Samoan veterinarian visits Australia through the CVA study fund

As a vet practicing in Sydney Australia for some decades, I have come to take many things for granted that vets in other parts of the world would regard almost as luxuries. It is hard to imagine doing without an X-ray machine or an anesthetic machine. But this is precisely what Samoan vet Renee Orange reported during her one week stay at my Sydney inner west small animal practice recently. Renee spent the first week of her CVA sponsored study visit to Australia living in and helping out with consultations and surgery. And whilst I am sure she gained quite a lot from her time with us, her experiences dealing with the likes of ‘George’ the ferret and some fluffy pet rabbits, whilst no doubt memorable for her, will perhaps be of limited use to her back in Samoa.

We at the Haberfield Veterinary Hospital enjoyed immensely having Renee with us for the week. To wish her a fond farewell, on her last night with us we took her out for a pizza night and presented her with a parting gift we thought she would appreciate – some bottles of stains for staining slides, something she just doesn’t have back home, and a stuffed toy kangaroo. We hope that Renee will return to Samoa reinvigorated, that the kangaroo will remind her of us and that the bottles of stains in her luggage remain intact or else she could be unpacking some interestingly coloured clothes!