundation is well worth the investment. : )

Yours truly,

Marg

P.S. If any future volunteers want to get in touch to learn more about life as an Esther Honey, please don’t hesitate to get in touch: margueritekissel@gmail.com

Meet Tiny, Tipsy, Teddy, Tinker and Tabitha as well as Milly and Molly.
This adorable litter of kittens are absolute favourites here at Esther Honey. Their mum was bought in to the clinic just days before being due to give birth, so Tiny, Tipsy, Tinker and Tabitha were all born right here.
A few of us were even lucky enough to witness the whole event; a rather special moment in anyone’s books.
Mama Cat is such a good mum that two days later, when an orphaned stray came in and his only chance for survival was a real mum, she happily accepted Teddy as one of her own. Not even the introduction of Milly and Molly 10 days later phased her (though she does now eat about six meals a day).

The kittens grew at an alarming rate, opened their eyes a good few days before they were supposed to, and proved to be an incredibly healthy robust litter. With the nursery full and the two young ones still too small to be put in any of our other cages, poor Mama Cat is stuck in the tiny ‘bird cage’ all day but doesn’t seem the least bit bothered at having seven playful mischief makers clambering all over her.

We try each day to give her a break by having a ‘kitten party’ on the lawn with the bigger lot which you would think Mama Cat would appreciate, but she supervises very closely from her spot and after 20 minutes gives us a meow to let us know its time for the kids to come home.

In another few weeks, Mama Cat will be spayed and sent home and all the kittens will join the nursery kittens waiting for a loving home.
But in the meantime, it is a delight to watch and cuddle these genuine Esther Honey kittens!

A busy week!

Of course, with our expert surgeon Lucinda leaving us last week, we suddenly get all the incredibly interesting complex surgeries! So with a little (ok, a lot) of stressful moments in the theatre this week, our new team is in full swing.
For example, last night our CocoPutt evening was put on hold by a puppy that had been hit by a car. Despite the incredible shock the puppy was in, we decided we have no choice but to open her up and check for internal bleeding or other injuries. As it turns out, on top of her fractured leg, she had an avulsed spleen, a ruptured liver lobe and a punctured lung! A few hours in surgery later, her injuries got the better of her. Please please please keep your puppies away from roads until they are old enough to know some road rules.
The hospital is full to bursting with fish poisoning cases, some of which are very severe and others hopefully a few days from heading home. Such brave little things they are. Jasper, a huge Rottweiler cross is so ill that he can’t move himself, swallow or lift his head; but he still wags his
tail whenever someone approaches.
Also worth a mention is Tiger, a rather grumpy old lady cat who came in last week with a 6 x 6cm machete wound to her flank. A complicated stitch up and some serious pain relief later, Tiger’s wound looks amazing and she should be fit to go home in the next few days.
The social life has been a little quieter than normal as we recover from months of keeping up with Lucinda, but Hash House Harriers, Zumba, Island Dancing, CocoPutt and Monday Trader Jacks traditions have yet to be let down!
Here’s hoping for a calmer week from here!

Happy Birthday Gregg!

A nice calm week here at the clinic. With surgeries on the minimum for a few weeks, life has been a bit unusual. We welcomed Max, a new vet who joined us for a few weeks so that I won’t cry too much when Lucinda leaves tomorrow night! We will surely be having a few of her favourites – long island ice teas – to celebrate that occasion, so here’s hoping we all survive that! However Hovis is in heaven with Max being prone to letting her sleep on his chest on the sofa and not even notice her snoring!
It is also Gregg’s birthday today so a lunch time party is on the cards (shhh, he doesn’t know yet!).
Our lovely trio of puppies have all left us now. Panda, the most sweet thing you have ever seen, went to a lovely family who were keen for a boisterous fun dog. Nina and John – Lucinda’s favourites –each went to locals that we know well and will be able to regularly check up on their progress.
Readers will also be delighted to know that Mango came in to be spayed this week! She is even more beautiful that when she last visited, and just as cuddly (though not the least bit impressed with needles…). But all went smoothly and now she can enjoy the proper free life of a girl not worrying about boys (would that we were all so lucky)!
Our raffle was drawn on Thursday (wow – the stress!) and 10 lucky winners took home prizes they were all very impressed with. For all those who didn’t win a prize, we still thank you immensely for supporting Esther Honey!